The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has written a letter to Anurag Singh Thakur, Minister, Information and Broadcasting.
This follows an interaction between the INS and Thakur on 12 October 2021 which discussed five issues.
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Withdrawal of 5% residual for customs duty on newsprint
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Extension of validity of Circulation Verification Certificates
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Need of stimulus package – increase in BOC (DAVP) rates and budget
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Outstanding dues from the Bureau of Outreach and Communications
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Exemption from IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021
The letter to Thakur states that many members of the INS have seen rates revised downwards by BOC (Bureau of Outreach and Communication). The INS has urged the Government to maintain the ad rates that can help newspaper publishers function given the magnitude of the financial stress of the Covid pandemic.
It adds that Government advertising is a crucial lifeline to the print media industry, especially when digital media is facing the issue of fake news.