Will take steps to curb paid news menace: EC
24 Sept 2013 6:04 AM IST
Expressing concern over paid-news, the Election Commission on Monday said that it will take steps to deal with the problem and keep a strong vigil to check the menace during the upcoming Delhi assembly polls in November.
Election Commission of India (ECI) director-general, Akshay Rout, was addressing a media workshop at Convention Centre. He said that the poll panel will soon hold discussions with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on how to check growing incidences of paid-news.
Speaking at the workshop for editors, bureau chiefs, cable operators and programme heads of various print, television, radio and cable media, Rout said that Indian elections are hailed by the US administration as the ‘Gold Standard’. Such applause has come mainly on account of meticulous planning and execution with neutrality by the election machinery and by a steadfast media upholding the spirit of democracy, he added.
‘Usually the poll panel recommends to Press Council of India (PCI) cases involving print media and to news Broadcasters Association (NBA) for violations by TV Channels. We are setting up media certification and monitoring committees in all districts, which will be headed by the district electoral officer. These committees will keep a vigil on print media content.
‘If we come across any confirmed cases of paid news, then we will put up the names of the candidate, the political party he belongs to and media house publishing these stories on our website,’ he said.
Rout said that media is the commission’s strength and an ally in election management, as it has been playing a pivotal role in the dissemination of critical information during the electoral process.
He added that media facilitates transparency and informed choice through debates and analysis and the commission seeks to facilitate the legitimate role of media in elections.
On the issue of paid-news, he said that it is a complex menace for elections. The rationale given for this is that on the one hand while it circumvents the expenditure sealing of a candidate and causes undue influence, on the other hand it also affects the right to correct information of the people.
He qualified his understanding of this menace, when he said that any news or analysis appearing in any media (print or electronic) for a price in cash or kind, as consideration, is paid-news and any political advertisement in the garb of news / information is also paid-news.
Akshay Rout informed that the commission has issued comprehensive guidelines on paid-news. Talking about initiatives to make people aware about exercising their franchise, chief electoral officer of Delhi, Vijay Dev said that Social media will be used extensively to encourage youngsters to cast their votes.
Election Commission of India (ECI) director-general, Akshay Rout, was addressing a media workshop at Convention Centre. He said that the poll panel will soon hold discussions with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on how to check growing incidences of paid-news.
Speaking at the workshop for editors, bureau chiefs, cable operators and programme heads of various print, television, radio and cable media, Rout said that Indian elections are hailed by the US administration as the ‘Gold Standard’. Such applause has come mainly on account of meticulous planning and execution with neutrality by the election machinery and by a steadfast media upholding the spirit of democracy, he added.
‘Usually the poll panel recommends to Press Council of India (PCI) cases involving print media and to news Broadcasters Association (NBA) for violations by TV Channels. We are setting up media certification and monitoring committees in all districts, which will be headed by the district electoral officer. These committees will keep a vigil on print media content.
‘If we come across any confirmed cases of paid news, then we will put up the names of the candidate, the political party he belongs to and media house publishing these stories on our website,’ he said.
Rout said that media is the commission’s strength and an ally in election management, as it has been playing a pivotal role in the dissemination of critical information during the electoral process.
He added that media facilitates transparency and informed choice through debates and analysis and the commission seeks to facilitate the legitimate role of media in elections.
On the issue of paid-news, he said that it is a complex menace for elections. The rationale given for this is that on the one hand while it circumvents the expenditure sealing of a candidate and causes undue influence, on the other hand it also affects the right to correct information of the people.
He qualified his understanding of this menace, when he said that any news or analysis appearing in any media (print or electronic) for a price in cash or kind, as consideration, is paid-news and any political advertisement in the garb of news / information is also paid-news.
Akshay Rout informed that the commission has issued comprehensive guidelines on paid-news. Talking about initiatives to make people aware about exercising their franchise, chief electoral officer of Delhi, Vijay Dev said that Social media will be used extensively to encourage youngsters to cast their votes.
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