I&B Ministry
HC issues notice to Centre over media firms’ plea against IT rules
New Delhi: The Madras high court has issued a notice to Centre over a plea filed by the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) against the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.
This petition challenged the constitutionality of the Rules and alleged that it violates the fundamental right of equality (Article 14), freedom of speech and expression (Article 19(1)(a), and the right to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business (Article 19 (1) (g)). The association sought a stay on Rules 12, 14, and 16 of the IT Rules 2021.
Formed in 2018, DNPA is an organisation comprising of the digital arms of leading media companies of the country, including the ABP Network, Amar Ujala, Dainik Bhaskar Corp, Express Network, HT Digital Streams, IE Online Media Services, NDTV Convergence, Lokmat Media, Jagran Prakashan, TV Today Network, The Malayala Manorama, Times Internet Limited, and Ushodaya Enterprises.
According to DNPA, the online news portals of traditional media houses, which run newspapers and TV channels, do not come within the purview of IT Rules. “While ‘newspaper’ is not governed by the IT Rules 2021, ‘publisher of news and current affairs content’ is governed by Part three of the IT Rules 2021. This implies that some of the members of DNPA association which are primarily newspaper publishers would not be governed by the IT Rules 2021 if they only published newspapers. But by making available, inter alia, the same content on a digital platform, they ought to be governed by the IT Rules 2021. Therefore, the IT Rules 2021 have created a distinction that is vague and arbitrary…” stated the plea, Live Law reported.
The plea also contended that there are several regulations in place already for traditional and legacy media outlets in print and broadcasting, which have been operating before the advent of the internet and digital media. The petition filed by DNPA and journalist Mukund Padmanabhan was tagged along with the petition filed by Carnatic singer TM Krishna, which also claimed that the IT Rules 2021 were in violation of the Right to Privacy.
The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 that into effect on 26 May recommend a three-tier mechanism for the regulation of all online media. Under the rules, the digital publishers are required to take urgent steps for appointing a grievance officer, if not done, and place all relevant details in the public domain. “They also need to constitute self-regulatory bodies through mutual consultation so that the grievances are addressed at the level of publishers or the self-regulating bodies themselves,” according to the ministry.
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.
