Centre proposes law to regulate digital news media industry

The Centre plans to bring a new legislation, the Registration of Press and Periodicals Bill, which is aimed at regulating the digital news media industry.

The proposed law will replace the British-era Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which, at present, regulates presses and newspapers printed in India.

“The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is bringing (a) new law to make digital news websites on par with the newspapers. The ministry has completed all consultation on the issue. It will soon bring the Bill before the Union Cabinet. Once the Cabinet approves the Bill, the same is likely to be tabled in the monsoon session of Parliament which starts from July 18,” a senior official in the ministry said.

The proposed legislation will bring digital news media under the control of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Once the law gets the Parliament’s nod, digital media houses would have to register with the Press Registrar General within 90 days. The Press Registration General will have the power to act against publications for violations, and can suspend or cancel registrations and impose penalties.

An appellate body will be proposed, and its chairman will be Chairperson of the Press Council of India, said the official.

At present, there is no such registration system for digital news portals.

The government, in 2019, had put a draft Bill of the Registration of Press and Periodicals to bring all digital news platforms under the framework of registration, which kicked up a huge row.

Even digital news portal promoters alleged that the government was trying to control digital media.

The government now says it has completed consultation with other ministries and stakeholders as well. Soon it will be sent to the Cabinet for approval, said the official.