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India OKs facsimile newspaper editions from abroad
By agencies
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Friday, 13 May 2005, 19:30 IST
NEW DELHI: The Group of Ministers (GoM) on print media today recommended allowing printing of facsimile editions of foreign newspapers in India and hiking the syndication levels in Indian newspapers.
While the Group has not recommended any increase in the foreign direct investment levels from the present 26 percent, it favored permitting foreign institutional investors to make investments within this ceiling.
The GoM has finalized its recommendations and will be sending it to the cabinet in the next two-three weeks, the group said.
The GoM, which was set up last year for a comprehensive review of the overall print media policy, felt that in the present scenario where there is a proliferation of foreign news channels and high Internet access, the current restriction was ineffective.
However, for reprinting of foreign newspapers, the Group is in favor of putting in place certain safeguards, which includes that neither locally produced content, or local advertising would be permitted.
Also, a local entity would have to be incorporated in India for the venture to comply with Indian law.
These should not have very specific Indian content and advertisement, the GoM said.
The GoM was set up last year after the International Herald Tribune (IHT) started printing and publishing the newspaper from the Deccan Chronicle press in Hyderabad. The Government then felt that this was in violation of the existing guidelines and wanted to plug the loopholes.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry then proposed amendments to the Press and Registration of books Act (PRB), 1867 to empower the Government to deal with the printing and publication of IHT from India.
It felt that the publication of IHT violates the guidelines prescribed for syndication and the 1955 cabinet resolution and hence asked the publisher to stop publishing the newspaper.