I&B Ministry
Mass Comm courses in regional languages significant: Naidu
NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has stressed the vast need of skilled personnel in the media and entertainment sector in the country as the sector was expanding rapidly.
The Minister referred to the prominent role being played by the Government’s Skill India Initiative for upgrading skills under multiple disciplines. He added that the vision of this Government was to bring Transformational changes in all sectors.
Speaking about the changing paradigm in communication, the Minister said Social Media has broken the boundaries of time and space in communication. It is a pre-requisite for budding journalists to be social media savvy and to have a watchful eye about the public perception on issues of local and international importance.
He advised students aspiring to become journalists in future to ensure that news and views are not mixed and be objective. Every budding young journalist should have an open mind to acquire maximum knowledge to present the perspective in an objective manner. He urged students to keep abreast with the latest developments, new technology and new modes of communication and should inculcate a habit of reading to remain relevant and effective.
He also called upon the Indian Institute of Mass Communications to strive for journalism courses in all Indian languages to cater to the communication needs of the citizens all across the country.
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the First PG Diploma course in Urdu Journalism, the 67th Diploma course in Development Journalism, and the launch of the IIMC Journal “Communicator” at Shastri Bhawan.
Emphasizing on the training methodology, Naidu said it was important in the current scenario to include Case studies and practical exposure as a part of curriculum for learning, practising and applying new concepts. He also stressed the need for imparting an outlook that is rooted in strong ethical values among budding journalists and communicators.
Naidu said Urdu journalism was an important and integral part of media and communication landscape of our country which had played an important role in the Freedom Struggle.
Inaugurating the 67th Development Journalism course, the Minister said India is today regaining the lost glory of being the Knowledge hub of the world. The Development Journalism course provided a great opportunity for understanding and appreciating each other’s culture, and developing bonds of friendship.
He added that journalist scholars from various Developing Countries were unofficial Ambassadors of India who shall provide a link of brotherhood among different cultures through their writings. The 67th batch of Development Journalism course at IIMC has 23 scholars (12 females and 11 males) from 19 different countries.
I&B Ministry
Govt extends TRP suspension for news channels by four weeks amid concerns
I&B ministry cites sensationalism fears linked to West Asia conflict coverage
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has extended the suspension of Television Rating Points for news channels by another four weeks, keeping the industry in a ratings blackout for a longer stretch.
In an order dated March 31, the ministry directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council to continue withholding TRP data “for a further period of four weeks or until further directions, whichever is earlier.” This marks the second such directive after an initial four-week pause was imposed on March 6.
The government said the extension is aimed at curbing unwarranted sensationalism and speculative reporting, particularly in the context of the ongoing tensions in West Asia. It noted that the conflict continues to evolve and could trigger anxiety among viewers, especially those with personal or economic ties to the region.
TRPs serve as the primary yardstick for measuring television viewership and play a crucial role in shaping advertising revenues and competitive positioning among news broadcasters. Their absence effectively removes a key performance benchmark, forcing channels to operate without publicly available ratings.
The directive applies specifically to news television channels and has been issued under the government’s regulatory powers in the interest of public order. While the move is framed as a temporary measure, its continuation suggests ongoing concerns about the tone and nature of coverage.
For broadcasters, the extended blackout means navigating a high-stakes news cycle without the usual scoreboard. Whether it tempers the noise or simply shifts the battle elsewhere remains to be seen, but for now, the ratings race is officially on pause.
