Reforms underway for radio, TRP system and print media: Vaishnaw
Information and broadcasting minister minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also revealed that a fact-checking chatbot is being developed to help users verify the authenticity of videos and online content
The government has drawn up a series of initiatives to protect traditional media from the disruptions caused by rapid digitisation of the sector, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.
Addressing reporters during an informal interaction, Vaishnaw said the government intends to remove the regulatory overhang affecting the radio industry and introduce Television Rating Point reforms to create a more balanced media ecosystem.
“The government is working to remove regulatory barriers wherever they exist,” the minister said.
He added that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is working on measures to improve the television rating system to ensure a fair share of advertising revenue for channels from government campaigns.
“Television Rating Point (TRP) guidelines are being formulated. The first round of consultation is complete, feedback has been received, and a second consultation paper will be published soon,” Vaishnaw said.
The minister also said that the government is considering a revision of advertisement rates for print and television media to better reflect market realities and support the viability of legacy outlets.
In a broader institutional reform effort, Vaishnaw announced that the government is exploring the integration of the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), and the Press Information Bureau (PIB). The aim, he said, is to improve coordination between media outreach and regulatory functions.
“The PIB has intensified its outreach efforts, issuing backgrounders and research-based documents on key topics regularly,” he said, adding that the ministry is looking to enhance transparency and accessibility in its information dissemination mechanisms.
Vaishnaw also revealed that a fact-checking chatbot is being developed to help users verify the authenticity of videos and online content, as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to counter misinformation in the digital space.
The minister said these initiatives are part of a larger strategy to help conventional media adapt to the fast-evolving information environment, ensuring a balance between innovation and sustainability across the country’s media landscape.