The central government is set to announce a 26% increase in advertisement rates for print media, the first major revision since 2019, people aware of the matter in the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry.
The announcement is expected after the Bihar elections, with the Model Code of Conduct currently in force preventing policy announcements. The official attributed the plan to help the industry navigate volatility in ad revenue between print and digital media.
According to a second official, who asked not to be named, the last revision took place in January 2019, when the ministry announced a 25% hike over the rate structure set by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, then known as DAVP.
That revision, implemented following recommendations of the 8th Rate Structure Committee, took into account rising newsprint costs and processing charges. The 2019 rates were valid for three years.
A Rate Structure Committee was set up in November 2021 to review the rates after the previous revision’s validity period ended. However, the revision has been pending for three years despite multiple rounds of consultations and recommendations submitted to the government, the first person cited above said.
Prior to 2019, rates were revised in 2013 with a 19% increase over 2010 levels.
One of the people said the new rate hike aims to provide relief to newspapers, particularly small and medium publications, which have been waiting for a revision since 2022.
Representatives of the Indian Newspaper Society did not respond to requests for a comment.
At a press briefing on Saturday, Union I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said new television rating point (TRP) agency guidelines are being formulated, with one round of public consultation already completed.
“More rounds of consultation may follow. We are following a fully consultative approach,” Vaishnaw said.
In July, the ministry proposed changes to the 2014 rules for television rating agencies to allow more players in the market beyond the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). The draft suggests easing ownership rules to encourage greater participation and build trust in the system.
The ministry also announced plans to integrate the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), and Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) to improve coordination across communication, outreach, and regulatory functions.
Other initiatives include developing a chatbot for fact-checking to verify the authenticity of online content, and introducing 100 PhD seats at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) for advanced research in journalism.
