I&B Ministry
Arun Jaitley bats for making printed material available in digital medium
NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley today stressed that books and other knowledge products presently in printed format ought to be made available through digital medium in view of the shift in technology paradigms.
The new digital medium would provide enhanced accessibility and affordability of information to a wider audience.
The publication India 2015 brought out by Publications Division and New Media Wing reflected a great tradition of authentic and updated information on different aspects of India’s development.
Jaitley said the digital version of ‘The Making of the Constitution of India’ documentary was a fine instance of utilizing the digital media for archival and preservation of knowledge traditionally held in printed form. Digitization of printed books having valuable information on India’s development would be useful reference material for the youth and to the audience worldwide.
Despite multiple platforms, the relevance of the traditional formats still existed as in the case of India/Bharat 2015 Reference Annual.
As a rich repository of relevant information, India/Bharat 2015 Reference Annual would be a good addition to all the libraries, the Minister added. Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore was also present on the occasion.
Speaking earlier, I&B secretary Bimal Julka said the unique feature of this year’s Reference Annual was the addition of a special chapter on flagship programmes of the Government such as Swachh Bharat Mission, Make in India and Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. A diary of national events have also been added this year.
To ensure mobility and easy accessibility, the e-version of the Reference Annual would be made available in the next year. Digitizing, archiving, and preserving rich knowledge content available in print format would be given priority.
India/Bharat – 2015 holds place of pride among the annual publications of this genre as being an exhaustive and authentic repository of information about the activities, progress and achievements of various ministries and departments of Government of India during the year. The publication deals with all aspects of developments from rural to urban, industry to infrastructure, science and technology, art and culture, polity, economy, health, defence, education and mass communication.
The 59th year of publication of Reference Annual has seen an increase in its print order to 11,5000 copies this year up from 37,000 copies in 2007.
I&B Ministry
MIB halts news TRPs for four weeks over sensational US-Iran conflict coverage
Government flags panic-mongering in television war coverage
NEW DELHI: India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC) to suspend television ratings for news channels for four weeks amid concerns over sensational coverage of the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran.
According to media reports, the move intends to curb excessive dramatisation in television reporting that could trigger unnecessary public anxiety.
Officials have observed that several news broadcasters are amplifying developments in the conflict in ways that may fuel panic among viewers. By temporarily halting the publication of viewership data, the ministry hopes to ease the competitive pressure on channels to chase ratings through sensational content.
The suspension will remain in effect for one month for now. During this period, television news channels will continue to broadcast as usual, but their audience measurement figures will neither be counted nor released.
Authorities will monitor both the evolving geopolitical situation and the tone of television coverage during the pause. The four-week suspension could be extended if the government believes the risk of panic-mongering or sensational reporting persists.
