I&B Ministry
Autonomy of the pubcaster would be protected: Javadekar
NEW DELHI: Addressing a press meet at the Doordarshan Kendra in Worli, Mumbai, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the government is committed to making Doordarshan the first choice of viewers across the country and a special provision will be made in the Union Budget for a total revamp of DD.
Javadekar, who was in the western metropolis to make a full appraisal of the Mumbai Kendra of Doordarshan, held discussion with officials about future plans, said: “The blue print for revamp of national and regional channels of DD is being drawn and this will involve going for staff and artist recruitment on a large scale. I&B ministry is planning to change the look and feel of the national and regional channels of DD.”
The minister was however categorical that the automomy of the pubcaster would be protected.
Apart from this, the government will shortly take a decision on permitting private channels to broadcast news of All India Radio. It may also consider permitting news of Press Trust of India or United News of India.
Noting that the government gives huge half page or full page advertisements but they say very little, the minister said, “We are changing the operations completely. We will change all the designs to send across the maximum information that we can and also make it creative. We will crowd-source most of the advertisements where thousands of creative people or organisations will be asked to give their ideas about how to create advertisements. Then the best will be chosen and the top ten ideas will be awarded. This process will continue while designing most of the advertising campaigns.”
On a question relating to paid news, he agreed it was a ‘menace’, particularly during the run-up to the elections, but he would not comment as the matter was in the Court.
“Stalwarts like Lokmanya Tilak had fought for the freedom of the press and their sacrifice should not be allowed to go waste,” he added.
I&B Ministry
MeitY proposes tighter rules for digital platforms and intermediaries
Fresh amendments aim to formalise government directions and expand content oversight.
MUMBAI: When the rulebook gets an upgrade, even the internet might need to sit up and pay attention because India’s digital regulators are clearly not scrolling idly. India’s technology regulators have proposed a fresh set of amendments to the country’s digital media and intermediary liability framework, seeking to expand oversight of online content and formalise the government’s authority to issue binding directions to platforms.
In a notice issued on 30 March, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) invited public comments on changes to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The revisions are described as “clarificatory and procedural” but are clearly aimed at strengthening compliance and enforcement.
At the heart of the proposal is a significant shift in how intermediaries, including social media platforms, respond to government advisories. A newly inserted provision would make compliance with official “clarifications, advisories, directions, standard operating procedures and guidelines” a formal part of the due diligence obligations required for platforms to retain legal immunity under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. This change effectively elevates government communications from guidance to enforceable obligations, tightening the regulatory loop between the state and digital platforms.
The amendments also expand the scope of content oversight under Part III of the rules, which governs digital media ethics. The proposed revisions clarify that the code will apply not only to publishers but also to intermediaries hosting news and current affairs content uploaded by users. This could bring user-generated news content more directly within the ambit of regulatory scrutiny, a move likely to raise questions about platform liability and editorial responsibility.
Further, the government has proposed broadening the mandate of the Inter-Departmental Committee, a key oversight body. The committee would no longer be limited to adjudicating complaints but could also take up matters referred directly by the ministry. This shift signals a more proactive regulatory posture, allowing authorities to initiate reviews without waiting for formal grievances.
The draft builds on an already expansive framework. The existing IT Rules impose detailed due diligence requirements on intermediaries, including obligations to remove unlawful content within tight timelines, maintain grievance redressal systems, and ensure traceability in certain cases. Recent amendments have also introduced provisions addressing synthetically generated content, requiring platforms to label such material and deploy technical measures to prevent misuse.
Officials framed the latest proposals as necessary to ensure an “Open, Safe, Trusted and Accountable Internet,” while improving “legal certainty” and the enforceability of regulatory directions.
Stakeholders have been invited to submit feedback by 14 April, setting the stage for what could become another consequential evolution in India’s digital governance regime.
In the fast-moving world of online content, these tweaks suggest the government is keen to keep the guardrails firmly in place – because when the internet grows wilder, even regulators feel the need to hit refresh on the rulebook.
