-Outlook The UPA government seems too keen on giving the press council what Katju seeks Powerful Enough? Among the powers the PCI now wields are the following: Power to censure, warn and admonish on receipt of a complaint, after giving the publication a chance to be heard The same powers as a civil court to summon and enforce attendance, examine persons under oath ...

-The Hindu Regulating content on community radio is detrimental to its efforts to engage with local communities The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) organised the 3rd National Community Radio Sammelan from February 9 to 11 to celebrate a decade of community radio. The celebrations were cut short when Secretary to MoIB Uday Kumar Varma confirmed that community radio stations would not be allowed to broadcast news for some time to come....

-Outlook Taking strong exception to certain private FM radio stations making unsolicited calls to people and invading their privacy, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has asked these operators to refrain from such pranks. "It has also been brought to the notice of MIB that some FM operators are making unsolicited calls to members of the public and disturbing their privacy by the way of aggressive comments and conversation which are being broadcast...

-Reporters without Borders Access the 2013 World Press Freedom Index here. After the “Arab springs” and other protest movements that prompted many rises and falls in last year’s index, the 2013 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index marks a return to a more usual configuration. The ranking of most countries is no longer attributable to dramatic political developments. This year’s index is a better reflection of the attitudes and intentions of...

-Outlook Mediapersons, legal experts and civil society have suggested the setting up of a constitutionally mandated regulator to check "misuse and abuse" of the media in the country. Some discussants also suggested establishing a consultative group for norms, conduct and ethics to monitor implementation by the media and to facilitate greater degree of coordination between government, media business and civil society. They were speaking at a conference on "Media Regulation: Is Status Quo...