Irresponsible censorship & advertising

The subjective reporting in which Rajat Sharmas of India TV indulge in routine manner must be criticised. Last night while reading the news about how Gujarat Government has ensured that the Cinema Halls in Gujarat would not allow the screening of Aamir Khan's forthcoming film Fanaa in the state, Sharma said, Aamir Khan's involvement in the issue was uncalled for. He should have kept himself confined to movies.

The reason for Fanaa's boycott being that Aamir Khan had supported the victims of Narmada Dam project who were seeking just rehablitation Aamir Khan-starrer Fanaa is going to be released on May 26. It is no one's case that Khan is activist. Had he been so he would not have been advertising for Coca Cola company, which has robbed the villagers in Kerela and Madhya Pradesh of their ground water but such support to the autocracy of the state is unbecoming of media persons.

It is the same mindset of the Indian government which has put on hold the Friday release of 'The Da Vinci Code' following representations from Christian groups that it offended their faith.

Even as Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry will decide on the release of 'The Da Vinci Code' in India. The Tom Hanks thriller is all set for a glitzy world premiere at the Cannes film festival today. But in India, we become more christian than the christian countries and more Islamic than the Muslim countries as was the case with Satanic Verses.

Earlier responding to the all round support for the victims of Sardar
Sarovar dam on Narmada, there was a combined religious and corporate reaction (followed by poltical) to it with a full page advertisment in The Times of India on April, 15, 2005 which read, 'we support the
earliest completion of the "Sardar Sarovar Project". Sardar Sarovar
Project is the source of abundant water and power for Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Let the Nation progress. Let us
have food, energy and security. Let our country grow and bring
prosperity to the people.'

At the bottom of this advertisement are the photographs of Pujya
Madhav Priadasji, Pujya Rameshbhai Oza, Pujya Swami Sachidanandji,
Pujya Pramukh Swami, Pujya Morari Bapu, Pujya Tejendraprasadji,
Pujya Indirabetiji, Mukesh Ambani(Reliance Group), Anil Ambani
(Reliance-ADA Group), Kumar Mangalam Birla (Aditya Birla Group),
Sushi Ruja (Essar Group), Shrenik Kasturbhai (Arvind Mills Ltd.),
Karsanbhai Patel (Nirma Ltd.), Sudhir Mehta (Torrent Group), Gautam
Adani (Adani Group), I A Modi (Cadila Group), Pankaj Patel (Zydus
Group), Anil Naik (L&T), Uday Kotak (Kotak Mahindra Ltd.).

The TOI ad was an unsigned ad-the immorality and unethical practice this enatails does not need any elaboration to the students and practioners of media but some media houses like The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, Indian Express and India TV need to be told by some agency that they can not publicise something to the effect that poison is non-poisnous with no one to take them to task.

The TOI ad does make it clear as to who all are the stakeholders of the Narmada Dam project, interestingly the ad does not mention that farmers and common people are the beneficiaries of the project nor does their photographs find any place.

HT has been carrying stories on Sardar Sarovar Project which resembles paid advertisments, which is not sursprsing given the papers being a products of Birlas.

Apart from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that decides to intervene when it wants to, there are only voluntary groups like the 'Advertising Agencies Association Of India', and the 'Advertising Standards Council Of India (ASCI)', both of which are business organisations and can only put moral pressure on advertisers and companies to withdraw objectionable advertisements.

In other parts of the world, there exist voluntary groups like the 'Adbusters' that watch and pressure governments to clamp down on aggressive and intrusive advertising.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), set up in 1985, is a voluntary group of members and has adopted a self-regulatory code for advertising. The composition of the Board of ASCI is fairly representative of advertisers, ad agencies, the media and allied professions. But it does not seem to be having enough teeth to deal with misleading, factually incorrect and unsigned ads.

How to respond to the injustice of propaganda in a country where the Advertising Laws are non-existent?.

If there are some laws which regulate advertising, members of this group are requested to share it.

Office-bearers of Press Council of India, 9th Term Members

Office-bearers of Press Council of India

Chairman, Justice Ganendra Narayan Ray

Secretary, Mrs Vibha Bhargava

9th Term Members

1 K. Sachidananda Murthy
Malayala Manorama,
2/11, INS Building, Rafi Marg,
New Delhi-1
Tel. 23715210, 23325565
Resi-22750246
Mobile: 9818987555
Fax No.2371657

2 Vyas Kundan Ramanlal
Janambhoomi Newspapers,
Janambhoomi Bhawan,
Janambhoomi Marg, Fort,
Mumbai-400 001.
Tel.23524373,
Fax 22874097,
Mobile-9869005686

3 Jagjit Singh Dardi
593, SST Nagar, Patiala,
Punjab.
Resi. 844, SST Nagar,
Patiala Punjab.
Tel. 0175-2370301, 5001774
Fax-0175-2371181
Mobile: 9815592166

4 Uttam Chandra Sharma
224, Civil Lines South,
Muzaffarnagar-251 002. (U.P.)
Tel. 0131-2403032, 2403058(O)
0131-2421003,
2402810(R ) 09837042840, 09412710840

5 Rajeeva Kumar Arora
Gandiva Hindi Daily
First Floor, VDA Shopping Complex,
Nichi Bagh, Varanasi-221001
Tel. 2412540(O)
2392969(Editorial) 2392979 (Advt.)

