A newspaper is a printed medium for disseminating up-to-date information. The newspaper is now a cherished part of Indian society. Its primary purpose is to disperse information while acting as a persuasive tool. It also serves as society’s watchdog. Its primary duty is to serve as the watchdog of the nation and its natural resources; aside from this crucial role, it also functions as an effective tool for education and entertainment. Overall, it is said that the fact that the printing implies that current information is being transmitted.
First Newspaper
The Bengal Gazette, also known as the Calcutta General Advertiser or simply the “Hicky’s Gazette,” was the first news publication in India on January 29, 1780, under the British Raj. Government censorship and strict control were prevalent during the time. The print media were subject to strict government surveillance in the United Kingdom.
History
Numerous additional newspapers, including The India Gazette (1780), The Calcutta Gazette (1784), The Madras Courier (1785), and The Bombay Herald (1789), began to appear in India.
The government imposed strict surveillance on the print media at the time due to the control of the British Raj, which resulted in the closure of many newspapers, including Hicky’s Bengal Gazette.
Pre-Independence
Every book or newspaper was required to bear the name of the printer, publisher, and place of publication after the government passed the Registration Act in 1867. As a result of the Vernacular Press Act of 1876, the Indian and British press were now sharing information. It was an effort to stop the local press from criticizing British policies.
More Acts
Between 1908 and 1912, four new laws were passed: the Newspapers (Incitement to Offenses) Act, the Criminal Law Amendment Act, the Press Act, and the Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act.
Particularly hard-hit were Indian papers by the Press Act of 1910. The local government was given the authority to charge a security fee for any “offensive content” that was directed at it. Under the Act, nearly 1,000 papers were prosecuted.
The Press (Emergency Powers) Act of 1931 came after Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 got jailed.Additional limitations came when the Second World War began in September 1939.he All-India Newspapers Editors’ Conference was amid these censorship efforts. It fought alongside the British government to remove the limitations and promoted improved ties.
Post-Independence
In 1947, the Press Enquiry Committee was established with the mission of analyzing press regulations in the context of fundamental rights.
A modification to Article 19 (2) and the Press (Objectionable Matters) Act was passed in 1951, giving the government the authority to demand and forfeit security for the publication of “objectionable matter.” Until 1956, it was in effect.
In 1954, under Justice Rajadhyaksha’s leadership, a Press Commission was established. The All India Press Council’s creation was one of the committee’s main recommendations.
