Print    Email

Email To		[Close]
		You must make entries in all fields
Your Email
Your Name
Send to Email
		Send

Reports on the matter of paid news are now reserved with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) has asked for the details of all the six meetings and several reports to be disclosed in favor of general interest.

The International Journalists Union (IJU) has also stated that the PCI should take this issue seriously. The Union has said that the report must be disclosed for discussion on different platforms and for the overall development of media across the globe.

On the other hand, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni in Rajya Sabha told that the PCI has submitted its report on Paid News matter on 30th July. In this report, amendment in PCI Act, involvement of other representatives of electronic and other verticals of media, reconstitution of PCI and preparation of self regulatory constitution for media have been proposed.

PCI is a self regulatory body which was constituted in the year 1978 under the PCI Act to regulate the media conduct, maintain the freedom of press and to enhance the quality of news content in the country.

DUJ President S. K. Pandey in his statement said, "The first report on Paid news was submitted by a two member sub-committee of PCI to the body. The report was prepared by senior journalist Pranjoy Guha Thakurta and IJU General Secretary Shrinivas Reddy after discussing the matter in detail with several media persons and editors. They also collected different news material from various newspapers, magazines and journals. The matter of paid news was raised by these different journalist organizations through seminars. The matter was brought to the doors of PCI by noted journalists Late Mr. Prabhash Joshi and Ajit Bhattacharya."

But after the report of sub-committee formed by PCI, another sub-committee was formed in the same matter due to different pressures. Another sub-committee weakened the neutrality of this report. However, IFJ at that time also appealed for the nominal changes in primary report of 26000 words in order to save the transparency and sanctity of freedom of press.

In its statement, the DUJ has expressed concern over the changes occurred in the primary report prepared by first sub-committee of PCI. Thus, it is important to reveal the reasons due to which changes in first report occurred. These reasons must be revealed using the Right to Information Act. To maintain the freedom of Press in the country, this information has become vital.