Jan. 6: With several political parties expressing serious concern regarding the paid news phenomenon, the government has set up a GoM headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to look into the issue. The group of ministers is expected to frame guidelines, create an institutional mechanism and devise a comprehensive policy to stop such corrupt practices in the media industry.
Other members of the GoM are agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, home minister P. Chidambaram, law minister M. Veerappa Moily, urban development minister S. Jaipal Reddy, information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni and human resource development minister Kapil Sibal. Sources stated that the need for the establishment of a GoM on the issue was felt after several political parties had complained to the Election Commission of India after last general elections that paid news phenomenon was a serious threat to democratic traditions of the country.
Sources stated that the GoM is expected to make recommendations to stop institutionalisation of corrupt practices like paid news. The group of ministers is also likely to seek the opinion of several experts, call for suggestions from the industry and study a recent report by the Press Council of India on the paid news syndrome.
The GoM is also likely to look into the issue of creation of a regulatory framework or self regulation by the media on the issue of paid news. The GoM is also expected to devise a more precise methodology to adjudge paid news. The Press Council of India has, in its report submitted to the government, recommended that the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 be amended to make incidents of paid news a punishable electoral malpractice.
The Press Council of India has also reportedly sought powers to adjudicate complaints of paid news and give final judgment on the matter. The issue of paid news is being viewed seriously by the government as the Election Commission of India too had convened a meeting of political parties to discuss the matter.
Information and broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni had earlier asserted that the government was looking into the paid news issue with utmost seriousness.