Twitter updates privacy policy
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |25/04/2018
Amidst the global furore over the privacy policies of tech companies and the data they share with third-parties, Twitter has announced its updated
Online regulation: another hasty move?
BY A HOOT COMMENT| IN LAW AND POLICY |06/04/2018
PM Modi and Smriti Irani need to tread wisely if their legacy is not to be a hasty one which does more damage than good. The media policy legacy of an earlier BJP government was a positive one.
Broadcasting self-regulation: An unattainable goal?
BY GEETA SESHU| IN LAW AND POLICY |25/03/2018
When channels transgress and viewers complain, how are the complaints handled by the NBSA? It’s a mixed bag…
So Smriti Irani wants to regulate online news?
BY PADMAJA SHAW| IN LAW AND POLICY |22/03/2018
First, though, she needs to curb trolling and the spread of poison on social media, including by BJP supporters.
Cocking a snook at the NBSA-self regulation is not working
BY GEETA SESHU| IN LAW AND POLICY |18/03/2018
One month after Zee News was ordered to apologise on air, pay a fine and remove a programme, nothing has happened. Channels continue flout norms, violate ethics and give partisan or fake news,
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |10/02/2018
There's a sharp dip in the number of television channels violating the programme and advertising codes since 2014, informed Minister for Information and Broadcasting Smriti Irani in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. From 17 private television channels that violated the code in 2014 and 2015 and 16 in 2016, the number dropped to four in 2017.
Check duration of ads on TV, MIB told
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |04/01/2018
Television Post reports that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) has asked the I&B ministry to regulate the duration of ads aired by TV channels because consumers are subjected to unlimited advertising during programmes. TRAI had attempted to regulate the number of ads a few years ago and its recommendation.
BY PRASHANT THIKKAVARAPU| IN LAW AND POLICY |27/02/2017
The distinction between self-imposed ethics and legal remedies is being blurred by an activist judiciary which has begun to issue writs to private organizations.
TV bans: Don’t let the issue die down
BY SAI VINOD| IN LAW AND POLICY |14/11/2016
Government bans on TV won’t go away. They have been around for 12 years, and a sustained campaign against bans as a method of regulation is the only solution.
How we arrived at arbitrary TV bans
BY HOOT| IN LAW AND POLICY |08/11/2016
How did our durable democracy, with much more media on offer than several older democracies, get to this stage?
TRAI’s fresh thoughts on net neutrality
BY SMARIKA KUMAR| IN LAW AND POLICY |28/05/2016
It tries to make its earlier regulation more nuanced by proposing three models of zero-rating without discriminatory tariffs.
Should AIR do propaganda or Jan ki Baat?
BY SHUBHRANSHU CHOUDHARY| IN COMMUNITY MEDIA |18/07/2016
AIR is to increase tribal language broadcasts in districts affected by Left wing extremism. But is this purely to counter Naxalism or to genuinely connect with tribal India,
TRAI’s fresh thoughts on net neutrality
BY SMARIKA KUMAR| IN LAW AND POLICY |28/05/2016
It tries to make its earlier regulation more nuanced by proposing three models of zero-rating without discriminatory tariffs.
Mufti Govt: turning on the press
BY THE HOOT| IN REGIONAL MEDIA |13/05/2016
The new government in Kashmir has begun badly where press freedom and free speech are concerned.
Telangana media: Hey, thanks for the free flat!
BY SURESH KUMAR ALAPATI| IN REGIONAL MEDIA |15/04/2016
For Telangana journalists, Christmas has come early. Santa Rao has given them flats virtually free of cost.
In its hurry, TRAI ignores crucial aspects
BY SMARIKA KUMAR| IN LAW AND POLICY |13/02/2016
Its regulation ‘saving’ the internet can be seen as unconstitutional in that it limits freedom of expression.
Twitter’s policy reboot: the good, the bad, and the ugly
BY WAFA BEN HASSINE| IN DIGITAL MEDIA |15/01/2016
The lack of transparency in what is considered the promotion of terrorism risks Twitter applying its new policy to users inconsistently and arbitrarily,
Five net neutrality myths busted
BY SMARIKA KUMAR| IN DIGITAL MEDIA |04/01/2016
Neither side in the debate fully supports the public interest in its entirety, only partially.
