Working on law to regulate digital media: Anurag Thakur

New Delhi, November 24

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said the Centre was working on bringing a Bill to regulate digital media.

Commenting on the massive impact of digital mediums, Thakur said these were times of multi-dimensional communication rather than one-way communication.

“Today, even a small piece of news in a village reaches the national platform through digital media,” he said. Noting the government preferred self-regulation for most print, electronic and digital media, Thakur said, “Digital media presents opportunities as well as challenges. To have a fine balance, the government will see what can be done. Changes have to be brought in the law and we are working to introduce a Bill,” Thakur said at an event in Jaipur.

The minister said the government would also simplify the process of registration of newspapers and soon bring a draft law to replace the 1867 Press and Registration of Books Act. “The new law will enable completion of the registration process in a week in the online mode as against four months,” he said.