TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 (PAGE 14) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU

Katju wants electronic, online

media under PCI ambitPANAJI, June 2:

The Press Council of India (PCI) Chairperson JusticeMarkandey Katju today said that electronic as well as online mediabe brought under the ambit of the body.

“The scope of Press Council of India (PCI) should be expand-ed by including the electronic media into its ambit,” Katju toldreporters after chairing the PCI meeting.

“The Press Council of India Act is dated 1966 when there wasno television. Now there is a huge influence of television in ourlife. We have recommended that electronic media should also bebrought under the ambit of the PCI,” he said.

Katju said that online media be also brought under the purviewof the PCI which now covers only print media.

He also made a pitch for more powers to PCI.“The Parliamentary committee has also recommended that the

PCI should have more powers. Currently, recommendations of theParliamentary committee are under consideration,” Katju said.

He added that with the inclusion of electronic media, the num-ber of members on PCI can also be increased thus giving properrepresentation to the newly-included sector.

“Right now there are 20 members from print...We can include20 more from the electronic media,” Katju said.

Responding to a query, he said that the PCI should be a regula-tory body and not the controlling one.(PTI)