Itanagar, Apr 10: The Arunachal Publishers & Broadcasters Guild (APBG) on Thursday submitted a detailed memorandum to Information & Public Relations (IPR) minister Nyato Dukam, urging him for immediate action on longstanding issues impacting the state’s media sector.
The Guild reminded the minister that a similar representation was made on November 16, 2017, requesting a revision of advertisement rates based on the cost-of-living index. However, only a minimal portion of that proposal was approved, and the revised rates were implemented arbitrarily, APBG pointed out.
Raising concerns over rising operational costs, the Guild said that the increased price of raw materials and wage obligations following the implementation of the Majitha Wage Board recommendations had placed significant financial strain on media houses.
Many publishers are reportedly struggling to comply with court-mandated wage structures. With limited private advertising avenues in the state, APBG emphasised the media's reliance on government advertisements and expressed hope that the government, under Dukam’s leadership, would not allow any media house to shut down due to financial challenges.
The memorandum also proposed a structured and periodic revision of advertisement rates every two years, regardless of political leadership. It highlighted instances where certain departments were issuing advertisements at heavily discounted rates, bypassing norms set by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).
APBG called for strict enforcement of DIPR-prescribed rates and urged the directorate to reject advertisements that do not adhere to its standards.
While acknowledging the government’s efforts to introduce an advertising policy for digital media, APBG pressed for a formal gazette notification to recognize digital and electronic media platforms officially.
The Guild urged the government to route all publicity related to state and central schemes through local digital outlets. It expressed concern over media agencies from outside the state receiving substantial ad contracts, while local digital platforms are sidelined.
To address this, APBG requested an annual fund allocation under the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) component to support local digital and electronic media.
The Guild welcomed the government's adoption of a digital billing system and recommended adding a feature to display real-time bill status to promote transparency and simplify GST compliance.
Additionally, it suggested the creation of separate budgetary heads for state-based and national media, arguing that payments to large national media houses with limited departmental funds adversely affect regional publications.
Guild president Chopa Cheda criticised the IPR department’s continued inaction despite repeated appeals and called for a formal response within ten days. He hinted that the Guild may explore alternative measures if their demands remain unaddressed.
Earlier, the APBG also submitted a separate memorandum to Tourism minister P D Sona, requesting that local print and digital media be included in the department’s advertising and promotional campaigns.
