{"id":59300,"date":"2025-11-17T21:26:53","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T15:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=59300"},"modified":"2025-11-18T12:56:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T07:26:01","slug":"national-press-day-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/17-11-2025\/national-press-day-2","title":{"rendered":"National Press Day\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India celebrated <strong>National Press Day<\/strong> honouring the essential role of a free and responsible press in our society.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>National Press Day observed on 16 November, marks the <strong>establishment of the Press Council of India (PCI) in 1966<\/strong>, later reconstituted in 1979 under new legislation.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The idea for the Council was first proposed by the<strong> First Press Commission in 1956<\/strong>, which emphasized the need to protect press freedom and promote ethical reporting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This year\u2019s theme focuses on <strong>safeguarding press credibility amidst rising misinformation<\/strong>, highlighting the growing importance of accurate and ethical reporting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Media Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India is one of the world\u2019s largest and most diverse media ecosystems, spanning print, television, radio, OTT platforms, and digital news.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s vibrant media landscape continues to grow, registered publications have risen from 60,143 in 2004\u201305 to 1.54 lakh in 2024\u201325, reflecting the expanding reach and strength of the press.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Importance of Media<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The media is often referred to as the <strong>fourth pillar of democracy, <\/strong>playing a crucial role in <strong>shaping public opinion<\/strong>, driving development, and holding power to account.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Historically, newspapers played a<strong> vital role in India\u2019s freedom struggle<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The media and entertainment industry <strong>contributes significantly <\/strong>to <strong>GDP<\/strong>, employment, and India\u2019s global cultural footprint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Media promotes<strong> communal harmony<\/strong>, inclusivity, and awareness, especially in diverse societies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;<strong>Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>OTT platforms and social media have transformed consumption,<strong> creating stress for traditional media.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Concerns over media bias<\/strong>, political influence, and attacks on press freedom undermine trust.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New acts raise fears of <strong>excessive government control.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Declining ad revenues and unfair compensation<\/strong> models for digital content threaten viability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With large internet users, <strong>safeguarding against fake news and online threats is critical.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Institutional Framework Governing the Media<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s media governance framework is built on institutions, laws, and initiatives that safeguard press freedom, promote ethical journalism, modernize regulation, and support media professionals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Press Registrar General of India (PRGI):<\/strong> Established in 1956 , now statutory under the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 (PRP Act).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It oversees registration and regulation of print media, with the Press Sewa Portal enabling a fully digital, paperless system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Press Sewa Portal<\/strong> is a major digital reform under PRGI.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Press Council of India (PCI): <\/strong>Autonomous body under the Press Council Act, 1978. It handles complaints on press freedom violations and enforces Norms of Journalistic Conduct.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>PCI in 2023 released guidelines for reporting on natural disasters<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Act, 2023:<\/strong> Modernizes colonial-era law, introducing online registration.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fully digitises title allotment and registration of periodicals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Institutions &amp; Schemes:<\/strong> Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) (1965) provides training and capacity building.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Journalist Welfare Scheme<\/strong> (2001, revised in 2019) offers financial support to journalists and families in hardship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>&nbsp;Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s media sector, vital to democracy and global culture, must evolve responsibly to sustain growth and credibility.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This requires balanced regulation that protects freedom while addressing digital challenges, stronger safeguards for press independence, and support for digital adaptation with fair compensation.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Building capacity in training, cybersecurity, and ethical journalism is essential, alongside leveraging India\u2019s strengths in content creation, animation, and VFX for global positioning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Key Activities on National Press Day<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>National Awards for Excellence in Journalism<\/strong><br>1. Awarded annually by PCI.<br>2. Recognises journalists for outstanding work.<br>3. The Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award is the highest honour.<br>&#8211; <strong>National Press Day Souvenir<\/strong><br>1. Contains messages from national leaders.<br>2. Features articles by media experts.<br>3. Highlights the achievements of award winners<br><strong>India\u2019s Media Regulatory Architecture (Three-Tier Framework)<\/strong><br><strong>PRINT MEDIA (Press Council of India (PCI))<\/strong><br>&#8211; Norms of Journalistic Conduct (ethical standards).<br>&#8211; PCI can warn\/censure under Section 14.<br>&#8211; Regulates fake, defamatory, or misleading print content.<br><strong>TELEVISION (Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995)<\/strong><br>&#8211; Enforces Programme Code.<br>&#8211; Prohibits obscene, defamatory, communal, or false content.<br>&#8211; (2021 Amendment) introduced a three-tier grievance system.<br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/26-05-2021\/it-rules-2021-come-into-effect\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/26-05-2021\/it-rules-2021-come-into-effect\">DIGITAL MEDIA \u2013 IT Rules, 2021<\/a><\/strong><br>&#8211; Code of Ethics for digital news and OTT.<br>&#8211; Age classifications, grievance officers, and compliance norms.<br>&#8211; Section 69A of IT Act,\u00a0 power to block content\/platforms in the interest of sovereignty and integrity.<br><strong>World Press Freedom Index 2025<\/strong><br>&#8211; RSF (Reporters Without Borders), an international watchdog releases the World Press Freedom Index annually, ranking 180 countries using qualitative and quantitative indicators.<br>&#8211; India has ranked 151st in 2025, with a total score of 32.96, showing an improvement of 8 places from 159th in 2024.<br>&#8211; Key concerns affecting India\u2019s ranking include:<br>1. Economic pressures on newsrooms<br>2. Concentration of media ownership<br>3. Political and legal pressures<br>4. Online harassment and safety concerns for journalists.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2190470#:~:text=On%20November%2016%2C%20India%20celebrates,and%20holding%20power%20to%20account.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PIB<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>In Context<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">India celebrated National Press Day honouring the essential role of a free and responsible press in our society.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>About<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">National Press Day observed on 16 November, marks the establishment of the Press Council of India (PCI) in 1966, later reconstituted in 1979 under new legislation.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The idea for the Council was first proposed by the First Press Commission in 1956, which emphasized the need to protect press freedom and promote ethical reporting.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">This year\u2019s theme focuses on safeguarding press credibility amidst rising misinformation, highlighting the growing importance of accurate and ethical reporting.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/17-11-2025\/national-press-day-2\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59300"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59346,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59300\/revisions\/59346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}