Journalists regulating journalists
BY B JAYASHREE| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |25/09/2015
Wardrobe malfunction and below the belt stories (literally) about women and their clothing are not new, but this particular story triggered a chain reaction from within the media itself.
Let's decriminalize defamation
IN LAW AND POLICY |10/04/2015
The latest attempt to bring this about is welcome because this law constitutes an unreasonable restriction on free speech.
The readers' editor: an ignored element of self-regulation
BY Sumana Ramanan| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |01/12/2014
Under certain conditions, a readers' editor can bring greater transparency and accountability to a news organisation, qualities that the media constantly demands of other democratic institutions.
BY sevanti ninan| IN OPINION |13/11/2014
Digitisation is a job half done which has so far benefitted the government the most, by way of taxes, and the consumer the least.
Media houses: how much disclosure?
BY Sankrant Sanu| IN LAW AND POLICY |06/10/2014
MEDIA REGULATION DEBATE: While useful, TRAI's recommendations on the media were insufficient. We can do much more to restore the media's credibility and one way to start is to impose a disclosure policy,
Media houses: how much disclosure?
BY Sankrant Sanu| IN LAW AND POLICY |06/10/2014
MEDIA REGULATION DEBATE: While useful, TRAI's recommendations on the media were insufficient. We can do much more to restore the media's credibility and one way to start is to impose a disclosure policy,
Another media regulation initiative
BY Geeta Seshu| IN LAW AND POLICY |03/10/2014
In the first of its kind, a public hearing by the Law Commission on the future of media regulation drew forth divided opinions.
Cable digitization and the poor
BY ABHISHEK K CHOUDHARY| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |27/09/2014
A country that recognizes its extreme inequalities has to find ways to administer policy transition better,
Regulator, broadcaster, video entrepreneur
BY sevanti ninan| IN OPINION |11/09/2014
One did not know whether to laugh or cry at the spectacle of mighty broadcasters like Star and Zee confronting the threat posed to them by pesky video entrepreneurs.
So where should the money come from?
BY CHINTAMANI RAO| IN MEDIA BUSINESS |25/08/2014
THE MEDIA REGULATION DEBATE: The TRAI report does not explain who is allowed to own or finance media, nor does it do enough homework.
BY VANITA KOHLI KHANDEKAR| IN MEDIA BUSINESS |22/08/2014
THE MEDIA REGULATION DEBATE : TRAI raises all the right issues. But it totally ignores the economic realities of the business. Without acknowledging those how can the Indian news media business get out of its mess,
BY SMARIKA KUMAR and SIDDHARTH NARRAIN| IN LAW AND POLICY |21/08/2014
MEDIA REGULATION DEBATE : What is conspicuous by its absence in the TRAI recommendations is proposed measures to promote horizontal plurality and prevent horizontal consolidation
Anticipatory bail for editorial freedom
BY TCA Srinivasa Raghavan| IN LAW AND POLICY |19/08/2014
THE MEDIA REGULATION DEBATE: TRAI's recommendations are a sort of anticipatory bail for editorial freedom.
Pressure builds up for a regulator
BY SAMOD SARNGAN| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |15/08/2014
Advocates of media regulation question the efficacy of the self-restraint exercised by the media and question its lack of accountability.
BY hoot| IN LAW AND POLICY |15/08/2014
THE MEDIA REGULATION DEBATE: Do TRAI's latest set of recommendations constitute regulatory overreach or an attempt at vital reform?
Enough bad faith and weasel words
BY EDARA GOPI CHAND| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |28/07/2014
It's time for a fresh look at the pressing need for a regulator for the broadcast media. The government's fence-sitting and the media's delaying tactics have to stop
IN LAW AND POLICY |08/01/2014
Privacy violations and inaccurate reportage topped the latest complaints adjudicated by the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA),
BY Padmaja Shaw| IN LAW AND POLICY |23/09/2014
The question to ask is, would we want the CM to ban and unban channels at will? By which constitutional or legal authority is the CM of a state being bestowed such powers,
Trust deficit persists on news on Community Radio
BY RAM BHAT and VINOD PAVARALA| IN COMMUNITY MEDIA |05/09/2014
But TRAI recommendations make some headway on licencing and advertising on community radio
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |05/09/2014
Aroon Purie, proprietor Living Media and TV Today said on Friday that Indian regulators were destroying the news industry with their populism and regressive ideas. The cable industry has to keep prices down, subscription income does not come, and paying carriage fees is killing the industry. And then TRAI has..
