Smriti Irani assured that the government is willing to take suggestions from the journalists’ body and organizations to fight the menace of the fake news.
Sensing the discontent among the journalist fraternity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have ordered to roll back the guidelines proposed to tackle Fake News by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. According to sources, the PMO has asked the I&B Minister Smriti Irani to reconsider the guidelines it laid down on Monday.
Soon after this, the Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani declared that she is willing to conduct a dialogue with the representatives from the fraternity over the Fake News guideline.
On Monday, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a press release which stated that the government has decided to take some firm steps to tackle the menace of Fake News. For this, the government has decided to suspend the accreditation of journalists who are found to be “creating and propagating” fake news. The duty to determine whether the news in question is fake or not will lay with the PCI-regulatory body for Print media and NBA- Regulatory Body for electronic media.
PIB Accreditation Guidelines asking Press Council of India & News Broadcasters Association to define & act against ‘fake news’ have generated debate. Several journalists & organisations have reached out giving positive suggestions regarding the same. 1/2
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 3, 2018
Within a stipulated time period of 15 days, the relevant authority has to decide whether the news is fake or not. Till then the accreditation of the journalist in question will be suspended. Once it is found that the news is fake, the journalist in question will face 6 months’ accreditation suspension for the first violation, one-year suspension for second and lifetime suspension for the third violation.
However, many journalists felt that the guidelines designed to crack down on Fake News may well end up proving a crackdown on journalists. Considering the confusion in the minds of journalist fraternity, Smriti Irani tweeted, “The PIB Accreditation Guidelines to define and act against Fake News has generated debate.” She further added that many journalists and organizations have reached out to the Ministry of Information and Broadcast with positive suggestions on the matter.
.@MIB_India is more than happy to engage with journalist body or organisation/s wanting to give suggestions so that together we can fight the menace of ‘fake news’ & uphold ethical journalism. Interested journalists and/or organisations may feel free to meet me at @MIB_India. 2/2
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 3, 2018
Smriti Irani also assured that the government is more than happy to take suggestions from the journalists’ body and organizations to fight the menace of the fake news together and “uphold the ethical journalism”.
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