Latest news with #L.Murugan
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Over 1.6 lakh self-declaration certificates filed for food and health ads: I&B
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel More than 1.62 lakh self-declaration certificates (SDCs) have been filed by advertisers on the Broadcast Seva and Press Council of India portals since June 2024, as part of a Supreme Court-mandated initiative to curb misleading advertisements in the food and health sectors According to data shared in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan , 1,45,288 SDCs were submitted through the Press Council of India portal, and another 16,869 via the Broadcast Seva portal . This brings the total number of filings to 1,62,157 as of July 25, SDC requirement stems from a Supreme Court order dated May 7, 2024, in WP(C) No. 645 of 2022 – Indian Medical Association & Anr. vs. Union of India & Ors., which directed advertisers to certify that their content, particularly in health-related sectors, is not misleading and complies with applicable response, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting enabled SDC uploads through dedicated features on both facilitate implementation, the ministry issued an advisory on July 3, 2024, making SDCs mandatory only for advertisements related to food and health products and services. This revised the earlier notification issued on June 3, which had mandated SDCs for all categories of advertisements.'In light of the directions of the Supreme Court of India, and in supersession of previous advisories dated June 3 and June 5, advertisers and advertising agencies issuing advertisements for products and services related to the food and health sectors are advised to upload an annual self-declaration certificate and make available the proof of uploading to the concerned media stakeholders,' the ministry said in its updated advisory last government clarified that while SDCs are required only for food and health categories, advertisers remain fully responsible for ensuring that every advertisement complies with all applicable laws, rules, and Murugan also reiterated that all advertisements aired on private satellite TV channels must adhere to the Advertising Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. The SDC mechanism, he said, adds an additional layer of consumer protection and accountability across platforms.
Economic Times
a day ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Inter-ministerial committee to develop coordinated action plans to curb film piracy: I&B
An inter-ministerial committee has been constituted to strengthen anti-piracy strategies and develop coordinated action plans, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L. Murugan informed the Rajya Sabha to an unstarred question on the unauthorised circulation of Indian films, Dr. Murugan said the government remains fully conscious of the adverse impact of digital piracy on the creative economy. He outlined several steps taken to curb piracy, particularly involving pre-release content and international piracy networks operating via the dark web and torrent platforms. He also said that the government amended the Cinematograph Act, 1952, in 2023 to introduce stringent measures against digital piracy. The amendments include strict penalties, with a minimum ofthree months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3 lakh. The punishment can be extended up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to 5% of the audited gross production Sections 6AA and 6AB of the revised Act prohibit unauthorised recording and transmission of films, while Section 7(1B)(ii) empowers the government to issue necessary directions to intermediaries hosting pirated content. The minister further stated that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification are now empowered to receive complaints from copyright holders or authorised persons and to issue necessary takedown directions to digital intermediaries. He also pointed to the government's engagement with stakeholders and law enforcement agencies as part of its broader anti-piracy part of these efforts, the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) featured a competition focused on developing technical solutions to combat digital to The Rob Report released by EY and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) in 2024, the size of India's piracy economy was Rs 22,400 crore in 2023, ranking fourth among the segment-wise revenues of India's Media and Entertainment this, Rs 13,700 crore was generated from pirated content originating from movie theaters, while Rs 8,700 crore came from pirated OTT platform content. Potential GST losses were estimated to be as high as Rs 4,300 India's entertainment ecosystem to improve, the report said it is imperative for the government and private players to take a unified stand against piracy. Policies need to evolve as swiftly as the piracy landscape. Stricter enforcement mechanisms must be set in place by both the government and private organisations, it also stated that large-scale awareness programmes, watermarking of premium content, innovations in pricing and bundling, and forging international alliances must take place simultaneously to curb India's growing piracy menace. An immediate regulatory overhaul, along with judicious enforcement action at a global level, will go a long way in addressing this threat.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Inter-ministerial committee to develop coordinated action plans to curb film piracy: I&B
