Scribd
Upload
598 views5 pages

First Press Commission-23 Sep, 1952

There were two Press Commissions established in India - in 1952 and 1978. The First Press Commission submitted its report in 1954 and made important recommendations, including establishing the Press Council of India to regulate the press, appointing a Registrar of Newspapers, and creating the Working Journalists Act. The Second Press Commission submitted its report in 1982 and recommended that the press works as a responsible critic of the government while also having some social responsibilities and accountability to the public in India.

Uploaded by

saurabh yadav
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
598 views5 pages

First Press Commission-23 Sep, 1952

There were two Press Commissions established in India - in 1952 and 1978. The First Press Commission submitted its report in 1954 and made important recommendations, including establishing the Press Council of India to regulate the press, appointing a Registrar of Newspapers, and creating the Working Journalists Act. The Second Press Commission submitted its report in 1982 and recommended that the press works as a responsible critic of the government while also having some social responsibilities and accountability to the public in India.

Uploaded by

saurabh yadav
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Press Commission

There were two Press Commissions:

• First Press Commission- September, 1952

• Second Press Commission May, 1978

First Press Commission-23 Sep,1952


The first Press Commission was appointed in 23 September 1952, under the chairmanship of
Justice G.S. Rajadhyaksha. The other 10 members included . Some prominent names were:

Dr C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar,

Dr. Zakir Hussain,

Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao,

P.H. Patwardhan,

J. Natarajan

and Chalapathi Rau.

The Commission which submitted its report in 1954, made several important recommendations
which helped in constituting a number of institutions and organizing the profession of journalism
in a systematic manner. It was the first enquiry of its kind which delved into the working of the
press and its report has been a kind of Bible for the Press hitherto.

Recommendations and observations of the First Press Commission are as follows:

• To safeguard the freedom of the press and help the press to maintain its independence.

• To censure objectionable types of journalistic conduct and by all other possible means
to build up a code in accordance with the highest professional standards.

• To keep under review any development likely to restrict the supply and dissemination
of news of public interest and importance.

• To encourage the growth of a sense of responsibility and public service among those
engaged in the profession of journalism.

• To study the developments in the press which may tend towards concentration
or monopoly and if necessary, to suggest remedies.

• To publish reports at least once an year, recording its work and reviewing the
performance of the press, its developments and factors affecting them

• To improve methods of recruitment, education and training for the profession by the
creation of suitable agencies for the purpose such as Press Institutes.
 

• The news agencies should not merely keep themselves from bias and follow strictly
the principles of integrity, objectivity and comprehensiveness in its coverage of news, but
it should also appear to the public that the news agencies are maintaining such a course.

• The Commission found that the emoluments received by the journalists were on the
whole unsatisfactory and recommended the appointment of a Wage Board for the
working journalists. 

• The Commission recommended the appointment of Registrar of Newspapers for


India(RNI). As a result of this recommendation the office of RNI verifies and regulates
the availability of newspapers, registers them, containing detailed information on
newspaper. The office also issues entitlement certificates to the newspapers/periodicals
for the import of news print and printing machinery and allied materials required by
newspapers.

Achievements of the First Press Commission 

1. Press Council of India was established in the year 1966 for regulating the press.

2. Appointment of Registrar for Newspaper of India on July 1956 to prepare an account of


the publications and titles.

3. The price-page was scheduled in 1956 but was shot down in court.

4. Press Consultative Committee was constituted in 1962.

5. Working Journalists Act came into existence in 1955, the working journalists and other
newspaper employees (conditions of services) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act were set
up.

6. Fact Finding Committee was set up on the financial position of the newspapers and news
agencies which submitted its report on 14th January 1975.

7. Newspaper Financial Corporation was accepted in principle and on 4th December 1970, a
Bill was also presented in the Lok Sabha, which lapsed.

Second Press Commission


• It was established on may 1978 under the chairmanship of the justice P.C Goswami he
resigned on January 1980.

• The commission was reconstituted in April 1980 with justice K.K Mathew as its
chairman.
• The second press commission submitted its report in 1982.

Recommendation of Second Press Commission

• The commission submitted its report in 1982. It wanted free press works as a responsible and
constructive critic of the government..

• The commission felt that the editors’ authority should extend not only to the contents of the
advertisements but also to the proportion of space devoted to them.

• The commission said that for development to take place, internal stability was as important as
safeguarding national security

• The commission said that the press has a social responsibility and accountability to the public
and it cannot enjoy absolute freedom at least in developing country like India.
• An attempt should be made to establish a cordial relation between the government and the
press.

• For the development of small and medium newspaper there should be establishment of
Newspaper Development Commission.

• Newspaper industries should be separated from industries and commercial interests.

• There should be appointment of Board of Trustees between editors and proprietors of the
newspaper

• Price-page schedule should be introduced.

• There should be a fixed proportion of news and advertisements in small, medium and big
newspaper

• Newspaper industries should be relieved from the impact of foreign capital.

• No predictions should be published in newspapers and magazines.

• The misuse of the image of the advertisement should be discontinued.

• The government should prepare a stable advertisement Policy

You might also like