NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry is not considering making the provisions of Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act 1867 and Press Council of India Act 1978 applicable to the news portals as these Acts are meant to govern print media sector only.

Parliament was informed by Minister of State for I and B Rajyavardhan Rathore that according to the Allocation of Business Rules, the Electronics and Information Technology Ministry (MEITY) has been tasked to administer Information Technology Act 2000, under which the digital newspapers or news-disseminating portals fall.

Rathore said the Government had formulated new guidelines for Central Government advertisements on websites. The policy of Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity has been made effective from 24 May 2016 for releasing government advertisements on online platform (such as Google, Yahoo etc.).

The policy sets out criteria for empanelment of suitable agencies and Rate fixation for advertisements on websites. The new Policy is available on the DAVP website under the heading ‘Electronic/New Media’ sub-heading ‘New Media Policy guidelines for empanelment and rate fixation for Central Govt. Advertisements’.

The PRB Act is applicable to printed newspapers only and not to online newspapers. Similarly, PCI Act only deals with news items of printed newspapers / journals etc.

Also Read:

http://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/news-broadcasting/network18s-news18com-re-branded-as-pradeshcom-160204

http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k13/mar/mar32.php