It may be surprising for many that the country’s statutory and quasi-judicial body Press Council of India (PCI), which is assigned to safeguard the freedom of Press in the largest democracy of the globe remains non-functional for nearly five months. Even after the term of 14th Press Council expired on 5 October 2024, no pragmatic initiative has been taken to constitute the 15th council of PCI. Needless to mention that the PCI is an autonomous body, initially set up in 1966 under the Press Council Act 1965 and later re-established in 1979 following the Press Council Act 1978 with a primary objective to ensure press freedom and also improve the standards of newspapers and news agencies in India. The council enjoys a three-year term and the continuity broke last year as the chairperson did not initiate to constitute a new council on time. Terming the delay in the constitution of a new council as surprising, various media bodies urged the concerned authorities to do the needful at an earliest date. Many of them also demanded to empower the PCI bringing the news channels, radio and digital platforms under its jurisdiction and rename it as Media Council of India.
The billion plus nation today nurtures nearly 100,000 publications (endorsed by the Registrar of Newspapers for India) in various frequencies and languages including English. The largest democracy on the globe with its billion plus population also supports nearly 400 satellite news channels along with thousands of portals, whatsapp channels and other digital outlets. The revenues collected (from both selling and advertisements) by Indian newspapers, periodicals including magazines continue shrinking after the Covid-19 pandemic as the other media outlets started dominating the financial market space. However, many print observers believe that the traditional media will slowly recover its abrupt loss. Resurgence in readership is expected as ‘digital fatigue drives consumers’ will soon turn back to traditional media for reliable information. They argue that the print media outlets will increase the number of readers up to 200 by 2029 in India. The cumulative revenues are projected to reach US$ 3.01 billion this year and the probable market volume will be increased to US$ 3.20 billion by 2029.
The issue was brought to light by Mumbai Press Club (MPC) alleging that ‘at the core of the crisis was an attempt to oust two important and active journalist bodies (namely MPC and Editors Guild of India) from their representation. The MPC also wrote a letter to Union information & broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaisnav requesting his intervention. “It is indeed surprising that the process of reconstitution of the 15th Press Council, which was started way back on 9th June 2024 with advertisements inviting press bodies to apply for inclusion as representative organizations, is yet to be concluded. Though 8 months have passed, there is still no sign of a functioning Press Council,” asked an MPC statement.
The PCI comprises a chairman (by convention a retired Supreme Court judge is assigned) and 28 members where 13 individuals represent the professional journalists out of whom 6 need to be editors of newspapers and 7 working journalists. Another 6 members represent the management of newspapers (including the owners), 2 each taken from the big, medium and small newspapers, whereas 1 member represents the news agencies. Two houses of Indian Parliament send 5 members, and 3 individuals are nominated by the University Grants Commission, Bar Council of India and Sahitya Academy from the fields of education, law and literature respectively.
Press Club of Assam (PCA) also expressed worries that the PCI remains elope for all these months stating, “As the PCI discharges its functions primarily through adjudications on complaints received against a particular newspaper/news agency or an editor/working journalist alleging professional misconduct deteriorating the standard of journalistic behaviours, it needs to be in an alert mode always.” The PCI is also empowered to make observations if the conduct of any authority including the government is found interfering with the guaranteed freedom of the press and hence the PCA insisted on necessary direction to the PCI chairperson for the needful.
Days back, Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) raised the issue for enhancing the PCI with the inclusion of more media outlets under its jurisdiction. The PCI enjoys limited power for enforcing guidelines and even it cannot penalize the newspapers, news agencies as well as the concerned editors and working journalists for violation of the prescribed guidelines. In a simple line, the PCI can only overview the functioning of newspapers and periodicals. The JFA pointed out that over 300 digital media outlets are functioning in Assam alone and the journalists working for these entities need to have clear guidelines about appropriate media practices as well as legal penalties which may be slapped in cases of the violations.