Media houses sensitised on Paid News
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 04 2012: Along with enforcement of election code of conduct for the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly election mediapersons of both print and electronic media have been advised to comply with the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India.

Explaining the ECI restrictions to newspersons at a one day 'workshop on paid news and advertisement', held today at Manipur Press Club, Chairman of Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MC&MC) A Tombikanta said the measures were framed with a view to ensure a level playing field to all the candidates or political organisations.

Under the restrictions, newspapers are prohibited from publishing news items likely to influence the voters or favour a certain candidate as well as barring publication of reports carrying inflammatory tirades against a rival candidate or political organisation.

When mediapersons pointed out that curbing newspapers from exercising their rights would amount to indirectly subduing the people's voice and benefit the ruling party or parties, he said the guidelines have been prepared in consultation with the Press Council of India (PCI) .

PCI would assess whether or not news reports are paid news and the ECI would initiate punitive against the media establishment if the PCI assessment rules that the newspaper or electronic media had favoured a particular candidate or political organisations, Tombikanta cautioned.

Asking media houses to remain alert before publishing a report and pledging all possible support of the State level MC&MC or similar panels in the district level, the Committee Chairman also explained that advertisement concerning support to a particular candidate or political organisations should have either the Committee's approval or prior consent of the candidate concerned for the publication charge is to be accounted to the election expenditure of the said candidate.

Suggesting that media houses insist on documentary evidence to confirm genuineness of the individual's identity before the matter is published, Tombikanta asserted that ECI rules and regulations do not recognise customary laws.

He further confided that the ECI had advised CEOs of election-bound States to organise such workshops as ECI has come across complaints of biased media coverage for or against certain political parties/candidates and for blacking out of due coverage of their political activities on consideration, other than professional.

"It will be the duty of the press to give objective reports about elections and the candidates for newspapers are not expected to indulge in unhealthy election campaigns, exaggerated reports about any candidate/party or incident during the elections," he quoted an ECI report as saying.

As moderator of the workshop, All Manipur Working Journalists' union president A Mobi conveyed that the programme was initiated with the collaboration of the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur to prevent individual candidates or political parties from misusing the mass media to woo the voters.

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