Academics

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (Overview)

With the advancement of science, new technology With the advancement of science, new technologies have provided an opportunity for exponential expansion of print media as well as digital media. The OTT platforms and digital news portals are now established and are working well. The problem was that for these new sectors there was no institutional mechanism. When the Press has the Press Council of India and TV has its own self regulation and films have Central Board of Film Certification, these new platforms had no such arrangement. There was a demand for bringing such parity and mechanism by media experts, filmmakers and industry experts, trade organizations/ bodies and the people at large. These apart, there have been serious grievance from parents and guardians over the adult, violent and such other content which is harmful to children. There is also a need to empower the citizens for their grievance redressal. Due to absence of an (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code), institutional set up, citizens do not know where to send their grievances or file complaints or suggestions relating to content on OTT or on digital news. There was demand from all sectors that there must be some arrangement by which a level playing field can be provided to all the media categories. The Digital Media Ethics Code, under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 establishes an institutional mechanism for digital news portals and OTT platforms. Main features of the Rules The rules establish a soft touch progressive institutional mechanism with a level playing field featuring a Code of Ethics and a three[1]tier grievance redressal framework for news publishers and OTT platforms on the digital media. Platforms would be required to implement parental locks for content classified as U/A 13+ or higher, and reliable age verification mechanisms for content classified as “A”. Publishers of news on digital media would be required to observe Norms of Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India and the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Regulation) Act thereby providing a level playing field between the offline (Print, TV) and digital media. Grievance Redressal Mechanism A three-level grievance redressal mechanism has been established under the rules with two levels of self-regulation- Level I being the publisher and Level II being the Self Regulatory Body, and the third level being the Oversight Mechanism under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. The rules provide for an effective grievance redressal mechanism for receiving, processing, and time-bound disposal of public grievances related to the Code of Ethics. of a High Court, or by a person of eminence from the relevant field,

JOURNALISM

Journalism is the process of gathering, writing, and sharing information about events, people, and ideas that are of public interest. It is a form of storytelling that can be found in newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and online. Journalism or news writing is a prose style used for reporting in newspapers, radio, and television. When writing journalistically, one has to take into account not only one’s audience, but also the tone in which the piece is delivered, as well as the ABCs of news writing: Accuracy, Brevity, and Clarity.

In a journalism course students learn the essential skills required for effective writing, reporting and storytelling. They are trained in crafting news articles, features and opinion pieces while mastering journalistic writing styles like the inverted pyramid. A strong emphasis is placed on research skills teaching students how to gather information, verify facts and conduct interviews. Students learn about the ethical responsibilities of journalism such as ensuring accuracy, avoiding bias and understanding legal issues like defamation and copyright laws.

Students also gain proficiency in modern tools and techniques used in digital journalism. This includes creating content for online platforms such as blogs, social media and podcasts while learning to use multimedia tools for video and audio production. Journalism courses also often cover broadcast journalism preparing students to present news on radio and television. By combining traditional journalistic practices with new media skills students are prepared to navigate the evolving media landscape ensuring they are well-equipped for a successful career in the field.