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |31/08/2014
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |20/11/2013
Exchange for Media reports that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has accepted the recommendations of the TRAI on guidelines for accreditation of TV rating agencies. TRAI has said that the minimum number of homes that a rating agency should measure should be 20,000 within 6 months of the implementation of the..
Lift the ban on news in private radio
IN LAW AND POLICY |17/10/2013
The Supreme Court of India has admitted a petition from civil society to lift the government monopoly on telecast of news over radio.
IN MEDIA BUSINESS |12/09/2013
The recommendations detailed ways to make audience sampling more representative, suggesting a minimum panel size of 20,000 to be implemented within 6 months of the guidelines coming into force.
Implications of IT Act and rules for freedom of expression
IN |17/06/2013
Internet freedom activists have expressed concern over the potential to misuse provisions on fixing liabilities for intermediaries, the interception, monitoring and blocking of electronic communication, invasion of privacy by allowing access to sensitive personal data and the grant of sweeping powers without accountability to the Computer Emergency Response Team-India (CERT-In),..
Campaigns for online freedom in India
IN |17/06/2013
The nascent internet freedom movement in India comprising internet researchers, journalists, media analysts, bloggers and lawyers, has spoken out against the draconian and arbitrary rules framed for the implementation of the IT Act, 2000. What is disturbing is anyone, anywhere, can be censor, judge and jury. There is total lack..
IN LAW AND POLICY |06/05/2013
Shouldn't we focus more on how we understand rape and sexual violence itself, rather than seek justification for a crisis of masculinity and an epic failure of governance?
BY sevanti ninan| IN LAW AND POLICY |09/04/2013
Prasar Bharati has become an end in itself, though not all good things need to be done by a government-created vehicle.
Bans, regulation, and political paranoia
BY Hoot editorial| IN LAW AND POLICY |11/11/2013
What does the voter need more: opinion polls, or more ground reporting on what a party's performance is? One would imagine the latter.
UK media: to regulate or not to regulate
BY NUPUR BASU| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |31/10/2013
All political parties in the UK are of the view that the press has failed to self regulate. The press, in turn, accuse the British politicians of wanting to curb press freedom through the new regulatory mechanism,
Kerala's model of media regulation
BY MUHAMMED SABITH| IN MEDIA BUSINESS |26/09/2013
The issue of banning advertisements to 'Thejas' by the Kerala government is a serious issue pertaining to press freedom and pluralist media and should be discussed as such,
Does media need self regulation 3.0?
BY MURALIDHAR| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |16/08/2013
Paid news is a deeply troubling phenomenon. But are there other distortions - potentially unpaid - that are equally disturbing? Inherent bias for one?
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |21/06/2013
?The Times Group has chosen to editorialise through the Economic Times rather than its flagship paper in response to the TRAI chairman's idea of creating a buffer between a media entity and its ownership. "The basis of free speech is the right to start a publication to express one's views,..
TV regulation and the Pakistan Constitution
IN MEDIA PRACTICE |22/01/2013
The Supreme Court of Pakistan is currently hearing petitions filed by media houses on the way the Pakistani regulator PEMRA functions.
Leveson and the spotlight on regulation
BY Aradhana sharma| IN LAW AND POLICY |10/12/2012
Recent instances of impropriety in the Indian press make it useful to study how the British inquiry into the ethics and practices of the fourth estate can apply to the Indian scenario,
IN DIGITAL MEDIA |24/10/2012
Incidents of trolling involving new technologies have turned the spotlight yet again on the debate on freedom of expression vs. regulation.
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |30/08/2012
The supreme court judgement on Kasab on August 29 not only made extended observations on the irresponsible role of the media during the 26/11 attack, it also observed that the way TV news channels competed to show the gory details of the mayhem harmed their case for self regulation rather..
