Press Commission and Press Council of India

First and Second Press Commission and Press Council of India --- Important question answers

The Press Council Act, 1978 was enacted to establish a Press council for the purpose of preserving the freedom of the Press and for maintaining the standards of newspaper and news agencies in India. The Act established the Press Council of India which is a body corporate having perpetual succession, with effect from 1st March 1979. The Press Council of India is empowered to make observations in respect of conduct of any authority including Government, if considered necessary for performance of its functions under the Act. The Council can warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency, the editor or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalist if it finds that a newspaper or a news agency has not complied with the standards of journalistic ethics or public taste or that an editor or a working journalist has committed any professional misconduct.Complaints against the Press 

Question and Answers related to Press Commissions and Press Council of India.

Q1- Who was the chairman of First Press Commission?

Ans-   Justice J.S.Rajadhyakhsa.

Q2- When was the First Press Commission formed?

Ans- 23rd Sept 1952.

Q3- Which Press Commission recommended establishment of Press Council of India?

Ans- First Press Commission.

Q3- Which Press Commission recommended establishment of Registrar of Newspaper for India?

Ans- First Press Commission.

Q4- Which Press Commission recommended introduction of Price Page Schedule?

Ans- First Press Commission.

Q5- When was the Press Council of India established?

Ans- July 4, 1966.

Q6- When was National Press Day celebrated?

Ans- Nov 16, 1966.

Q7- What are the recommendations of First Press Commission and which recommendations were accepted by the government?

Ans-

 • To protect the freedom of the press and to maintain high standards of journalism, a press council should be established. 

The press council of India was established on July 4, 1966 which started functioning from November 16 (on this date, National Press Day is celebrated) 1966.

• To prepare the account of the press and the position of every year, there should be appointment of the Registrar of Newspaper for India (RNI). 

It was also accepted and RNI was appointed in July 1956. 

• Price-page schedule should be introduced. 

It was also accepted in 1956.

• For maintaining a cordial relationship between the government and the Press, a Press Consultative Committee should be constituted. 

It was accepted and a Press Consultative Committee was constituted on 22nd September 1962.

• Working Journalists Act should be implemented. 

The government implemented this and in 1955 the working journalist and other newspaper employees (conditions of services) and miscellaneous Provisions Act was set up.

• It recommended establishment of a fact-finding Committee to evaluate the financial position of the newspapers and news agencies. 

A Fact Finding Committee was set up on 14th April 1972. It submitted its report on 14th January 1975.

• For protecting the main principles of the freedom of the press and to help the newspapers against monopolistic tendencies, a Newspaper Financial Corporation should be constituted. 

It was accepted in principle and on 4th December 1970, a Bill was also presented in the Lok Sabha, but it lapsed. 

Q8- Who was the First chairman of Press Council of India?

Ans- Shri Justice J.R. Mudholkar.

Q9- Who was the chairman of Second Press Commission?

Ans- Justice P. K. Goswami. But he and his colleagues resigned when new government came to power at Centre in 1980. New Chairman was Justice K.K. Mathew.

Q10- What are the recommendations of Second Press Commission?

Ans- 
       The commission saw the role of the press in a developing country as being ' neither that of an adversary nor an ally of the government'.It recommended newspapers should refrain from sensational presentation of news on outbreak of communal disturbance.Press Council should continue, should be given powers to deny accreditation. Inclusion of 'respect for privacy' in the Press Council Act of 1978.Editor take the responsibility of all matter published in newspaper, including the advertisements.Establishment of Newspaper Development Corporation , a body to promote the development of the press.

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