RNS: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has asked digital media publishers to furnish information under Rule 18 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Codes) Rules, 2021.
The information has to be provided in a pdf file duly signed by the authorised person on behalf of the publisher, will have to be sent via email to Amarendra Singh, Deputy Secretary, MIB (amarendra.singh@nic.in) or Kshitij Aggarwal, Assistant Director, MIB (kshitij.aggarwal@gov.in) within 15 days of the issue of this notice.
The ministry has issued separate formats for digital news publishers which also publish/telecast news on traditional media (TV and newspaper), other digital news publishers, and publishers of online curated content (OTT platforms) in which they have to furnish the information.
The notice reveals that the MIB has held interactions with the publishers of online curated content, as well as the publishers of news on digital media since the notification of the aforementioned rules.
The ministry has established communication with many digital media publishers, and their associations, regarding the rules and their compliance requirements, it stated.
“A total of around 60 publishers, and their associations, have also informed the Ministry that they have already initiated the process of formation of self-regulatory bodies under the rules. Some publishers have also written to the Ministry regarding registration with the Ministry under the rules,” it stated in the notice.
In this regard, it is hereby informed that there is no requirement for prior registration of digital media publishers with the Ministry. Rule 18 of the Information Technology (intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Codes) Rules, 2021 instead provides for furnishing of certain information by the publishers of news and current affairs content, and publishers of online curated content, to the Ministry.
Since newspapers are registered under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, and private satellite TV channels are permission holders under the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines (2011) of the Ministry, a separate format for furnishing information has been devised for such entities publishing news and current affairs on digital media.
The notice stated that the entity should inform the competent authority about any changes in the particulars within 30 days of any such change taking place.
