Fake news guidelines reversed; Together we can fight menace of ‘fake news’, says Smriti Irani

NewsBharati    03-Apr-2018
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New Delhi, April 3: Considering journalism and media as the fourth pillar of strong country, at times there are chances of news misleading the masses. Sighting the government taking stringent measures and releasing the press release, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Smriti Irani, insisted that together the country can come together and fight against the menace of fake news to uphold the ethics of journalism.

Sighting the ongoing debate over fake news issue, Rajya Sabha TV claims that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now directed that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and any decision on fake news should be taken by bodies like the Press Council of India and the News Broadcasters Association.  

Clearing the air about the ongoing debate on the series of fake news, Smriti Irani tweeted saying that the Press Council of India & News Broadcasters Association to define & act against ‘fake news’ have generated debate by the press release over PIB Accreditation Guidelines. Over this there are many journalists and organization has reached out to give positive suggestions regarding the same.
 

Several organizations and journalists have come forward appreciating the move taken by the government.

The press release guideline stated that the accreditation of a journalist can be permanently cancelled if the person is found generating or propagating fake news.

Further the Minister of Information and Broadcasting tweeted that the Ministry is more than happy to invite suggestions coming from the journalist body or organizations. These suggestions will bring us together and together we can fight this menance of fake news to uphold the ethics of Journalism. Inviting more suggestions, the Minister said that the interested journalists and or organisations may feel free to meet her.

 

Once a complaint is registered for “determination of fake news,” the Ministry’s order had said, the accreditation of the journalist who “created and or propagated the fake news” will be “suspended till such time the determination regarding the fake news is made by the regulating agencies”. In a press release issued on Monday evening, the I&B Ministry said that the Press Council of India and News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the two regulatory bodies for print and television media respectively, would determine whether the news was fake or not.

Smriti Irani Ethical Journalism Press Council of India News Broadcasters Association