Hasty policies can prove disastrous, says Digipub on government proposals on digital media
NEW DELHI: Digipub, an organisation of digital-only news publications, said a restrictive, regulatory framework could inhibit the digital media’s capacity to grow and realise the dream of a ‘digital India’.
This came amid the Centre’s recent proposal to bring digital news media under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and issuing a notice to limit foreign direct investment (FDI) for Indian digital news publishers to 26% as approved by the Union Cabinet last year.
This move would put Indian companies at a disadvantage to foreign news brands and disincentivise entrepreneurs from incorporating companies in India that could be a part of the country’s growth, said Digipub.
“In the midst of a pandemic when economies, investments and jobs are faltering in India and around the world, such moves by the government are likely to do more harm than good. Restrictive policies could have serious consequences, including job losses,” the platform said in its statement.
With regard to content regulation, Digipub is currently working on guidelines for conduct and self-regulatory rules and invited suggestions from stakeholders in its statement.
The MIB had recently said there is currently little regulation for digital news media.
The platform urged the Indian government to consult stakeholders, especially digital-only entities that would bear the impact of the policies being formulated by the government. It sought I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar to give them a hearing.
“We are confident that we can together create a framework that will be nurturing to the digital media economy as well as set high standards on journalism, while addressing other concerns,” said the statement.