Responding to an unstarred question on the unauthorised circulation of Indian films, Dr. Murugan said the government remains fully conscious of the adverse impact of digital piracy on the creative economy. He outlined several steps taken to curb piracy, particularly involving pre-release content and international piracy networks operating via the dark web and torrent platforms. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads An inter-ministerial committee has been constituted to strengthen anti-piracy strategies and develop coordinated action plans, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L. Murugan informed the Rajya Sabha to an unstarred question on the unauthorised circulation of Indian films, Dr. Murugan said the government remains fully conscious of the adverse impact of digital piracy on the creative economy. He outlined several steps taken to curb piracy, particularly involving pre-release content and international piracy networks operating via the dark web and torrent also said that the government amended the Cinematograph Act , 1952, in 2023 to introduce stringent measures against digital piracy. The amendments include strict penalties, with a minimum ofthree months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3 lakh. The punishment can be extended up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to 5% of the audited gross production Sections 6AA and 6AB of the revised Act prohibit unauthorised recording and transmission of films, while Section 7(1B)(ii) empowers the government to issue necessary directions to intermediaries hosting pirated minister further stated that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification are now empowered to receive complaints from copyright holders or authorised persons and to issue necessary takedown directions to digital also pointed to the government's engagement with stakeholders and law enforcement agencies as part of its broader anti-piracy part of these efforts, the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) featured a competition focused on developing technical solutions to combat digital to The Rob Report released by EY and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) in 2024, the size of India's piracy economy was Rs 22,400 crore in 2023, ranking fourth among the segment-wise revenues of India's Media and Entertainment this, Rs 13,700 crore was generated from pirated content originating from movie theaters, while Rs 8,700 crore came from pirated OTT platform content. Potential GST losses were estimated to be as high as Rs 4,300 India's entertainment ecosystem to improve, the report said it is imperative for the government and private players to take a unified stand against piracy. Policies need to evolve as swiftly as the piracy landscape. Stricter enforcement mechanisms must be set in place by both the government and private organisations, it also stated that large-scale awareness programmes, watermarking of premium content, innovations in pricing and bundling, and forging international alliances must take place simultaneously to curb India's growing piracy menace. An immediate regulatory overhaul, along with judicious enforcement action at a global level, will go a long way in addressing this threat.
The Hindu
24-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
CPI protests over L. Murugan's remarks on ST status for Malayali community in Erode
Condemning Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan's recent remarks on Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Malayali Gounder community, the Communist Party of India (CPI) held a demonstration in the Kadambur Hills on Thursday (July 24, 2025). The protest was led by CPI district committee member K. Ramasamy, with North district secretary S. Mohan Kumar and others joining in. They criticised Mr. Murugan's claim that the Tamil Nadu government had failed to pass a legislative resolution— a prerequisite, he asserted, for granting ST status. Protesters pointed out that while Malayali people across Tamil Nadu have been recognised as STs and issued certificates, those in Bargur and Kadambur Hills remain classified under 'Others.' As a result, they are denied access to ST-specific benefits in education, employment, and welfare schemes. The community has been seeking ST status for over five decades. Tiruppur MP K. Subbarayan has raised the issue multiple times in Parliament. In response, the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs stated that a recommendation from the State government was required. The State has since submitted the proposal, which is currently under review by the Centre. The CPI urged the Centre to introduce and pass the necessary legal amendment during the ongoing Parliament session to grant ST status to Malayalis in Erode district without further delay. The party slammed Mr. Murugan's claim regarding the need for a State Assembly resolution, calling it a diversionary tactic aimed at delaying the process and shifting blame onto the State government. They noted that neither Parliamentary discussions nor official communications from the Union Ministry had ever cited such a requirement. Mr. Murugan's remarks, they said, were misleading and served only to deflect attention from the Centre's responsibility.
The Hindu
24-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
India's press and media ecosystem expands with over 1.55 lakh publications and 908 private TV channels: govt.
The number of publications registered with the Press Registrar General of India has increased from 1.05 lakh in 2014-15 to 1.55 lakh in 2024-25, according to the government. In response to a query in Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) said the number of private satellite TV channels have also increased from 821 in 2014-15 to 908 in 2024-25. 'As of today, 92 private channels and 50 Doordarshan channels are available on DD Free Dish. Both private and DD channels operate in various regional languages, ensuring a wider audience reach across the country,' said the reply.
