Govt considering adding more teeth to PCI

New Delhi, May 4 (UNI) The Government is considering amendments in the Press Council Act of 1978 to give more teeth to the national press watchdog.

The Press Council of India itself has suggested some amendments which along with other proposals were being examined, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told the Parliament's Standing Committee on Information Technology.

The Parliamentary panel had expressed its dissatisfaction with the lack of force the advisories of the Press Council carry.

''With growing commercialisation of the printmedia, there may be greater violation of the Act in subjects relating to surrogate advertisements obscene pictures/materials etc. Advisories carrying only moral force may not be effective in regulating violations,'' it said in its 42nd Report tabled in the Lok Sabha.

The committee impressed upon the government the urgent need to amend the PCI Act to provide it more regulatory powers for maintaining sound ethical and moral standards of journalism and protecting the freedom of the press.

It advised the government to hold wider consultations among the interested parties to evolve consensus on important issues relating to media.

UNI