New Delhi: The National Alliance of Journalists (NAJ), Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), Andhra Pradesh Working Journalists Federation (APWJF) and other press bodies have appealed to the members of parliament to “take immediate steps to save journalism in view of increasing threats to press freedom and the rights of journalists”.
In an open letter to MPs, the press bodies say, “We all know that media and journalism have a constructive role in every democracy. Unfortunately, for the last 10 years, we have seen an increase in the attacks against freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Despite a decisive verdict by the people to re-establish our democratic traditions, the attack on media is continuing unabated.”
The open letter, containing a 13-point charter, outlines several critical issues concerning press freedom and the working conditions of journalists in India.
Firstly, the charter calls for the reinstatement of full media access to parliament, urging the government to lift the restrictions on journalists’ movement that were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic but continue to this day.
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The charter raises concerns about the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, which it describes as “draconian.” The bill threatens the freedom of smaller content creators and online platforms by giving the government heavy control over media content through a bureaucratically dominated Broadcasting Advisory Council and a government-prescribed Programme Code. The unions demand public, expert, and parliamentary scrutiny of this bill.
The issue of language discrimination in parliamentary proceedings is also highlighted, with the charter criticising the Lok Sabha Secretariat for providing simultaneous interpretation in only 10 out of the 22 languages recognised in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, thereby marginalising speakers of other languages.
The charter strongly opposes the amendments to the IT Rules, 2021, which allow government ministries to censor news, particularly targeting small independent digital media under the vague clause of “anything against the security of the State.” They demand the review and repeal of all laws relating to Sedition, Defamation and prolonged detention laws such as UAPA which have been misused against journalists.
Additionally, the unions call for a law to protect journalists from arbitrary arrests and malicious prosecution, a growing concern in recent times. The charter also calls for guidelines to prevent the abuse of several internet shutdowns, one of the highest in the world, a review of laws misused against journalists, and legal protections for freelance journalists.
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To address the challenges facing the media industry, the unions propose the creation of a common Media Council for print, electronic, and digital media, alongside a Media Commission to study the industry’s issues in the context of globalization and the deteriorating conditions of media workers.
On the economic front, the charter demands the formation of a new Wage Board, interim relief, and fast-track courts for wage-related cases, given that the last Wage Board was constituted 13 years ago. Other demands include the repeal of the four Labour Codes, restoration of earlier pro-labor laws, improved insurance and pension schemes for journalists, and a relief package for the financially struggling United News of India (UNI).
