MUMBAI: A parliamentary panel has suggested constitution of a statutory body such as a media council to look into the content of both print and electronic media or revamp the Press Council of India (PCI). In case a new body is formed, it will have the power to take strong action, particularly in cases of paid news.

Asking the information and broadcasting ministry to act swiftly on the paid news syndrome, the parliamentary standing committee on IT suggested either the PCI should be wound up on the constitution of the media council or it should be revamped with powers to take care of the print media, while a similar statutory body should be set up for the electronic media.

"In both the cases, media owners or interested parties should not be part of the proposed media council or in the revamped PCI," the standing committee said in its report tabled in parliament on Monday.

The committee regretted lack of "effective" government action to tackle paid news and also noted the poor disposal status of paid news complaints by PCI wherein 11 of the 40 cases have been closed because of lack of pursuance.It said PCI should function like a regulatory authority so that it can adjudicate the paid news cases and award penalties to guilty individuals and organisations.

Paid news, it felt, has also acquired different dimensions and stressed on evolving a mechanism for a clear demarcation as to what is an advertisement and what is not.

"Clearly, the government has not taken effective and conclusive action to deal with the menace," it said.

The committee supported reviewing election laws and rules to curb the menace of paid news in election process and empowering the Election Commission with taking action against defaulting candidates and media houses indulging in paid news.The Committee also touched on the issue of cross media holding and monopoly which it felt was also contributing to the paid news menace, recommending that the ministry and the telecom regulatory authority of India (TRAI) consider the issue on a "priority basis" and act promptly upon it so as to prevent monopolistic trend in the media. (TRAI is already studying the issue at the instance of the Ministry.)

The committee said the working conditions of journalists and autonomy of the editorial staff was giving rise to the paid news syndrome and sought better faculties.

The parliamentary panel has also suggested that election laws and guidelines should be reviewed and strengthened to curb paid news in the election process, empowering the Election Commission to take action against the defaulting candidate as well as the media entity found indulging in paid news.

Some of the other recommendations include creating awareness among the people about the problems of paid news and disclosures of annual income by media companies from advertisements.

It has asked the Ministry to consider the recommendations and the developments associated with the Leveson Report in the UK on media ethics. The Ministry was also urged to chalk out a plan to ensure all the relevant guidelines were strictly enforced and followed by the authorities that till a structured mechanism was put in place,.

Observing that paid news was not only an election time phenomenon but was happening everyday, the Committee said that the Ministry had an important role to play in ensuring that news and information made available to the public was factual and fair. The Press Council of India, Election Commission of India, Editors Guild of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, TRAI and other self-regulatory bodies have "acknowledged the gravity of the menace of paid news."

(Meanwhille reacting to its being named by the Committee, a Zee News spokesperson said in a statement that: "Our attention has been drawn to a report on paid media by the Honourable Standing Committee on Information and Technology. The averments made on Zee News are exparte and are being taken up suitably.")

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Friday called for views from stakeholders on various restrictions put forth on ownership of media, including on powers to the government to prevent any entity from entering the media sector in public interest.

In its second consultation paper on media ownership, Trai has also asked stakeholders to give their views if there are any entities which need to be precluded from owning media enterprises, in addition to political parties, religious bodies, government or government-aided bodies which have already been recommended by the regulator to be disqualified from entry into the broadcasting and distribution sectors.

The discussion paper has listed out 32 issues on which it wants stakeholders to give their views, including on ownership rules for vertical integration between broadcasting and distribution entities.

The paper has also sought views on what should be the rules/restrictions in case of mergers and acquisitions in the media sector, and media ownership rules within and across media segments.

The paper has been placed on the TRAI website and written comments invited from stakeholders by 8 March and counter-comments if any by 15 March.

It has also sought views on what methodology to be adopted to measure ownership or control of an entity over a media outlet, identification of genres to be considered while framing media ownership rules, and prescribing norms for mandatory disclosures by media entities.

Trai also wants discussion on issues relating to identification of media segments wherein media ownership rules are to be prescribed, and identification of relevant markets for evaluating various parameters to be used for devising ownership rules and the methodology for measuring these parameters.

The paper had been issued at the request of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry made last year following a report of the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad.

Trai said it was felt that reasonable restrictions may need to be put in place on ownership in the media sector, to ensure media pluralism and to counter the ills of monopolies. It pointed out that such restrictions do exist in many international markets.

However, media ownership rules, Trai said, should be so designed to strike a balance between ensuring a degree of plurality of media sources and content, and a level playing field for companies operating in the media sector, and providing freedom to companies to expand, innovate and invest.

Trai had prepared a similar paper in 2008, but the Ministry felt that the situation had undergone a sea-change since then.

NEW DELHI: Persons coming to India on tourist visas will henceforth not be allowed to get involved in coverage of events or other journalistic activities.

The Home Ministry said it had noticed that foreigners coming on tourist visa are involved in coverage of events/journalistic activities.

In this context, it is stated that Tourist Visa is not the appropriate visa for such activities by the foreigners. Tourist Visa is issued to foreigners who do not have residence or occupation in India and whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives etc. No other activity is permissible on Tourist Visa.

The Ministry has requested External Affairs Ministry to convey this to Indian Missions/Posts abroad. All State Governments and concerned authorities in the country have also been requested to ensure strict compliance.

MUMBAI: After being caught completely off-guard by the massive protests in New Delhi to condemn the rise in rape cases, the government has blamed ?some? news channels for irresponsible reporting that led to the deterioration of the law and order situation.

The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has issued an advisory asking news channels to adhere to the Programme Code laid down in the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 failing which the government will take appropriate action.

"It has been observed that some private satellite news TV channels in their 24X7 coverage have not been showing due responsibility and maturity in telecasting the events relating to the said demonstration and such a telecast is likely to cause deterioration in the law & order situation, hindering the efforts of the law enforcing authorities," the advisory from I&B ministry Joint Secretary Supriya Sahu read.

The government said that the Rule 6(1)(e) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, which contains the Programme Code, provides that no programme should be carried in the cable service which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitude.

"Now, therefore, all private satellite television channels are advised to scrupulously follow the Programme Code laid down in the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 and to ensure to telecast the matter in a responsible manner with due care, maturity and restraint," the advisory added.

The government also warned that, "Any violation of the Programme Code will invite such action as provided for in the Cable Television (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the Rules framed there under as well as the terms & conditions stipulated in Uplinking & Downlinking Guidelines."