6 Hiranmay Karlekar
The Pioneer, Link House, 2nd Floor,
B.S. Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002.
Tel. (Off) 2375271-74
(Resi) 24620101,
9891300720

7 K. Sreenivas Reddy
Visalaandhra Daily, Makdhoomi Bhawan, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad Working Journalists other than Editors Tel 040-23225339

8 Geetartha Pathak
Asam Bani, Assam Tribune Bldg.,
Silpukhuri, Guwahati
Tel.0361-2661359(O) 0361-2260639(R )

9 Anant Bagitkar
Sakal Papers,
5/13-15, I.N.S. Building,
Rafi Marg, New Delhi.
Tel.22759419(R )
9818808549(Mobile)

10 Joginder Chawla
D-105, Mansarover Garden, New Delhi
Tel.25455191,
9810017796

11 Devender Chintan
704, Pavitra Apartments,
Vasundra Enclave,
New Delhi-110096.
Tel. 23716697 (O)
22611493(R )

12 Vinay Kumar
1/5, The Hindu, INS Building,
Rafi Marg, New Delhi-1
Tel. 23715426-27 (Off.)
26855723(R )
Fax-23718158

13 S.N. Sinha
Hindustan Times,
18-20, K.G. Marg, New Delhi-1
Tel. 55561336 (O)
22742049(R )

14 Abhay Chhajlani
60/1, Babu Labhchand Chhajlani Marg, Indore-452 009
Tel. 0731-2763111-12-13-14
Fax-0731-2763120

15 Hormusji Nusserwanji Cama
The Bombay Samachar Private Limited,
Red House, S.A. Brelvi Road,
Horniman Circle, Fort, Mumbai-1
Tel. 22045531-33

16 Vijay Kumar Chopra
Civil Line, Jalandhar City
Resi.: Pucca Bagh, Jalandhar City, Punjab.
Tel. 2212121, 2212124
Mobile: 98140-97118

17 Pratapbhai T.Shah
Saurashtra Samachar Pvt. Ltd, Balvantrai Mehta Road,
Bhavnagar-364 001 (Gujarat)
Tel.0278-2426500
Fax-0278-2428811; 09824020899(M)
Fax No.:0278-2428811.

18 Ramesh Gupta
8-B, B.S. Zafar Marg,
New Delhi.
Resi. C-40, Gulmohar Park,
New Delhi.
Tel.23731752

19 Keshavdutt Chandola
Publisher, Hindi Weekly, Nagraj Darpan
Resi. 12/480, Macrobertganj, Kanpur.
Tel.0512-253011
9935203023

20 M.K. Laul
United News of India, 9, Rafi Marg,
New Delhi-1
Tel.23352209(O) 25595463

21. Pratap Govind Pawar
Sakal Papers Ltd.
595, Budhwar Peth, Pune-411002.
University Grants Commission 020 24458687
Resi-25887826, 9823063922

22 K.K. Thomas
Kannayil Anugrah, N.H. Way,
Kayamkulam Alappuzha District,
Kerala State.
Bar Council of India
Tel. 0479-2445984 (R )
0479-2441374 (R )
0479-2441581 (R )
93880-0578 (Mobile)

23 Prof. (Dr.) Lalit Mangotra
Department of Physics,
University of Jammu,
Jammu-180006.
0191-2436804
0191-2458922 (R)
Mobile: 09419185188

24 Pawan Kumar Bansal
25, Ferozeshah Road,
Lok Sabha
New Delhi-1.
Tel.: 23782812 (R )

25 Dr. Sebastian Paul
20, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road,
Lok Sabha
New Delhi-1.
011-23782184
0484-2401385(R )

26 Lakshman Singh
23, Balwant Rai Mehta Lane,
Lok Sabha
New Delhi
Tel.:23782145
Fax No. 23782171
0484-2401385(R )

27 Balbir K Punj
C1/15 Humayun Road,
Rajya Sabha
New Delhi-3
Tel. 2465813161
Fax 24653042,

28 Dr. Mrs. Prabha Thakur
36, Meena Bagh, Maulana Azad Road,
Rajya Sabha
New Delhi.
Phone 23014412 Fax 23012240
Mobile 9868181798

How to Make a Complain to Press Council of India?

Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint against a newspaper, for any publication which you find objectionable and effects you personally, or non-publication of a material, you should first take it up with the editor or other representative of the publication concerned.

If the complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may refer it to the Press Council of India. The complaint must be specific and in writing and should be filed/lodged within two months of the publication of impugned news item in case of dailies and weeklies and four months in all other cases, along with the original/photostat copy of the impugned clipping ( English translation if the matter is in vernacular ). You must state in what manner the publication/non publication of the matter is objectionable within the meaning of the Press Council Act, 1978 and enclose a copy of your letter to the editor, pointing out why you consider the matter objectionable. His reply thereto or published rejoinder, if any, may also be attached to it. Declaration stating that the matter is not pending in any court of law is also required to be filed.

