MUMBAI: The new government has always been questioned about the freedom of media in the country. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the government is committed to protecting the independence of the press, reports PTI.

However, he also reiterated that freedom comes with responsibility and so media needs to look at itself by its own mechanisms. But what is needed is ‘improvement’ in these mechanisms with penal consequences for irresponsible reporting.

As far as social media is concerned, Javadekar said that though there is a need to evolve a mechanism for regulating it, it comes under the information and technology law.

Recently, two Telangana channels were blocked by MSOs- ABN Andhra Jyoti and TV9. On Javadekar’s query the state government said that it had nothing to do with the blocking. Asserting that media is independent, he said that MSOs can’t resort to such censorship. If the Ministry comes to know of any such case, it is empowered to take action.