Government likely to revise print media ad rates by 26%: Reports

Multiple news reports have indicated that the central government is preparing to announce a 26% increase in advertisement rates for print media once the Model Code of Conduct for the Bihar Assembly elections is lifted next month.

According to reports, the proposed increase is aimed at providing relief to newspapers that have been facing mounting costs and declining advertising revenues. Industry stakeholders have for some time urged the government to revise the rate structure, citing steep rises in input costs such as newsprint.

In reports, people familiar with the matter said the move is part of a wider effort to strengthen traditional media and prevent job losses at a time when advertising budgets are shifting towards digital platforms.

The 2019 revision, implemented after a gap of six years, had been based on recommendations from the 8th Rate Structure Committee, which considered newsprint prices and processing costs. That structure was originally valid for three years, but the subsequent review has been delayed despite several rounds of consultation since 2021. While the current proposal focuses on print media, television advertisement rates are also expected to be reviewed at a later stage.

In addition, reports suggest the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) is working on reforms to the television audience measurement framework, with new guidelines for rating agencies currently under consultation. A second discussion paper is expected to be released in due course.

Meanwhile, officials are said to be pursuing a structural integration of the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), the Press Information Bureau (PIB), and the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) to improve coordination and media outreach.

Separately, I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently announced that 100 part-time PhD seats will be introduced at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication for journalists interested in pursuing advanced research.