Department of Information and Publicity
Notification
The Government of Goa, in supersession to all previous Notifications published in the Official Gazette in this behalf, hereby makes the following rules namely :
1. Short title and commencement – These Rules may be called the Goa Media Representatives Accreditation Rules, 2014.
2. They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
3. Definition: – In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires
(a) “Government” means the Government of Goa;
(b) “Member Secretary” means the Director of Information & Publicity of the Government;
(c) “Newspaper” means any publication, printed and distributed at fixed intervals, which contains news and comments of public interest as defined in the Press and Registration of Books Act (25 of 1867) but not a publication containing information of sectional interest such as house journals;
(d) “State” means the State of Goa;
(e) “Working Journalist” means a working journalist as defined in the Working Journalist and other Newspaper employees(conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955 (45 of 1955), as amended from time to time;
4. Amendment to rules: These rules may be amended/ altered/ modified/ added to, on the recommendation of the Committee, if a proposal to this effect is made to the Committee, by at least three of its members or the Member Secretary.
5. Application of rules:These rules shall apply to the accreditation of media representatives to the Government.
(i) Accreditation: Recognition granted to Reporters/ Correspondents/ Editors/ Cameramen of Media organizations {as defined in sub clause 4} to have access to news materials, written and pictorial; to offices and officers of the Government at the Headquarters and other centre for gathering news; access for laws, rules, notifications, press releases, background papers, etc., of the activities of the Government; for invitations and admission without any hindrance to functions, press conferences, statutory events and other activities of the Government; facilities in terms of travel, research, documentation etc. relating to news gathering. The Accreditation should be available throughout the State, as decided by the Committee.
(ii) Correspondent/ Reporter/Media Representative: A working Journalist employed by a newspaper, magazine, news agency, television channel, radio organization or news portal, together and file news items regularly for the newspaper, magazine, television channel, radio organization or news portal, as defined in clause 2 (iv) of these rules. The definition of Working Journalist for print media, including newspapers, magazines and news agencies, shall be generally the same as the definition in the Working Journalist Act.
iii) Cameramen: Still and Television cameramen employed by media organizations for taking picture or Videograph news events.
iv) Editor : Editor of a Newspaper, Magazine, Television Channel, Radio organization, news portal, who is in charge of news selection and editorial policy of the organization, including Chief Editor, Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Executive Editor, Resident Editor.
v) Media Organization : Newspaper, Magazine, Television Channel, Radio organization, news portal, recognized by Government of Goa under relevant laws and rules like PRB Act, up linking Guidelines for Television Channels, Prasar Bharati Act, DFP, PIB, Department of Information & Publicity etc.
vi) News Media: shall include newspapers, wire service and non wire service, news agencies, news feature agencies, electronic media agencies, news portals containing news and comments on public news.
vii) Newspaper/Magazine: shall have the same definition as given in the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. A Daily newspaper shall be published on not less than five days in a week; A Weekly or Fortnightly newspaper shall have not less than 42 or 22 issues in a year respectively. A monthly shall not have less than 10 issues in a year. Magazines shall have 100 percent news content.
viii) News Agency: shall be wire and non wire organizations which supply news on a minute to minute or daily basis to a number of media organizations, both print and electronic. It should be registered under Shops and Establishment Act, Companies Act etc. at the time of commencement and its standing should be more than 3 years in the State of Goa.
Agency shall have minimum 3 paying subscribers from among accredited newspapers and media units in the state.
ix) News Feature Agencies: shall be agencies which supply news and features based on current affairs to newspaper organization on a weekly or fortnightly basis. It should be registered under Shops and Establishment Act, Companies Act etc. at the time of commencement and its standing should be more than 3 years in the State of Goa.
– Agency shall have minimum 3 paying subscribers from among accredited newspapers and media units in the state.
– The applicant shall submit clippings of the articles by concerned news feature agency published in different newspapers/ magazines of the state for a period of 3 months prior to the date of application for accreditation.
x) Radio Organization: means any media organization which broadcast news bulletins and carries current affairs programmes, including All India Radio which operates under the Prasar Bharati Act.
xi) Television Channel:
a) Include TV service providers operating in Goa and having news telecast of Minimum 3 hours per day.
b)Shall have the same meaning as News and Current Affairs Channels permitted under Guidelines of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This includes the news channels of Doordarshan operating under the Prasar Bharati Act .
c)Include TV Service providers operating in Goa and having news telecast of maximum 3 hours per day. The organization running the channel should be registered as a media house with the government either under companies act, Shops and Establishments act or any other recognized authority formed by the Government for this purpose. Its standing should be more than 3 years in the state of Goa.
– Having news telecast of minimum 3 hours per day. Its standing should be more than 3 years in the state of Goa.
xii) Television and Radio News Agency: shall be media organizations which provides news clips and feeds to Television channels and radio stations.
– It should be registered under Shops and Establishment Act, Companies Act etc at the time of commencement and its standing should be more than 3 years in the state of Goa.
xiii) News Portals/news service providers: are news and current websites which provide continuous news coverage and current affairs features for minimum period of 02 years.
