I&B Ministry
MIB issues stringent norms on fake news in TV & print media
NEW DELHI: Even as the government announced amendments in the guidelines for accreditation of print and electronic or TV journalists outlining punishments for breaches on account of fake news, the intention is being termed by stakeholders as debatably honourable but an indirect way to muzzle media freedom.
On Monday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued a statement stating that noticing increasing instances of fake news in various mediums, including print and electronic, the guidelines for accreditation of journalists have been amended with penalties and punishment factored in.
“On receiving any complaints of instances of fake news, the same would get referred to the Press Council of India (PCI) if it pertains to print media and to News Broadcasters Association (NBA) of India if it relates to electronic media for determination of the news item being fake or not,” the MIB statement said, adding the process would be completed within 15 days.
Once the complaint is registered for determination of fake news, the correspondent/journalist who created and/or propagated the fake news will, if accredited with the government, have the accreditation suspended till such time the determination regarding the fake news is made by the regulating agencies.
The Accreditation Committee of the Press Information Bureau (PIB, the government’s PR arm), which consists of representatives of both PCI and NBA, shall be consulted for validation of any accreditation request of any news media agency. The punishment for peddling fake news ranges from suspension of accreditation for a period of six months in the case of first violation to permanent cancellation on third violation.
While examining the requests seeking accreditation, the regulatory agencies will examine whether the ‘Norms of Journalistic Conduct’ and ‘Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards’ prescribed by the PCI and NBA, respectively are adhered to by journalists as part of their functioning. It would be obligatory for journalists to abide by these guidelines, the government statement said.
However, a section of the news media dubbed the government move as an indirect way to muzzle media freedom in the run-up to the general elections in the country either in late 2018 or early 2019. A meeting of various journalists’ organisations is likely to be held on Tuesday in the capital to take stock of the situation.
The present BJP-led government in New Delhi completes its five-year term mid-2019.
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I&B Ministry
AIDCF moves TDSAT over Waves plan to stream linear TV channels
Industry body flags regulatory gap as OTT push sparks broadcast turf war
NEW DELHI: The battle between traditional television distributors and digital platforms has found its way to the courts, with the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) moving the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Prasar Bharati’s latest OTT play.
At the heart of the dispute is Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, which has invited applications to onboard linear satellite TV channels. Aidcf, which represents multi-system operators (msos), argues that this move sidesteps existing broadcasting rules and risks tilting the playing field in favour of digital platforms.
The federation’s petition hinges on a key provision in the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2022. Clause 11(3)(f) allows broadcasters to downlink channels only if they provide signal decoders to recognised distribution platforms such as MSOS, DTH operators, hits operators and iptv platforms. OTT platforms, aidcf points out, do not feature on that list.
In simple terms, AIDCF’s argument is this: if OTT platforms are not officially recognised distributors, they should not be receiving broadcast signals in the first place. By inviting channels onto Waves, the federation claims, Prasar Bharati is opening a backdoor that lets broadcasters bypass long-standing rules.
The concern goes beyond legal interpretation. Aidcf says OTT platforms currently operate without a clear regulatory framework, allowing them to expand into traditional broadcasting territory without the compliance burden that cable and satellite operators must carry. That, it argues, creates an uneven contest.
There is also a warning for broadcasters. If they provide signal decoders to an OTT platform like Waves, they could risk breaching the very conditions under which their downlinking permissions were granted.
For its part, Prasar Bharati’s Waves initiative is positioned as a step towards wider access and digital reach, bringing linear television into the streaming era. But critics say the move blurs the line between regulated broadcasting and largely unregulated streaming.
The matter is expected to come up before tdsat next week. The outcome could do more than settle a single dispute. It may help define how India regulates the fast-merging worlds of television and OTT, where the lines are getting fuzzier by the day and the stakes, sharper than ever.
