The Print and Digital Media Association (PADMA), a self-regulatory organisation for news and current affairs publishers across India, has received government approval. The organisation, which has 47 digital news publishers on board, will examine complaints regarding the news content of digital media on their platforms.
“The Print and Digital Media Association has been registered as a self-regulatory entity with the member publishers,” the I&B Ministry stated in a decree issued on December 2.
According to the order, the organisation will be headed by former High Court Judge Mool Chand Garg and have part-time member of Prasar Bharati Ashok Kumar Tandon and journalist Manoj Kumar Mishra as members.
“PDMA shall perform functions laid down in the sub rules (4) and (5) of rule 12 for the purpose of redressing grievances related to the code of ethics under the rules. The body shall also ensure that the member publishers have agreed to adhere to the provisions of the rules, including furnishing the requisite information under rule 18,” it says.
Nine self-regulatory organisations have been approved by the Ministry since May 2021 in accordance with rule 12 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Among them are the NBF- Professional News Broadcasting Standards Authority, Confederation of Online Media (India), and DIGIPUB News India Foundation.
“The organisation will look at issues connected to content on digital media platforms relevant to current affairs that have not been resolved at the level of the platform,”
