I&B Ministry
I&B ministry ‘open’ to FM radio channels airing ‘news’
NEW DELHI: This may be music to the ears of some of the private FM radio players.
The Indian government is “quite open” to the idea of allowing news on private fm radio but will look at “all aspects” before taking any decision, information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.
“We are quite open to the idea, but we have to see all aspects”, Prasad said interacting with the media at the foreign correspondents club when asked as to how news and current affairs was permitted on private TV channels but not allowed on private FM radio.
Noting that a great radio revolution was about to happen in India, he said there was “scope for improvement” in the FM radio sector and pointed out that there were several radio stations in Colombo. He said government would look into the issues concerning fm radio before the second round of bidding.
Prasad said there were as many as 290 million listeners of all India radio.
Turning to TV, he said he was for self-regulation but expressed concern that “race for commerce was driving everything” and he was not getting the “desired response” even three months after becoming the minister.
Prasad said he was often faced with questions as to why there was no regulatory body for TV channels as there was press council for print media and censor board for films.
“I am all for freedom and creativity, but the creators of creativity should need to be responsive to the sensitivities of the people”, he said adding that a bottomline was necessary.
I&B Ministry
Press Sewa Portal digitises 1.5 lakh records, streamlines periodical registrations: MIB
Online system spans 780 districts; Rs 5.6 crore penalties, 88,315 titles cancelled
NEW DELHI: India’s print media registry has quietly moved from dusty files to digital dashboards. The government has digitised more than 1.5 lakh historical records of newspapers and periodicals and shifted registrations fully online through the Press Sewa Portal.
Introduced under the Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Act, 2023, the portal now handles all applications for registering periodicals, replacing the earlier paper-heavy system created under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which has since been repealed.
The digital shift brings a wide range of services onto a single platform. Publishers can now register new periodicals, revise registrations, transfer ownership, file annual statements, pay penalties online and apply for circulation verification without navigating government offices.
As part of the rollout, specified authorities in 780 districts across India have been onboarded onto the platform. Since 1 March 2024, the portal has processed 11,081 applications and issued certificates across different categories.
The transition has also brought stronger compliance. According to government data, Rs 5.63 crore in penalties has been collected through the portal so far. States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh account for some of the largest penalty collections.
At the same time, the authorities have carried out a major clean-up of inactive or non-compliant publications. A total of 88,315 periodicals have been cancelled nationwide, with Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi among the states reporting the highest number of cancellations.
The government says the system will continue to evolve based on feedback from users. The Press Registrar General of India (PRGI) regularly reviews suggestions to improve services and make compliance easier for publishers.
The full list of registered newspapers and periodicals is available on the PRGI website under the Registered Titles section.
The information was shared in a written reply in the Lok Sabha by minister of state for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs L Murugan, responding to a question from Damodar Agrawal.
