LS polls: CEO organizes training on paid news

Training on paid news was organized by chief electoral officer (CEO) at the office of CEO Nagaland (media cell) with coordinator, natural disaster management ATI, Nagaland also the state level master trainer Dr. Hovithal Sothu as the resource person Tuesday in connection with the ensuing Lok-Sabha 2014 Election.
Dr. Hovithal reiterated the Press Council of India (PCI)’s definition of paid news: “Any news or analysis appearing in any media (Print & Electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration.”
He informed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has made ceilings for election expenditure, because of which media and political parties approached ECI to come out with stringent measures to check the political parties so they did not misuse the print and electronic media.
The resource person said Indian democracy thrives on fair elections, a multi-party system and free media helps voters to vote in elections, adding that sharing correct and unbiased information was necessary.
Highlighting of the steps taken by ECI, he said instructions has been issued to state and district officers to scrutinize, identify and report cases of paid news from June 2010.
ECI has appointed a media certification & monitoring committee (MCMC) at state and district levels for checking paid news. The committee would scrutinize all media within its jurisdiction to identify political advertisement in the garb of news. MCMC shall also actively consider paid news cases referred to it by the expenditure observers.
Dr. Hovithal also highlighted on the steps taken by ECI in connection to paid news, electoral reforms proposed by ECI, role of district MCMC, appeal mechanism, commission’s approach etc.
He maintained that self regulation by political parties, candidate and media houses would be the ultimate solution to take the issue of paid news on a more serious note.
Members of media fraternity (print and electronic), IPR officials, AIR, DDK and representatives of recognized political parties from the state attended the programme.