PANJIM: Following the stiff opposition from the media fraternity, Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant on Thursday said the new set of draft guidelines issued for accrediting journalists to cover the Assembly proceedings are open for modification, as per the recommendations by the Press Advisory Committee (PAC).
Addressing media persons, Sawant said that the draft guidelines have been prepared to streamline the covering of the Assembly proceedings and from a security point of view.
“The guidelines are drafted as per the procedure laid down by the Lok Sabha. Every State Assembly has their own set of guidelines for the media. Even Goa has but it was never implemented,” he said.
He admitted that the draft should have been placed before the PAC before uploading it on the Assembly’s website. “There is no question of withdrawing these guidelines but yes we are open for modification. The PAC has been asked to submit its suggestions, which would be accordingly incorporated and placed before the committee before finalising it,” Sawant said.
The media fraternity in the State is enraged with the rules for the accreditation of media organisations and their representatives covering Assembly proceedings. Senior journalists, backed by Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ), have slammed the guidelines demanding their withdrawal.
The guidelines, that come on the backdrop of Information & Broadcasting Ministry’s controversial circular on ‘fake news’ and its withdrawal thereafter, have a long list of conditions for covering the proceedings.
Earlier, the Speaker chaired the PAC meeting, wherein members suggested withdrawal of criteria like recommendation from Directorate of Information and Publicity, accredited journalist, minimum daily circulation of 15,000 copies, mandatory registration of news websites, number of journalist per organisation, approval of PAC before approving applications and granting assembly cards, etc.
The PAC members expressed unhappiness in the manner in which they were bypassed and the guidelines issued. The PAC said that the Speaker’s office should have placed the guidelines before the members before uploading them on the website.
The Speaker said he will consider the suggestions and make modifications accordingly. He, however, expressed anguish towards media reportage on the guidelines. He slammed certain media houses, for trying to defame the State Assembly. “Before reporting the news, media should have consulted the Speaker for a comment,” he said.
He also said that he had not received any official memorandum raising objections to the guidelines from any media organisation or GUJ, who submitted its appeal only during the PAC meeting.
