'Hastily issued policies could prove disastrous': DIGIPUB statement on government proposals on digital media

DIGIPUB News India Foundation, a consortium of digital news organisations, released a statement today on the government of India's proposals on digital media in India.

The proposals include bringing digital news publishers under the ambit of the information and broadcasting ministry, and a cap on foreign direct investment for Indian digital news publishers.

The statement said the government's "policy interventions and prescriptions" could "seriously limit" the potential of the digital news industry, put Indian companies at a "serious disadvantage to foreign news brands", and "disincentivise entrepreneurs from incorporating companies in India that could be a part of the India growth story".

"We urge the government of India to undertake a detailed consultation with stakeholders, especially digital-only entities that will bear the strongest impact of these policies," the statement said. "Legacy media companies cannot accurately and completely reflect digital aspirations and concerns."

It asked information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar to "give us a hearing" to "together create a framework that will be nurturing to the digital media economy as well as set high standards of journalism, while addressing other concerns".

DIGIPUB was formed last month to "build a robust digital news ecology". Its founder members include Alt News, Article 14, Boomlive, Cobrapost, HW News, Newsclick, Newslaundry, Scroll, News Minute, Quint, and Wire. Dhanya Rajendran of the News Minute is the association’s first chairperson; Prabir Purkayastha of Newsclick is the vice chairperson; and Ritu Kapur of the Quint and Abhinandan Sekhri of Newslaundry are general secretaries.

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