Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 73
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Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 74
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 88
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Code Context
            if (Configure::read('debug')) {

                trigger_error($message, E_USER_WARNING);

            } else {
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</span></code></span>
<code><span style="color: #000000"><span style="color: #0000BB">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">&lt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">meta&nbsp;http</span><span style="color: #007700">-</span><span style="color: #0000BB">equiv</span><span style="color: #007700">=</span><span style="color: #DD0000">"Content-Type"&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">content</span><span style="color: #007700">=</span><span style="color: #DD0000">"text/html;&nbsp;charset=utf-8"</span><span style="color: #007700">/&gt;
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.



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	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
	&#039;credit_writer&#039; =&gt; &#039;TheWire.in, 3 April, 2018, https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&#039;,
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When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.



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                <strong>Doctor Modi&#039;s Cure for Fake News is Worse Than the Disease -Siddharth Varadarajan</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-TheWire.in<br /><br /><em>When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.</em></div><div align="justify"><br />In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.<br /><br />On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.<br /><br />This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.<br /><br />Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.<br /><br />If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.<br /><br />However, it is the first step &ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.<br /><br />Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.<br /><br />The ministry&rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.<br /><br />Smriti Irani &ndash; the I&amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.<br /><br />Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.<br /><br />The I&amp;B ministry&rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&rdquo;<br /><br />Please <a href="https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease" title="https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>               </font>
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
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When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.



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	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.



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                <strong>Doctor Modi&#039;s Cure for Fake News is Worse Than the Disease -Siddharth Varadarajan</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-TheWire.in<br /><br /><em>When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.</em></div><div align="justify"><br />In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.<br /><br />On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.<br /><br />This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.<br /><br />Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.<br /><br />If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.<br /><br />However, it is the first step &ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.<br /><br />Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.<br /><br />The ministry&rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.<br /><br />Smriti Irani &ndash; the I&amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.<br /><br />Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.<br /><br />The I&amp;B ministry&rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&rdquo;<br /><br />Please <a href="https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease" title="https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>               </font>
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<span class="code-highlight"><code><span style="color: #000000">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;link&nbsp;rel="canonical"&nbsp;href="<span style="color: #0000BB">&lt;?php&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">echo&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">Configure</span><span style="color: #007700">::</span><span style="color: #0000BB">read</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #DD0000">'SITE_URL'</span><span style="color: #007700">);&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">?&gt;&lt;?php&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">echo&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$urlPrefix</span><span style="color: #007700">;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">?&gt;&lt;?php&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">echo&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$article_current</span><span style="color: #007700">-&gt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">category</span><span style="color: #007700">-&gt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">slug</span><span style="color: #007700">;&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">?&gt;</span>/<span style="color: #0000BB">&lt;?php&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">echo&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$article_current</span><span style="color: #007700">-&gt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">seo_url</span><span style="color: #007700">;&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">?&gt;</span>.html"/&gt;
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
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When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.



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	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.



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$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&amp;nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;However, it is the first step &amp;ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &amp;ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&amp;rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The ministry&amp;rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Smriti Irani &amp;ndash; the I&amp;amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &amp;ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &amp;ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&amp;rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&amp;rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The I&amp;amp;B ministry&amp;rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &amp;ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&amp;nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &amp;ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&amp;rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &amp;ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.



