PCI needs more teeth
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: November 17 2011 -

November 16 is observed all over the country as the National Press Day to mark the establishment of the Press Council of India, PCI.

Instituted in 1966 by the Parliament following the recommendations of the 1st Press Commission, the PCI was meant to function as the moral watchdog of the press, seeing to it that the press adheres to the highest ethics which the profession demands.

It also has the authority of arbitrating complaints against the press for violation of norms of journalistic conduct and by the press for violation of freedom of press. The observance of this day reminds all of us in this field, which is much exalted as one of the important pillars of democracy, of our duty towards the people, as also their expectations.

It is the duty of the press to keep the public informed by providing them accurate, undistorted and unbiased information as also highlight issues of importance to the larger section of our population, among other things.

It is also charged with the duty of a watchdog of the other pillars of democracy more specifically the executive whose decisions has an impact on the lives of each and every citizens of the country.

The PCI was essentially established to ensure that the press fulfills these duties and commitment to the democratic polity.

One of the problems the PCI faces in doing so is the lack of power to penalize those found guilty of flaunting journalistic norms of conduct or the authority of violating freedom of press.

Its powers are mostly restricted to censuring the concern journalist or newspaper or directing the authority concerned to take appropriate action to redress the grievances of the journalist or the newspaper.

This has led to many media houses, especially the more powerful mainstream media houses to flaunt PCI directives. In recent times PCI's reputation has received quite a bit of pounding especially in the wake of paid news controversy.

The fact that the PCI suppressed the original report of the two-member sub-committee comprising Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and K. Sreenivas Reddy which probed into the paid news phenomenon and released a much diluted final version expunging specific details like the names of newspapers and channels which were seen to be have indulged in paid news, came under much criticism from many quarters.

It clearly illustrates the hold these powerful media houses have over such a body as the PCI which made it succumb to their pressures. Instances like have taken a toll on the credibility of a body which should command respect from the whole of the press fraternity.

The appointment of Justice Markandey Katju, a former judge of the Supreme Court of India as the new Chairman of PCI affords a fresh opportunity for a new beginning towards rebuilding its credibility.

From his interview with Karan Thapar in CNN-IBN, we can cull various points which gives us reasons to be optimistic about his tenure, notwithstanding the fact that sections of the media came down heavily on him for this interview.

Justice Katju wants the press to play a progressive role, he wants the media to propagate rational and scientific ideas, secularism, tolerance, wants it to lay more stress on core issues facing the country like unemployment, lack of medical care, education, poverty, expose social evils rather than devoting its major space and time on entertainment and cricket, etc.

The media particularly the mainstream media instead of taking up the issues affecting the people at large are at present serving the interest of the influential and the privileged few and help maintain the status quo rather then being an agent for change.

Justice Katju has also called for amendment of the Press Council Act to bring electronic media under its ambit and for more power to the PCI. If the amendments he proposed come through, it will go a long way in making the PCI a true watch dog of the media.