The newspaper industry in north-east India (NE) continues to face enormous troubles in its survival. The rapid growth of digital media, thanks to the limitations faced by newspapers in reaching remote locations with native languages, has already posed a serious challenge for traditional media house owners. The Covid-19 pandemic made the situation more complicated causing a drastic fall in circulation and readership of all newspapers across the isolated region. Some prominent media houses have already ceased publications or sold their ownership. The remaining media groups now solely depend on government advertisement revenues, which also come with many inherent conditions.  Amidst all troubles, the region with eight States comprising 60 million population nurtures hundreds of newspapers in different languages including  English, Hindi, Asomiya, Bengali, Mizo, Manipuri,  Khasi, Bodo, Karbi, etc.

As a nation, India supports nearly 100,000 publications (endorsed by the Registrar of Newspapers for India) in various frequencies and languages. The largest democracy on the globe with its billion-plus population also supports nearly 400 satellite news channels along with thousands of portals, WhatsApp channels, and other digital outlets. The revenues collected (from both selling and advertisements) by Indian newspapers, and periodicals including magazines witnessed a shrinking trend after the pandemic, when other media spaces started dominating the financial market space. However, many print observers believe that the print media will slowly recover from its abrupt loss. Resurgence in readership is expected as ‘digital fatigue drives consumers’ will soon turn back to traditional media for reliable information. They argue that the print media outlets will increase the number of readers up to 200 by 2029 in India. The cumulative revenues are projected to reach US$ 3.01 billion this year and the probable market volume will be increased to US$ 3.20 billion by 2029.

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Expecting a favourable market response from the print media outlets, the north-eastern journalist fraternity now demands that the Press Council of India (PCI), which is assigned to safeguard the freedom of the press, should be empowered urgently.  Recently, the  Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) raised the issue of enhancing the PCI with the inclusion of television channels, radio and digital platforms under its jurisdiction.  Needless to mention, the PCI enjoys limited power for enforcing guidelines and even it cannot penalise the newspapers, news agencies as well as the concerned editors and working journalists for violation of the prescribed guidelines. In a simple line, the PCI can only overview the functioning of newspapers and periodicals. The JFA pointed out that over 300 digital media outlets are functioning in Assam (it will be over 500 across NE) and the journalists working for these entities need to have clear guidelines about appropriate media practices (as well as legal penalties, which may be slapped in cases of the violations).

But it may be astonishing for many that the country’s statutory and quasi-judicial body PCI, which is assigned to safeguard the freedom of the press, remains non-functional for five months.  Even after the term of the 14th Press Council expired on 5 October 2024, no pragmatic initiative has been taken to constitute the 15th Council of PCI. Needless to mention it’s an autonomous body, which was initially set up in 1966 under the Press Council Act 1965 and later re-established in 1979 following the Press Council Act 1978 with a primary objective to ensure press freedom and also improve the standards of newspapers and news agencies in the south Asian nation. The council enjoys a three-year term and the continuity broke last year as the chairperson did not initiate to constitute a new council on time. Terming the delay in the constitution of a new council as surprising, various media bodies urged the concerned authorities to do the needful at the earliest date.

The issue was brought to light by the Mumbai Press Club (MPC) alleging that at the core of the crisis was an attempt to oust two important and active journalist bodies (namely MPC and Editors Guild of India) from their representation. The MPC also wrote a letter to Union information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaisnav requesting his intervention. “It is indeed surprising that the process of reconstitution of the 15th Press Council, which was started way back on 9 June 2024 with advertisements inviting press bodies to apply for inclusion as representative organisations, is yet to be concluded. Though 8 months have passed, there is still no sign of a functioning Press Council,” said an MPC statement.

The  PCI comprises a chairman (by convention a retired Supreme Court judge is assigned) and 28 members where 13 individuals represent the professional journalists out of whom 6 need to be editors of newspapers and 7 working journalists. Another 6 members represent the management of newspapers (including the owners), 2 each taken from the big, medium and small newspapers, whereas 1 member represents the news agencies. Two houses of the Indian Parliament send 5 members, and 3 individuals are nominated by the University Grants Commission, Bar Council of India and Sahitya Academy from the fields of education, law and literature respectively.

Days back, the Press Club of Assam (PCA) also expressed worries that the PCI remains elope for all these months. As the PCI discharges its functions primarily through adjudications on complaints received against a particular newspaper/news agency or an editor/working journalist alleging professional misconduct deteriorating the standard of journalistic behaviours, it needs to be in an alert mode always, stated a PCA release. As the PCI enjoys the authority to make observations if the conduct of the government is also found not inappropriate regarding the guaranteed freedom of the press,  the council should be reactivated, added the  PCA statement. Otherwise, the media industry in the world’s largest democracy (precisely in NE) will face the harrowing task of balancing pure news content in availing government advertisements with secret conditions.

The writer is a Guwahati-based special representative of The Statesman