I&B Ministry
Government not opposed to FDI in media: Reddy
NEW DELHI: The government today said that it was not opposed to foreign direct investment (FDI) in the media, including print and electronic.
Speaking at a special session on ‘The Future of Newspapers in the World’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), here today, minister for information and broadcasting Jaipal Reddy said, “The recent Union Budget has lowered customs duties on printing equipment. There is no restriction on accessing technology, and we also welcome FDI in the media -print and electronic.”
Giving another positive indication,the minister, answering a query, said that the government was “taking a close look” at allowing facsimile edition of newspapers in India. According to him, “Our mind is not closed as it was earlier.”
The minister, however, cautioned that laws in India have not kept pace with the technological changes that the sector was going through. He said, “I am not advocating amendment of laws. As a staunch liberal, I will not propose stringent laws. Rather, I would like to see the industry self regulating itself.”
This, according to Reddy, was important as no law could keep pace with changing technologies. “I am sure that the print and electronic media will take upon themselves to exercise this discipline,” he added.
He assured that government would be happy to be engaged in regular dialogue with the print and electronic media on industry concerns, difficulties and issues.
Dwelling on the much talked about TV `sting’ operations, Reddy maintained that he was not opposed to investigative journalism- sting or otherwise.
Still, he said, ‘sting’ operations were acceptable as long as they maintained decency and did not venture into ‘porno journalism.’
On the never ending debate on the future of newspapers at the back of technological advancements, the minister said that he was optimistic about the future of newspapers across the world.
“I am an unabashed partisan of newspapers,” he said and, on a lighter note, commented his loyalty lay with newspapers, while “I owe my debt to television.”
Expressing hope, Reddy remarked that there was no reason why there could not be growth and expansion of existing newspapers in India, as also of new entrants.
“I say this because technology of news gathering and production is offering innovation to the newspaper industry and to the readers,” he reasoned.
Speaking on the occasion, the visiting CEO of the Financial Times Group, Olivier Fleurot, observed that there was future for newspapers even at the back of fast technological developments, provided the print medium showed some flexibility and enriched its content.
He said that since there were more options available with the readers, they have become demanding, which is why it would be “important to innovate” to survive the competition from electronic media and the Internet.
In his remarks, CII president Sunil Kant Munjal said that newspapers had the ability to carry the message in more detail, thus being very helpful to companies and their business.
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI:Â The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