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                <strong>Doctor Modi&#039;s Cure for Fake News is Worse Than the Disease -Siddharth Varadarajan</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-TheWire.in<br /><br /><em>When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.</em></div><div align="justify"><br />In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.<br /><br />On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.<br /><br />This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.<br /><br />Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.<br /><br />If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.<br /><br />However, it is the first step &ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.<br /><br />Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.<br /><br />The ministry&rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.<br /><br />Smriti Irani &ndash; the I&amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.<br /><br />Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.<br /><br />The I&amp;B ministry&rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&rdquo;<br /><br />Please <a href="https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease" title="https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>               </font>
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-TheWire.in<br />
<br />
<em>When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.</em>
</div>
<div align="justify">
<br />
In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.<br />
<br />
On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.<br />
<br />
This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.<br />
<br />
Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.<br />
<br />
If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.<br />
<br />
However, it is the first step &ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.<br />
<br />
Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.<br />
<br />
The ministry&rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.<br />
<br />
Smriti Irani &ndash; the I&amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.<br />
<br />
Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.<br />
<br />
The I&amp;B ministry&rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
Please <a href="https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease">click here</a> to read more. <br />
</div>',
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-TheWire.in<br />
<br />
<em>When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.</em>
</div>
<div align="justify">
<br />
In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India.<br />
<br />
On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories.<br />
<br />
This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules&nbsp; are designed to produce that outcome.<br />
<br />
Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended.<br />
<br />
If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think.<br />
<br />
However, it is the first step &ndash; immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint &ndash; that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job.<br />
<br />
Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government&rsquo;s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events.<br />
<br />
The ministry&rsquo;s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters.<br />
<br />
Smriti Irani &ndash; the I&amp;B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands &ndash; wants us to believe that since neither body is &ldquo;controlled/operated by GOI&rdquo; there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with.<br />
<br />
Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry&rsquo;s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred.<br />
<br />
The I&amp;B ministry&rsquo;s shoddily drafted press release &ndash; the grammar is so bad that the person&nbsp; responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn &ndash; grandly declares that the PCI and NBA&rsquo;s determination on the correctness of a complaint &ldquo;is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
Please <a href="https://thewire.in/media/doctor-modis-cure-for-fake-news-is-worse-than-the-disease">click here</a> to read more. <br />
</div>',
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When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.



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Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
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Doctor Modi's Cure for Fake News is Worse Than the Disease -Siddharth Varadarajan

-TheWire.in When a government and ruling party that themselves peddle disinformation now say they want to fight fake news, it is time for the media to batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst. In the name of fighting fake news, the Narendra Modi government is laying a minefield for journalists and media houses that threatens what remains of the free press in India. On Monday, the information and broadcasting ministry spelt out new guidelines for media accreditation which, if implemented, will place media organisations at the mercy of trolls, bureaucrats and politicians and strengthen the already visible trend of self-censorship when it comes to politically sensitive stories. This is not speculation on my part. The hurriedly drafted rules  are designed to produce that outcome. Consider this. As soon as a complaint of fake news against a print or television journalist is forwarded to the designated agency, her or his accreditation would immediately be suspended. If the agency finds that reporter guilty of peddling fake news, their accreditation would be suspended for six months for a first violation, one year for a second violation and permanently canceled if there is a third offence. Nothing wrong with that, one might think. However, it is the first step – immediate suspension, pending disposal of the complaint – that represents a frontal assault on the right of journalists to do their job. Accreditation is not a requirement under the law. Though newspapers must be registered and TV stations need a license to uplink and downlink, India as yet has no law requiring journalists to register with the government or to get a license. Websites, in fact, need neither registration or a license. But accreditation with the government’s Press and Information Bureau (PIB) does allow journalists easy access to government offices and, increasingly, official events. The ministry’s amended guidelines for accreditation say that complaints against print journalists will be examined by the Press Council of India (PCI), while the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) would adjudicate on complaints against television reporters. Smriti Irani – the I&B minister who withheld the salary money of the entire staff of the public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, because it resisted some of her demands – wants us to believe that since neither body is “controlled/operated by GOI” there is nothing to fear. Well, things are not that simple. The PCI is a statutory body with quasi-judicial powers that has government and industry members. And its budget comes from the government. The NBA, on the other hand, is essentially a voluntary association that most of our unethical channels have refused to recognise or have actually seceded from in the face of verdicts they disagreed with. Incidentally, since journalists working for the digital media are not eligible for accreditation under the ministry’s existing guidelines, the new rules will not affect them. This is ironic given the industrial scale production of fake news by Hindutva-oriented websites. Last week, the promoter of one such website was arrested in Karnataka for inciting hatred. The I&B ministry’s shoddily drafted press release – the grammar is so bad that the person  responsible should surely have her or his credentials withdrawn – grandly declares that the PCI and NBA’s determination on the correctness of a complaint “is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies.” Please click here to read more.