MEDIA LAW

EVOLUTION OF MEDIA
AND EMERGING TREND
 Media is being considered as the fourth Pillar of
our democratic society after the Executive,
Legislature and Judiciary. It has got enormous
responsibility so far as establishing a relationship
between the government and the governed. In
the last few years we have witnessed enhanced
interface between media and common man. The
people of India are heavily dependant on the
media coverage. Starting from the issue relating
to common man, their feelings, their necessities,
their expectations and every aspect of their life
are closely associated with media. In the
democratic norms and values and also
accelerates the pace of development.
 Media companies are profit-
making businesses. Those who
commission and plan
programmes or decide
newspaper or magazine content,
usually play safe by excluding
anything that might offend or
upset readers or viewers. No
media company would like to lose
revenue and profit by losing
readers, or viewers, because they
were offended by ‘extreme’ views
Importance of Media
 In the beginning of the 20th century in the name of the security of the
state, people were denied the basic information and transparency in the
process of governance was a distant dream.
 During freedom struggle the print media played a major role and it got a
moral booster as most of the freedom fighters were well acquainted with
journalistic knowledge and many of them were said to be journalists.
 After the attainment of Independence the role and responsibility of the
media was enhanced and although it was controlled and owned by the
state, the people got a natural freedom to express their own ideas.
 During emergency period media was strongly regulated and harsh orders
were issued against the media house
 In the post emergency period the media came out stronger
 The social, political, cultural and economic scenario of the country were
reflected in the newspaper which ultimately paved the way for
strengthening the democracy and the Government of the people of India.
 After Emergency the media along with providing information started
educating them.
 Besides print media, the electronic media particularly the television
programme telecast through cable network via satellite link has brought
revolutionary change in the field of news reporting and analysis.
 The Indian media consists of several different types
of communications of mass media: television,
radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-
based Websites/portals. Indian media was active
since the late 18th century. The print media started in
India as early as 1780. Radio broadcasting began in
1927. Indian media is among the oldest in the world.
It dates back even before the reign of Ashoka. Many
of the media are controlled by large, corporations,
which reap revenue from advertising, subscriptions,
and sale of copyrighted material.
 India has over 500 satellite channels (more than 80
are news channels) and 70,000 newspapers, the
biggest newspaper market in the world with over
100 million copies sold each day.
Mass Media
Mass media refers to a
diverse array
of media technologies that
reach a large audience
via mass communication.
The technologies through
which this communication
takes place include a variety
of outlets.
Press
 Press (Media) means news industry of the mass media that focus on
delivering news to the general public through print media (newspapers,
newsmagazines), broadcast news (radio and television) and the Internet
(online newspapers).
a. Newspaper
 A newspaper is a publication containing news and information and
advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. It may
be general or special interest, most often published daily or weekly.
b. Magazine
 A magazine is a periodical publication containing a variety of articles,
generally financed by advertising or purchase by readers. Magazines
are published weekly, typically biweekly, monthly,
bimonthly or quarterly, with a date on the cover that is in advance of
the date it is actually published. They are often printed in color
on coated paper, and are bound with a soft cover.
TELEVISION
 Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is
a
telecommunication medium for transmittin
g moving images and sound. The term can
refer to a television set, or the medium
of television transmission. Television is
a mass medium for advertising,
entertainment, news, and sports.
Television signals were initially distributed
only as terrestrial television using high-
powered radio-frequency television
transmitters to broadcast the signal to
individual television receivers.
RADIO
 Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes
with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to
a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are
broadcast by a land-based radio station, while in satellite radio the
radio waves are broadcast by a satellite in Earth orbit. To receive the
content the listener must have a broadcast radio receiver (radio).
Stations are often affiliated with a radio network which provides
content in a common radio format, either in broadcast
syndication or simulcast or both. Radio stations broadcast with
several different types of modulation: AM radio stations transmit in
AM (amplitude modulation), FM radio stations transmit in FM
(frequency modulation), which are older analog audio standards,
while newer digital radio stations transmit in several digital
audio standards: DAB (digital audio broadcasting), HD radio, DRM
(Digital Radio Mondiale).
FILM
A film – also called a movie, motion
picture, moving picture, picture or photo
play – is a work of visual art that simulates
experiences and otherwise communicates ideas,
stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or
atmosphere through the use of moving images.
These images are generally accompanied by
sound and, more rarely, other sensory
stimulations. The word "cinema", short
for cinematography, is often used to refer
to filmmaking and the film industry, and to
the art form that is the result of it.
NEW MEDIA
 The Internet (or internet) is the global system of
interconnected computer networks that uses
the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate
between networks and devices. It is a network of
networks that consists of private, public, academic,
business, and government networks of local to
global scope, linked by a broad array of electronic,
wireless, and optical networking technologies. The
Internet carries a vast range of information
resources and services, such as the inter-
linked hypertext documents and applications of
the World Wide Web (WWW), electronic
mail, telephony, and file sharing.
 Parameters of Visual Media Non-Visual Media
Comparison

1. Definition Visual Media is the type of Non-Visual Media is defined as

media in which visuals are sharing information and ideas
used to communicate or without the use of eyes.
transfer information.
2. Usage Visual Media can be the best Non-Visual Media is mostly
choice to communicate with suited for one-to-one
a larger and versatile group communication.
who speak different
languages.

