Parliamentary committee recommends establishing common media council

The parliamentary committee on communications and information technology has officially suggested that the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) may look at setting up a Media Council for integrating various mediums such as print, broadcast and digital media into a single overarching body to improve coordination and implementation of rule of law.

MP Nishikant Dubey-headed panel 

On January 31 regarding the recommendations by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey-headed panel suggesting such a Media Council. MIB has already deliberated over the creation of such an entity, inspired by the Press Council of India (PCI), before the committee made its official recommendation on Friday, a source familiar with the development said.

Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill

In its eleventh grants demand for MIB report tabled in parliament, the committee also suggested that the government consider placing MIB, IT ministry and department of telecommunications under a single umbrella to resolve regulatory challenges arising from technological convergenceThe committee observed that the MIB seeks to increase its regulatory ambit by the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, which would transfer regulation of over-the-top (OTT) content and digital news from the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to MIB according to the allocation of business. The MIB informed the panel that it has no plans to bring the bill in the ongoing parliamentary session.

Part III of the IT Rules, 2021

Presently, online streaming services like Netflix and JioHotstar, as well as digital news publishers, are governed by Part III of the IT Rules, 2021. These rules have been contested by several news organizations on the grounds that Part III oversteps the boundaries of the IT Act. Certain provisions, such as the three-tier grievance redressal mechanism, were suspended by the Bombay and Madras High Courts, although self-regulatory organizations established under the rules remain operational, and MIB continues to issue blocking orders under Rules 15 and 16.