Expressing serious concern over various negative developments over digital media entities functioning across the country, an Assam-based scribe’s forum called upon the Centre to empower the existing Press Council as Media Council of India (MCI).
Such a measure would bring news channels and digital media entities under the purview of an upgraded and empowered watchdog body. Presently, only newspapers and periodicals are under the purview of the Press Council of India, which is but a quasi-judicial body in need of more powers to curb ethical violations,” said the Journalists’ Forum Assam ( JFA).
The forum warned that unless there is a comprehensive set of guidelines covering electronic media and digital platform along with the print, transgressions might continue which would only put media persons at risk of official strong arm action.
In various recent worrisome developments, a number of individuals involved with news portals/ digital channels have been arrested by the police in Assam on suspicion of their roles in unethical journalism and petty crimes. These arrested individuals were allegedly pretending to be scribes.
“There are possibilities that anti-national elements may use the digital media space which would emerge as a hidden menace to the nation’s security,” commented the forum in a statement adding that around 200 digital news outlets are functioning in Assam alone and the number would be in tens of thousands for the whole country.