3. Involvement of All types of visual Media can All verbal communication.

sight also be called non-verbal
communication.
4. Example Television, Cartoon, Radio, Braille displays
Newspaper, videos,
animation
5. Level of It is easier to understand to It is not straightforward and
difficulty any group of audience. requires more attention and
Hence it can be widely used knowledge to perceive.
irrespective of the concepts.
Individual Ownership
 In this kind of ownership, the
individual has control, which
allows him to take decision of the
company
 Therefore, he takes responsibility
for all the Policy – making decision
and is also accountable for them
 Itis best situated for small scale
media houses, be it newspaper or
news channel
 Advantages
- In this kind of ownership, power comes in
the form of individuals and absolute control,
which gives the person more secrecy in
options
- The individual can make decisions at his
own pace and is naturally more connected
with the content and the newspaper.
 Disadvantages
- The secrecy stops the employees from any
kind of democratic participation
- The owner becomes liable for the debts and
losses and the rate of success depends
entirely on his ability
- There is less scope for expansion and
unlimited responsibility
Partnership Ownership
1. Partnership is defined as ‘ the relationship
between persons who have agreed to share profits
of a business carried on by all or any of them
acting for all. The minimum limit is 2 partners while
the maximum is set to 20 partners. In India, Red
Chilies Entertainment is an example of
Partnership. It is a motion picture production and
distribution company, it is headed by Shah Rukh
Khan and Gauri Khan and operates under various
divisions like Film Production, VFX, Television
shows, TVC production and the IPL Team, KKR.
1. Advantages & Disadvantages

 In this kind of partnership, responsibility, maintenance and

operation cost can be divided.

 People with different talents come together and pitch in their ideas
and solutions which helps in the growth of the company and also
sets a democratic environment for all.

 In a partnership, selfish motives of a partner might harm the firm.

 Lack of unity and misunderstandings might lead to losses after

which each partner will have to incur and pay back his share of
debt.

 Also, there are chances of a partnership/ business getting

discontinued after the death of any partner.
Corporation Ownership
 It is the one of the most common
forms of ownership pattern. The
minimum numbers that can be a part
of it are 5. It is an association of
individuals under the authority of the
law, which has a continuous existence
independent of the existence of its
members and powers and liabilities
distinct of its members. The BBC
group is an example of a corporation.
1. Advantages & Disadvantages

 They are spread across web portals, television

and radio.

 Increasing capital can easily expand

operations and transfer of control is flexible.

 However cooperation taxes are imposed.

Decision making sometimes become very time
consuming.
 Group /Chain Ownership
 Thisform of ownership is when two or
ore same mediums are handled by
the same organization. They are
formed without a common holding but
with a chain of command. Hindustan
has 13 editions that are printed in
Hindu, under HT Media. Aaj Tak and
Headlines Today are two different
channels but are held under the same
organization i.e. India Today group.
 Advantages & Disadvantages
- The advantages of this kind of partnership
are that financial, administrative and human
resources can be centrally managed.
- Because of this cost of production becomes
low due to best possible utilization of
resources – this adds to better training,
work environment and more facilities being
provided.

- However, permanence of management is

always in question because management is
divided.
 Employee Ownership
 In this form of Partnership, employees own a major
part of the share. They are also responsible for the
decision- making. E.g.: Community Media like the
Bangalore based advocacy group VOICES
organized a gathering of community radio
stakeholders. During the inception 1996, a group of
radio broadcasters, policy planners, media
professionals, and non-profit groups joined hands to
study how community radio could be relevant to
India and what policies were needed. They wanted
All India Radio to allocate an hour of airtime each
day to community broadcasting.
 Advantages & Disadvantages
- In this, Employee issues can be solved
faster and it becomes easier to break
interdepartmental barriers.
- Also, the sense of ownership that the
employees own helps the organization to
grow faster.

- However, it gets difficult to induct new

people and employees tend to get more
preference than the benefit of the
organization.
- It also becomes difficult to take quick
decisions.
NEWSPAPER OWNERSHIP IN INDIA
 The Indian media market differs from those of
developed countries in several ways. The reason
being, India is a developing country and unlike the
developed countries, all segments of the media
industry (including print and radio) have a lot to grow.
The media market in India remains highly
fragmented, due to the large number of languages
and the size of the country. Over 82,000 publications
registered with the Registrar of Newspapers as on 31
March 2011.There are various types of media
ownership. There are many media organization in the
country that are owned and controlled by a wide
variety of entities including corporate bodies,
societies and trusts and individuals. There are many
media organisations in the country that are owned
and controlled by a wide variety of entities including
corporate bodies, societies and trusts, and
individuals. Information about such organisations and
people is scattered, incomplete, and dated
Ownership Pattern of Press:
Public and Private
 Private Ownership
- It can be owned by
a. Individual (Businessman/ Industrialist)
b. Partnership
c. Associate/ Trust
d. Joint Stock Company
- In India around 70% of newspaper are
owned by Private individuals
Public Ownership/
Governmental Organisation
- They are:-

a. Press Information Bureau

(PIB)
b. Publication Division
c. Research and Reference
Division
d. Photo Division
e. Press Council of India
Ownership Pattern of Films:
Public and Private

 Private Ownership
- As soon as film is completed in its shoot,
the producer contacts distributors of one
territory or more distributors of different
areas so as to sell its film in the cinema
hall. All rights of a film are sold to
distributors.
- The distributors then negotiates with the
exhibitors who own chain of threatens.
- Private ownership of films gets
transferred to distributors.
Governmental Organisation
- Film Division
- Central Board of Film
Certification (CBFC)
- National Film Archive of India
- National Film Development
Corporation (NFDC)
Radio
 Governmental Organisation
- Indian Broadcasting Service, it
was later renamed as “All India
Radio” in 1936 and came to be
known as “Akashvani” in 1957.
- News Service Division
- External Service Division
- Commercial Broadcasting Service
Private Ownership Radio
- There are wide number of
FM channels owned by
various companies/
organisation / businessman.
Mostly the license is granted
to them by government on
periodic basis.
- Radio Mirchi