If a newspaper or journalist is aggrieved by any action of any authority that may impinge on the freedom of the press, he can also file a complaint with the Council. The aggrieved newspaper or journalist may inform the Council about the possible reason for the action of the authorities against him i.e. if it is as a reprisal measure taken by the authorities due to critical writings or as a result of the policy that may effect the freedom of the press ( supporting documents, with English translation if they are in vernacular, should be filed ). Declaration regarding the non pendency of the matter in any court of law is also necessary.

On receipt of a complaint made to it or otherwise, if the Council is prima facie satisfied that the matter discloses sufficient ground for inquiry, it issues show cause notice to the respondents and then considers the matter through its Inquiry Committee on the basis of written and oral evidence tendered before it. If on inquiry, the Council has reason to believe that the respondent newspaper has violated journalistic norms, the Council keeping in view the gravity of the misconduct committed by the newspaper, warns, admonishes or censures the newspaper or disapproves the conduct of the editor or the journalist as the case may be. It may also direct the respondent newspaper to publish the contradiction of the complainant or a gist of the Council’s decision in its forthcoming issue.

Similarly, when the Council upholds the complaint of the aggrieved newspaper/journalist the Council directs the concerned government to take appropriate steps to redress the grievance of the complainant. The Council may, if it considers necessary , make such observations, as it may think fit, in any of its decisions or reports, respecting the conduct of any authority, including Government.


Complaints Against the Press

The requirements of Regulation 3 of the Press Council (Procedure for Inquiry) Regulations, 1979 to be fulfilled by a complainant while lodging a complaint against a newspaper, news agency, editor or a journalist.

i) Furnish original clipping(s) of the impugned news item/article/editorial etc. (English translation, if the matter is in any language other than English is essential for all the Council members who hail from all over the country to appreciate the contents of the impugned material).

ii) Specify in what manner the publication/non-publication of the matter is objectionable.

iii) Write to the editor of the newspaper concerned regarding the matter published/not published in the newspaper etc., which in your opinion is objectionable giving your rejoinder thereto with a request for its publication.

iv) Furnish a copy of the reply, if any, received from the newspaper and/or the rejoinder published.

v) Subscribe to a declaration in the enclosed format regarding non-pendency of the subject matter in any court of law.

vi) Intimate the reasons for delay in filing the complaint, if any (time limit for dailies and weeklies is 2 months and for other periodicals is 4 months from the date of publication).

vii) Furnish complete address of the respondent-newspaper.


Complaints by the Press

The requirements of Regulation 3 of the Press Council (Procedure for Inquiry) Regulations, 1979 to be fulfilled by a complainant while lodging a complaint against an individual, authority including government(s).

1. Give statement how the action/inaction of the respondent(s)/authorities amounts to curtailment of the freedom of the press.

2. The possible reason for the action/inaction of the respondent.

3. If it is a reprisal measure for writings in your newspaper, critical of the respondent, kindly furnish the original clippings (English translation, if in any language other than English is essential for all the Council members who hail from all over the country to appreciate the contents of the impugned material).

4. Draw the attention of the respondent towards your grievance and furnish a copy of the letter written to the respondent along with the reply, if any.

5. Give complete particulars of the respondent(s) viz. Name, Designation and Complete Address.

6. Furnish the declaration in the enclosed form regarding non-pendency of subject matter in any court of law.

Address your complaints or inquiries to :

The Secretary,
Press Council of India,
Soochna Bhavan, 8-C.G.O. Complex,
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003
Email : pci@alpha.nic.in, pcids@vsnl.net
Ph: 011-24366746, 24366405

Source: http://presscouncil.nic.in/

Reservation in IIMC

Union Human Resources Development Minister, Arjun Singh's proposal to increase
the reservation quota from 22.5 per cent to 49.5 per cent, with a whopping 27
per cent reservation to OBCs in all centrally funded educational institutions.

These institutions include 20-odd central universities and the IITs and IIMs
but also six central medical colleges including AIIMS, the National Law School
at Bangalore and Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC).

IAS Officers Undermine IIMC

The very fact that senior faculty members have left and are leaving Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) shows
how IAS officers from Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry have taken over IIMC, which is an autonomous body registered as a society with journalists
like N. Ram, Raghav Behl, Shekhar Gupta, Rajdeep Sardesai, Alok Mehta, Hari Jai Singh, Bharat Bhushan, Seema Chisty and activists like Aruna Roy (former IAS
Officer) as its members. It is needless to state the obvious that the IIMC Society is non-functional. It is high time they met and took stock of the
situation.

Initially it was believed that S K Arora, IAS and Praveen Kumar Tripathi, IAS
who are Chairman and Director of IIMC respectively are do not inclined to
continue in their ex-officio capacity besides being Secretaries in I&B Ministry.

Arora replaced Navin Chawla, the then Secretary I&B Ministry who is now an
Election Commissioner against whom a PIL has filed seeking his disqualification.

Like Chawla, Arora and Tripathy (Joint Seceretary, I&B) do not seem to have made
any genuine effort to have have non-IAS media practitioners to rejuvenate IIMC
from the stagnation it is going through.