Times of India: Ranchi: Sunday, January 12, 2014.
With new
media assuming an influential role in society, the state information and public
relations department (IPRD), is not only including web portals, electronic
media and other forms of such media in the list of media organizations, but
also revising the advertisement regulations that have remained unchanged for
the past 30 years.
IPRD director
Awasdhesh Pandey said: "Different states have been revising their
advertisement regulations from time to time. Even Bihar introduced the new
regulations in 2007. In order to remove the anomaly in terms of rates and to
include new media, a proposal has been sent to the cabinet for its
approval."
Acting on a
series of RTI applications filed for norms regulating accreditation of
journalists, the department is also working on finalizing the regulations to
guide media accreditation. A memorandum to the same effect was recently
submitted by the Jharkhand chapter of Delhi-based Indian Journalists
Association seeking homogeneity of norms across states. The general secretary
of Jharkhand unit, A K Singh, said the association wants the state to have
regulations so that journalists, including those working on desk and in new
media, get equal opportunities.
An IPRD
official said the government has introduced a scheme of insurance for media
personnel. "However, it is now being revised and extended to all media
personal and on personal contribution of Rs 134, any individual working with a
media organization can be entitled for an accidental death benefit of Rs 5
lakh," he said.