Content regulation does equal media control
BY ANUP KUMAR| IN MEDIA FREEDOM |10/05/2012
More regulation is not a way to address corruption, breach of ethical norms and the declining quality of journalism in India.
IN MEDIA WATCH BRIEFS |03/05/2012
Does the reading public have the same reaction to Meenakshi Natarajan's bill on media regulation as members of the media? The letters to the editor carried by the Hindu are illuminating. Of several letters published on May 3 none thought the bill was as outrageous as TV and print coverage of it..
BY Indira Akoijam| IN BOOKS |10/02/2012
How is self regulation of television in India working? Does it have the capacity to rein in wayward channels? Do the self regulatory mechanisms set up by the industry have bite? Or do they merely rap offenders on the knuckles?
More media regulation not the answer, media education is
BY ANUP KUMAR| IN LAW AND POLICY |12/12/2011
I agree self-regulation has failed. But more regulation by the government might only stifle public debate and harm Indian democracy in the long run.
Self regulation or serving self interest?
BY Abhishek Upadhyay| IN LAW AND POLICY |22/11/2011
The role of the Broadcast Editors' Association demands attention. The Times Now case is a stark example of how it selectively overlooked relevant facts and targeted the judiciary without disclosing the factual position,
BY Padmaja Shaw| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |13/01/2011
Why are news channels so diligently following the guidelines of the NBA and the Cable Regulation Act on the Telangana issue alone?
Sibal's sabre-rattling against online freedom!
IN MEDIA FREEDOM |07/12/2011
In May this year, the Union government was forced to issue a press release that it would not be heavy-handed in censoring intermediaries nor would it acquire regulatory jurisdiction over content.
Another stab at broadcast regulation
BY I and B| IN LAW AND POLICY |18/08/2010
In November, 2009 a Task Force was constituted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to evolve a consensus on the draft broadcasting bill. It has recommended both content and carriage regulation.
BY Padmaja Shaw| IN MEDIA FREEDOM |01/05/2010
It is important to refrain from putting the police in charge of media regulation without tempering it with the participation of civil society. Meanwhile, the media’s failure to self-regulate, while damaging itself severely, is also threatening the survival of our democracy. ??
The Self Regulatory Authority issues its first order
BY Anubhuti Vishnoy| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |10/04/2009
The complainant, Farhana Ali, a writer, lecturer and policy analyst, had alleged that India TV had misused an interview she had given to Reuters news agency.
News channels: why self regulation will not work
BY Media foundation| IN OPINION |29/03/2009
Systemic problems have to be tackled before we can see substantive change in the content, tone and type of the news served up to us.
Self regulation not good enough
BY Report| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |13/12/2008
The Committee is in favour of having statutory regulations in place covering the print and electronic media, in the larger interest of the society.
BY NBA| IN LAW AND POLICY |02/09/2008
Self regulation for TV broadcasters is set to come into existence from October 2. The News Broadcasters Association has come up with its own code of ethics and broadcasting standards.
Missing links in the Broadcast Bill
BY Ammu Joseph| IN LAW AND POLICY |27/08/2007
There is still no sign that the Ministry recognises the need for an authentic public debate on media regulation, and the draft legislation in particular.
BY B.P. Sanjay| IN MEDIA PRACTICE |07/03/2007
The relatively short-lived experience of the Times of India in having an ombudsman has given way to a functioning RE in the Hindu.
Resurrecting the Media Council idea
BY Ammu Joseph| IN LAW AND POLICY |16/07/2006
Possibly the most important pre-requisite of an effective media regulatory body is that it be taken seriously by the media industry
Broadcasting code on anvil -- I
IN LAW AND POLICY |24/06/2006
The Preamble, proposals pertaining to the scheduling and categorisation of programmes, and definitions.
Broadcasting code on anvil -- II
IN LAW AND POLICY |24/06/2006
This Program Code is intended to guide the BSP and is designed to inform of the standards expected in television programming.
Broadcasting code on anvil -- III
IN LAW AND POLICY |24/06/2006
Self regulation proposed for news and current affairs—code pronounces on impartiality, taste, privacy, minors, etc.
IN MEDIA PRACTICE |18/07/2005
With will, a newspaper or broadcaster can make itself professionally accountable.
