Pressure On The Press

The Press Information Bureau's new guidelines on accreditation has stirred a hornet's nest. Media organisations have been quick to brand them as another measure to restrict press freedom

- Abhilash Kumar Singh

THE Press Information Bureau is the government arm that deals with accreditation for journal greater access to ministries and the Parliament than those without the accreditation card. Now, a set of new guidelines has shades of authoritarianism.

According to the Central Media Accreditation Guidelines - 2022, announced on February 7, journalists acting in a manner prejudicial to the country's “security, sovereignty and integrity, as well as public order, decency or morality will lose their government accreditation. Under the new rules, accreditation can also be withdrawn if a journalist is charged with a serious cognisable offence”. Additionally, journalists are barred from mentioning that they are “accredited to the government of India” on social media or public profiles.

Accreditation can also be suspended if a journalist or the media organization they represent is found to have furnished false or forged information or documents. In such an event, the journalist or the media organization shall be debarred from accreditation for up to a maximum of five years but not less than two years, as may be decided by the Central Media Accreditation Committee (CMAC), the guidelines said. According to the new guidelines, accreditation will not be granted to freelance journalists working for foreign news media organisations.