Consider the following statements and select the correct statements.
(a) A Parliamentary Committee on paid news submitted its report to Parliament in May, 2013.
(b) The corporatisation of media and poor wage levels of journalism are reasons for paid news.
(c) Representation of the People Act, 1951 should be amended to make incidence of paid news a punishable electoral malpractice, recommend by PCI.

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MPSC State Service Main Examination 2021 - General Studies II Official Paper

Answer 1

The correct answer is option 1

Key PointsParliamentary Committee on paid news

The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology presented its 47th report on the “Issues Related to Paid News” in the Lok Sabha on May 6, 2013.Hence statement a is true,
The Committee is headed by Mr. Rao Inderjit Singh.
The Press Council of India (PCI) defines paid news as any news or analysis appearing in print or electronic media for consideration in cash or kind.
Definition of ‘paid news’: The Committee acknowledged challenges in defining and determining what constitutes or qualifies as ‘paid news’. It cited advertisements camouflaged as news, denial of coverage to select electoral candidates, exchanging of advertisement space for equity stakes between media houses and corporate and the rise in paid content as manifestations of paid news.

Reasons for rise in paid news:

The Committee identified corporatisation of media, desegregation of ownership and editorial roles, decline in autonomy of editors/journalists due to emergence of contract system and poor wage levels of journalists as key reasons for the rise in the incidence of paid news.Hence statement b is true.
It urged the MoIB to ensure periodic review of the editor/journalist autonomy and wage conditions.
The Committee opined that financial accounts of the media houses should be subject to examination, especially the revenue source for a suspected paid news case. It recommended mandatory disclosure of ‘private treaties’ and details of advertising revenue received by the media houses.

RPI Act 1951

The ECI has made a reference to the Ministry of Law and Justice to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act) in order to include indulgence of an electoral candidate in paid news as a corrupt practice. It also recommended inclusion of abetting and publishing of such paid news as an electoral offence with minimum punishment of two years imprisonment. Hence statement c is incorrect.