By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Expressing serious concerns over increasing cases of fake news on both print and electronic media, BJD Rajya Sabha MP and National Spokesperson, Dr Sasmit Patra has urged Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javedkar to take step to check such practices. In an unstarred question, the BJD Rajya Sabha MP, Dr Patra sought to know from the Union Minister about details of cases where punitive action against fake news on print and electronic media in India have been taken; and the other steps taken by the Ministry is considering to reduce the fake news content on print and electronic media?
Replying to MP Dr Patra, Union Minister Javedkar said, the Press Council of India (PCI), a statutory autonomous body set up under the Press Council Act, 1978, has framed “Norms of Journalistic Conduct” for adherence by the media. These norms inter alia stress upon Accuracy and Fairness, Pre-publications Verification, distinction between Conjecture, speculation, comment and fact avoiding sensational / provocative headings and justification for the matter printed under them, etc. In case of violation of Norms, as per section 14 of the Act, after holding an inquiry, PCI may warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency, the editor or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalists as the case may be.
PCI has informed that in 6 such cases punitive action has been taken during January 2020 to January, 2021. With regard to electronic media, the Cable Television Networks (Regulations) Act, 1995 and the Rules made there under inter alia provide that no programme shall be carried out which contains anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggesting innuendoes and half truths. The Government takes action in cases where Programme/ Advertising Codes are found to be violated by the private TV Channels, including issuance of advisory, warning, running an apology scroll and in extreme cases, directing the channel to be off air for a certain time duration, the Minister said.
A Fact Check Unit has been setup under Press Information Bureau of this Ministry. This unit takes cognizance of fake news both suo-motu and by way of queries sent by citizens on its portal or through e-mail and whatsapp. The unit responds to the relevant queries with correct information when the same pertains to Central Government or forwards them to States/UTs in other cases. The Unit also maintains a twitter account @PIBFactcheck and posts cases of fake news, being busted, on the same on regular basis, the Minister added.
