Accreditation rules for Web Journalists becomes easier

“In several cases of sexual and other cognisable offences no action could be taken earlier,” the official said, explaining the new provisions. Also, for the first time Accreditation Rules specifically state ‘working journalist’ while till now they were referred to as ‘representatives’, the official said.

This is about a year after it came up with new rules to regulate the online media and OTT platforms and about a year-and-a-half after the government agreed on including digital and electronic media journalists under the definition of ‘Working Journalist’.

The new policy has been in the works for the last many months. Both the provisions did not feature in the last media accreditation policy of the government, which was brought in 2013, and were introduced for the first time under the new accreditation policy drafted by the Information and Broadcasting ministry.

The old policy just stated that the media accreditation cards would be withdrawn once the conditions on which it was issued would cease to exist and could be withdrawn or suspended in the instance of a misuse.

The new policy also lists out other instances in which a journalist’s accreditation can be suspended. This includes person charged with a “serious cognisable offence”, one who uses the accreditation cards for non-journalistic activities, leaves the organisation on whose behalf the person was accredited or the organisation ceases to exist.

It also categorically points out that the accredited media person will not use the words “Accredited to the Government of India” on public or social media profile, visiting cards, letterheads or any other published work.

A PIB accreditation card provides access to journalists inside government buildings within Delhi-NCR and important government events. Press accreditation cards are issued by the respective state governments to journalists in other states.

Around 3,000 press accreditation cards are issued every year by the PIB. Railway fare concessions and a Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) card are other benefits that come with a PIB accreditation card.

For accreditation of journalists in digital media, the applicants will have to report the website’s average monthly unique visitor count of the last six months certified by its CAG-approved/empanelled auditors. One digital media journalist will be eligible for accreditation from news websites with 10 to 50 lakh unique visitors. Four journalists can get accredited from news websites with over a crore unique visitors a month.

The new policy has set up fixed quotas for journalists working in newspapers, magazines and TV news channels. Foreign news media working journalists will be issued PIB cards till the validity of their J visa.