Describing digital media as an opportunity and a challenge, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said there was a need for its regulation, that’s why the Central government will soon bring a law to regulate the media.

Thakur was speaking as a key speaker at the Silver Jubilee Celebration of a state level newspaper Mahanagar Times’s Thakur last night here.

Addressing a gathering, the minister said the media should avoid creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion.

He pointed out that earlier there used to be one-way communication of news. But with the development of electronic and digital media, the communication of news has become multi-dimensional. Now, even small news of a village reaches the national platform through digital media.

“The digital media present opportunities as well as challenges in today’s era. It is also self regulatory like electronic media. There is a need for its regulation. That’s why the central government will soon bring a law on this.” he contended.

Mentioning that newspapers have been of a special importance since India’s freedom struggle, he said, “The Central government is working in the direction of Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living. Be it the registration of companies or the process of opening a bank account by a common citizen, all have been simplified”.

According to Thakur, the process of registration of newspapers should be simplified.

“The Central government will soon bring a new law to replace the 1867 law. Under this, it will be possible to complete the registration process, which now takes about four months, in a week through online mode,” he said.

Thakur advised the newspapers to bring the right news in front of the general public at the right time. He said along with the shortcomings of the government, the public welfare schemes and policies of the government should be taken to the common people.

He urged that the media should do its work responsibly and avoid creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion, as happened during the Corona period.

Among others, who spoke on the occasion included Governor Kalraj Mishra, Assembly Speaker Dr. C P Joshi, Education Minister Dr. B D Kalla and the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Mahanagar Times Gopal Sharma.