PCI’s directive on ‘foreign contents’ and its chilling effect on media freedom

On the face of it, the Press Council of India’s (PCI) directive to news-publications, saying that they will be held responsible for verification of reproducing any foreign content, or any extract of this, seems fair-minded. But, the broad sweep means it can stifle criticism of the powers that be—indeed, the PCI letter to publication talks of references received by the government from various but unnamed quarters on the responsibility of Indian newspapers publishing ‘foreign contents’. The fact that ‘foreign contents’ is not defined—whether it pertains news or includes opinion pieces, whether reportage/opinion/analysis by a foreign national residing in India will be considered foreign content, whether an extract from an article in a foreign publication to discuss the article itself will be treated as foreign content, etc—makes the directive a blunt instrument to clobber the media, especially when the content is critical of India’s policies or shows the government/the ruling party in poor light. What’s more, its draconian impact will not just be felt at the publication level, but also will extend to the editor and the reporter.

The chilling effect this is likely to have on a free media doesn’t bode well for a healthy democracy. Instances of clamping down on media persons for even pointing out governance failures, let alone criticising policies or leaders, in the recent past have set a precedent for the use of the state machinery to limit media freedom—while pleading the upholding of media accountability. The PCI, a quasi-judicial, statutory body, needs to remember that preserving media freedom is a regulatory function as much as policing the media is; if it gives in to the desire of the powers that be to muzzle the press, it would be doing a great disservice to its own role.