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Information and Broadcasting Ministry Refuses Exemption to Traditional Media from IT Rules 2021

The government recently refused to exempt all the mainstream media including print and electronic from the ambit of the new digital media rules.

Exception To TV/Print Platforms Will Be Discriminatory to Digital News 

As per the latest reports, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) said that the aim behind bringing the website organizations under the ambit of the IT Rules, 2021 is “well-reasoned”.

The ministry said in a clarification said that making any exception for the TV/Print platforms would be discriminating against the digital news publishers. It also includes OTT platforms and the associations of digital media platforms.

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The clarification comes after the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) recently wrote to the I&B ministry. NBA urged the ministry to “exempt and exclude” the traditional television news media and its presence on the digital news platforms. They claimed that they are already “sufficiently regulated” by various statutes, laws, guidelines, codes and regulations.

No Additional Regulatory Burden for Traditional Media’s Online Presence 

The ministry recognized that the TV and print media is already registered with the government either under the Press and Registration Books Act or the Uplinking and the Downlinking Guidelines of 2011.

Further noting that the code of ethics requires such digital platforms to follow the exiting norms or content regulations, which are in vogue for the traditional print and TV media, the Ministry said, there is no additional regulatory burden for such entities.

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The ministry said that the digital version of the organizations that already have traditional news platforms may be following the internal guidelines.

The Ministry also clarified that when any news and current affairs content of a digital news publisher is transmitted on an OTT platform, such content would be outside the regulatory responsibility of that platform.

The ministry further said that the television news channels already have a self-regulatory mechanism in place to address the grievances regarding any violations under the Cable Television Network Act, 1995.