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http://mrunal.org/2014/10/rpa-paid-news-election-commission-guideli...
- Mrunal - http://mrunal.org -
[RPA] Paid News, Election commission Guidelines, why Amend RPA, Ethics
in Journalism
Posted By Mrunal On 28/10/2014 @ 3:36 pm In polity | 3 Comments
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Prologue
What is paid news?
Why is Paid news bad?
What has Election commission done?
What has press council done?
Suggest further reforms
Challenges ahead
Appendix: Expenditure and Deposit limits
Prologue
Topic in news: 2014, October because Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) said we need to amend RPA,
make paid news an election offense with minimum 2 years jail time and candidates disqualification.
Relevance in UPSC civil service Exam?
CSAT: Expenditure limits related MCQs
GS2: Salient features of the Representation of Peoples Act.
GS4: Case studies involving ethics in journalism.
Essay: Fodder for Media -pillar of democracy and topics of similar theme.
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1. Under Representation of Peoples Act (RPA) 48 hours before the polling, media cannot display any
news that can influence the voters. (else jail 2 years)
2. Media cannot run exit polls until the election polling phases are complete. if in doubt, they should seek
permission of District election officer.
3. EC has ordered the District Collectors to meet with Political Parties and media houses, to inform them
about consequences of surrogate advertising and Paid News.
4. EC has setup MCMC Committee at every district and state level. MCMC=Media Certification & Monitoring
Committee.
5. This Committee is made up of Returning officer, representatives from I&B ministries.
6. They scrutinize all media coverage within their jurisdiction.
7. If they suspect a paid news or surrogate news, they seek explanation from respective candidate.
8. If reply unsatisfactory, then they include money spend on the paid news, in candidates election
Expenditure.
9. EC has also written to Press council of India to set clear guidelines and punishment.
Challenges ahead
1. It is very difficult to prove paid news because money transfer done via Hawala and sometimes in kind
e.g. land-allotment after election, free wine-n-dine, luxury phones, tours.
2. Contractual employment in media houses- journalist dont truly have independence. Editors and Media
owners enjoy too much discretionary powers.
3. Companies with political affiliations. They enter in private treaties with media house. Product
advertisement contracts given, in exchange of biased reporting during elections.
4. Companies with political affiliations themselves, own media-houses and news channels.
Therefore, nuisance of paid new can be fixed only by self-regulation of political parties and media houses.
RPA-amendment alone, will be insufficient.
Appendix
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