‘Committed to media ethics’: Digipub sets up independent committee to review content

Digipub News India Foundation, the representative association of publishers of digital news, has announced the formation of an independent content review committee.

Members of the committee include retired Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur, Swarna Rajagopalan, founder and director for the Prajnya Trust, Bezwada Wilson, a founder of the Safai Karamchari Andolan, and Jawhar Sircar, former CEO of Prasar Bharati and former secretary in the ministry of culture.

“DIGIPUB and its members see these mechanisms as part of our commitment to professional media ethics, which includes providing our readers – who may have bona fide objections to particular published content – an opportunity to reach out to us," the association said in a statement. “As is evident, the independent committee we have established consists of individuals with an unimpeachable record and accomplishments in the fields of law, rights, gender and public administration."

The move comes after the introduction of the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021, notified on February 25 by the ministry of electronics and information technology.

The association, however, made clear that this is a voluntary decision and not an acknowledgment or acceptance of the new IT rules.