The Central Government is set to approve a 26% increase in Government advertisement rates for print media, the first revision in over six years, with an aim to providing long-awaited relief to the newspaper industry. The announcement, expected after the Bihar Assembly elections, comes as part of the Government’s broader media reform plan. With the Model Code of Conduct currently in force, the formal notification has been deferred until mid-November.
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Long Pending Revision Finally Cleared
According to officials in the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, this marks the first major revision since January 2019, when ad rates were raised by 25% based on the 8th Rate Structure Committee’s recommendations. That revision, then implemented through the Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC), considered the sharp rise in newsprint and processing costs and remained valid for three years. A fresh Rate Structure Committee was set up in November 2021, but the revision faced repeated delays due to administrative and procedural consultations.
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Relief for Small and Regional Publications
Industry experts said that the rate increase would particularly benefit small and medium sized newspapers that rely heavily on Government advertisements to sustain operations. These publications, already struggling with the dual pressure of declining circulation and shifting ad revenue to digital platforms, have been seeking revision since 2022. “This hike will provide crucial relief to print establishments that have seen steady erosion in their revenue base,” an official aware of the development said.
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Part of Wider Media Reform push
Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently indicated that the Government is working on multiple media reforms beyond print advertisement rates. New guidelines for television rating agencies are under preparation, with one round of public consultation already completed. Proposed changes to the 2014 rules aim to bring in more players alongside the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to ensure greater transparency and competition in the TRP ecosystem.
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Reforms in Radio, DTH, and Media Integration
The ministry is also reviewing regulatory restrictions in the radio sector and exploring cost optimisation in Direct-to-Home (DTH) services. Plans are underway to integrate the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), and Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) to streamline operations. Other upcoming initiatives include a chatbot based fact-checking tool and 100 new PhD seats at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) to promote advanced research in journalism and communication policy.
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