First Press Commission

after Independence

UNIT-1
• Mahatma Gandhi, who was an eminent journalist
in his own right, thus :
• " The sole aim of journalist should be service.
The newspaper press is a great power, but just
as unchained torrent of water submerges the
whole country side and devastates crops, even
so an uncontrolled pen serves but to destroy. If
the control is from without, it proves more
poisonous than want of control. It can be
profitable only when exercised from within."
 The First Press Commission
• It was appointed in September 1952 under
the chairmanship of
• Justice G S Rajadhyaksha.
• It was asked to look into the matter which
influence the establishment and maintenance of
high standards of journalism in India.
• It was appointed because after independence
the role of the press was changing, it was fast
turning from mission to business.
• It found that there was a great deal of unwanted
vulgar & obscene writing directed against
communities and groups.
• It also observed yellow journalism was on the
increase.
 th
May 16 1952
• Dr.Rajendra Prasad the then president of
India directed the parliament to appoint a
commission for the press.
• Justice G.S.Radhayaksha was appointed
as the chairman.
• The other 10 member included :-
Dr C P Ramaswami ,
Dr Zakir Hussain,
Dr V K R V Rao,
P H Patwardan,
J Natarajan and
Chalapathi Rau.
Jaspal Singh
M.S.Gopalan (Secretary)
• The commission started its work on Oct
11,1952 and submitted reports on July
1954.
• Some of the recommendations and
observations of the First Press
Commission are as follows:-
 Press Commission-PC
• The PC examined:

the control
Management
Ownership
Financial structure of the news papers.
• The working monopolis and chains and their
effort on presentation of news & fair views.

• The effect of distribution of advertisements and

influence on the development of healthy
journalism.

• The method of recruitment ,training, scales of

remuneration, benefits and other conditions of
employment of working journalists, settlement of
disputes, maintenance of high professional
standards.
 • The adequacy of newsprint supplies and its
distribution among all classes of newspapers
and promoting manufacture of news print and
composing machinery.
• Development of machinery for :-
1. Ensuring high standards of journalism.
2. Relationship between the govt and the press.
3. Functioning of press advisory committees and of
editors and working journalist etc,
4. Ensuring freedom of press and amendments of
law.s
 st
Recommendations of 1
Press Commission
• Appointment of press registrar both at the
centre and the state.
• Collection of statistics at the newspaper
industry
• Fixing by the govt.time to time-Price-Page
schedule.
• Definitions and punishment of the
practices which are unfair.
• Making the issue and publication of fraud
advertisements punishable.
• Making the issue and publication of fraud
advertisements punishable.
• Prescribing the method of assessment &
distribution of profits from the industry.
• Laying down manner in which accounts
are to be made.
 Press Council Act 1978

•
An Act to establish a Press Council for
the purpose of preserving the freedom
of the Press and of maintaining and
improving the standards of newspapers
and news agencies in India.
• Ayodhya Report 1993
• In the wake of the demolition of the disputed shrine at Ayodhya on
6.12.1992 came the reports of numerous attack on journalists/press
media photographers/cameramen who were covering the
happenings at Ayodhya on 6.12.1992 and thereabout. As the matter
was of great urgency and concern, a Special Inquiry Committee
headed by the Chairman of the Council was set up to inquire into the
matter. Prior to this the Chairman had already issued an appeal
urging restraint and moderation on the part of the press while
reporting events and presenting comments bearing on communal
relations. Simultaneously, he expressed concern on the incidents of
assaults on journalists when, they in discharge of their professional
duties, were trying to cover the events. He also appealed to the
authorities to ensure that the press is allowed to function freely and
fearlessly to disseminate information on matters of public
importance.
• The Special Committee set up vide order dated 14.12.1992
collected oral and written evidence at its sittings at Ayodhya,
Faizabad, Lucknow and Delhi and submitted its report to the full
Council on 7.1.1993. The report as adopted by Council was
released on 8.1.1993. (Annexure - D3)
• Punjab Report 1991
• An inquiry was held into the pressures and problems
confronting the Press and its personnel during acts of
terrorism in Punjab. Adopting the report of the Special
Committee, captioned ‘Overcoming Fear’ the Council
extended its full support to the Punjab Press in its efforts
to inform the people truthfully and impartially of the
events and circumstances in the State and in resisting
any code or norm sought to be imposed on it through
force or intimidation by any extraneous authority or
organisation. (Annexure D-4)
 Report on AIDS and the Media 1993

• The report on ‘AIDS AND THE MEDIA’

laid down certain do’s and don’ts for the
media advising them that from sporadic
news AIDS must become campaign target.
At the same time, the Press should bear in
mind that the ‘public interest’ which may
justify publication of a matter within the
preserve of personal privacy, must be a
‘legitimate interest’ and not prurient or
morbid curiosity.
 Portrayal of Women in Media
(1996)
• The Central Government in February 1995
forwarded to the Press Council for its
views, the recommendations of
Maharashtra Government on the possible
role of audo-visual and print media in the
advancement of the cause of women.
• (a) stories of atrocities on women should be
published but without sensationalizing them;
• (b) efforts of the media should be directed
towards highlighting the positive achievements
of women;
• (c) the downward slide in the moral ethos has to
be checked by combating obscenity and
vulgarity;
• (d) the Press Council of India on its part should
accord priority to consideration of complaints
brought before it on charges of denigrating
women and build up further guidelines etc.
A Press Council objectives
should be----
1. to safeguard the freedom of the press and help
the press to maintain its independence.
2. to censure objectionable types of journalistic
conduct and by all other possible means to build
up a code in accordance with the highest
professional standards.
3. to keep under review any development likely to
restrict the supply and dissemination of news of
public interest and importance.
4. to encourage the growth of a sense of
responsibility and of public service among those
engaged in the profession of journalism.
• to study the developments in the press which
may tend towards concentration or monopoly,
and if necessary, to suggest remedies.
• to publish reports, at least once a year, recording
its work and reviewing the performance of the
press, its development and factors affecting
them and
• to improve methods of recruitment, education
and training for the profession by the creation of
suitable agencies for the purpose such as a
Press Institute.
 2. Decline in Editor's status
• In the past it was quite usual for the majority of
the readers to be both aware and conscious of
the role played by the editor in the formulation of
the views set out in the paper, and it was quite
usual to refer to the paper not merely by its
name but by the name of the editor.

• There has been a general decline in the status

and independence of the editor and this decline
is particularly noticeable in the case of daily
newspapers.
 2. Decline in Editor's status
• The position has changed today and we
feel that the bulk of the newspaper readers
today may be unaware of who is the editor
of their newspaper and indifferent to the
name that appears on small print on the
last page.
 3. The news agencies
• should not merely keep themselves from
bias and follow strictly the principles of
integrity, objectivity and
comprehensiveness in its coverage of
news, but it should also appear to the
newspapers and to the public, that the
news agencies are maintaining such as
course.
 5. Emoluments received
• The Commission found that the
emoluments received by the journalists
were on the whole unsatisfactory and
recommended the appointment of a Wage
Board for working journalists.
• The Commission recommended the appointment of
Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI).

• As a result of this recommendation the office of RNI

verifies and regulates the availability of newspapers,
registers them, containing detailed information on
newspaper.

• The office also issues entitlement certificates to the

newspapers/ periodicals for the import of news print and
printing machinery and allied materials required by
newspapers.