PTI, NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has constituted a committee to frame rules to regulate news portals and media websites, according to an official order which came a day after the government withdrew its contentious guidelines on fake news following widespread criticism.
According to the order dated April 4, the 10-member committee includes secretaries of the ministries of information and broadcasting, electronics and information technology, and home. Besides, it will also have secretaries of department of legal affairs and department of industrial policy and promotion as it members.
The committee will also have representatives of the Press Council of India, News Broadcasters Association and Indian Broadcasters Federation.
The order said the content on private television channels are regulated by the Programme and Advertisement Codes, while the the Press Council of India (PCI) has its norms to regulate the print media.
It said there were no norms or guidelines to regulate the online media websites and news portals.
“Therefore, it has been decided to constitute a committee to frame and suggest a regulatory framework for online media/news portals including digital broadcasting and entertainment/infotainment sites and news/media aggregators,” it added.
Terms of the reference (TOR) or scope of the work include to “delineate the sphere of online information dissemination which needs to be brought under regulation, on the lines applicable to print and electronic media”, according to the order.
