'Fake news' issue: PM Modi steps in, orders withdrawal of press guidelines
Modi and Smriti Irani
The Indian government yesterday amended the guidelines for accreditation of journalists in a bid to deal with the rise of 'fake news'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the press release regarding 'fake news'to be withdrawn. As per PM Modi's order, the matter should now be addressed in Press Council of India.
The Indian government yesterday amended the guidelines for accreditation of journalists in a bid to deal with the rise of "fake news".
The move came in the wake of the Malaysian Parliament pushing for a law that made 'fake news' punishable with a maximum six-year jail term.
Smriti Irani-led Information & Broadcasting ministry proposed penalties ranging from suspension to cancellation of accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news”.
The guidelines were set to apply to journalists accredited by the Government of India, thereby indicating government's plan to deal with non-accredited journalists engaging in 'fake news' through the I&B ministry.
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“While examining the requests seeking accreditation, the regulatory agencies will examine whether the `Norms of Journalistic Conduct’ and `Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards’ prescribed by the PCI and NBA respectively are adhered to by the journalists as part of their functioning. It would be obligatory for journalists to abide by these guidelines,” the Information & Broadcasting ministry said in its release.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Information and Broadcastingtook to Twitter saying that the accreditation guidelines have generated a debate.
"Several journalists & organisations have reached out giving positive suggestions regarding the same," her tweet read.
Irani welcomed journalists to engage with her over questions and doubts related to the guidelines.