– Only news portals run by entities duly registered under companies act, shops and establishment act as a media house shall be considered for the accreditation. News Portals/news service providers shall have 100 percent news content.
– Its articles should be on current social, political, economic and other matter of public interest.
6. Accreditation Card: The Director of Department of Information & Publicity, Government of Goa who also function as Member Secretary shall issue a photo identity card to all reporters/ correspondents/ news/ cameraman/ videographers and editors to whom the accreditation is granted by the Committee, and whenever necessary, the card should have authorization to enter all premises of the Central and State Governments, without any requirement of obtaining visitor pass.
7. Committee : Committee formed by the Government for considering and sanctioning of Accreditation, and to recommend steps for facilities for news gathering by accredited correspondents and news organizations.
8. The Press Accreditation Committee: shall be a permanent organization, whose membership will change every two years. The term of the committee shall be of two years, commencing from the date of 1st meeting of the newly constituted PAC. There shall be no discontinuity in the functioning of the Committee and it shall be the responsibility of the Government to ensure that the nomination of fresh members is notified before the term of the earlier team expires. In case the Government is unable to nominate the new members, the old committee will continue until the new committee is constituted.
9. a) The Press Accreditation Committee shall consist of not less than 10 members, representing various recognized mainstream media organizations.
b) The Accreditation Committee formed by the State Government shall have 03 Representative of the Editors Guild, 08 Representatives of Goa Union of Journalists/ out which 04 shall be from print media, 01 shall be news photographer, 02 from Electronic Media, (one cameraman and one news gatherer) and 01 Sports reporter preferably recommended by the respective organization.
c) No member shall continue for more than two consecutive terms.
10. The Director of Information & Publicity shall be Member Secretary. The Member Secretary shall be responsible for convening the meetings of the Committee, scheduling the agenda and for implementing the decisions of the committee. The Joint Director of Information and Publicity shall assist the Member Secretary. Both shall have no right to vote.
11. The Chairman of the Committee shall be a senior journalist, who shall be elected by the committee through a majority vote. The Chairman shall have minimum 10 years experience as Working Journalist (preferably accredited) and shall be ineligible for a second consecutive term.
12. The Committee shall meet once in a month, last Friday, if not feasible 1st Friday of following month or more frequently, if considered necessary. The quorum shall be 50 percent of the total membership.
13. The Committee shall admit newspapers, news agencies, magazines, TV Channels, Radio organizations, News Portals provided they fulfill the basic criteria of providing contemporaneous news to their readers, subscribed, viewers, listeners as the case may be. They should carry at least 100 per cent of its contents as news/comments of general public interest. The decision of the Committee on whether the applicants carry 100 per cent of content as news is final. These organizations must have been officially registered under relevant act and rules and functioning as news organization for a period of at least six months before they are eligible for accreditation as an organization. However, if a publication changes the periodicity of publication but continues to carry minimum 100 per cent of contents as news, current affairs comments of general public interest, then its admission shall continue.
– The nature of the content published/ telecast shall be responsible, impartial and non -communal in nature.
14. However, if the Committee is unanimously satisfied that News organization needs temporary accreditation from the day it starts the operations, then the Committee may grant few accreditation to the applicant organization.
15. (a) The Newspapers registered printed and published in Goa are entitled for 03 reporters, 01 sports reporter, 01 news photographer based at headquarter at Panaji and 01 reporter, 01 news photographer and 01 sports reporter in South.
(b) TV service providers operating in Goa shall be entitled for Press accreditation to two reporters and two cameramen each.
(c) Periodicals like monthlies, fortnightlies and weeklies are entitled for Press accreditation to one reporter and one news photographer.
(d) Media Organizations like PIB,DDK(News),AIR (News) shall be entitled for two reporters and one Photographers/Camerapersons while the DIP, state Government Media agency is entitled for 2 Reporters(Media Officials) 01 –Photographer, )1 Videographer and in addition 02 Reporters (Media Officials) in the South.
16. Effect of accreditations:
(1) Accreditation does not confer any official status on the media representatives but shall recognize and identify him/ her as a professional journalist dealing with news of public interest. He/ she shall not have letter heads, visiting cards and display boards with the words “Accredited to the Government of Goa” or any words to similar effect.
(2) Accreditation shall be used for journalistic purpose and for no other purpose.
17. Accreditation is Personal:– Accreditation is personal and not transferable.
18. A minimum of three years experience at a stretch in prominent News Organization, is required to consider the application of an Editor/Reporter/Correspondent/ Photographer/TV Cameraman-reporter/ Media Official for accreditation to the Government of Goa. The journalist seeking accreditation shall furnish the prescribed application form duly filled authenticated by the editor/Publisher along with the company letterhead signed by the editor and enclose appointment /contract letter/ latest salary slip/ proof of birth. Appointment should be of full time journalist. In case of TV Service providers in Goa, the applications should be routed through Electronic Media Journalists Association (EMJA) and should have been approved at their General Body meeting before forwarding to the PAC. Educational Qualifications in case of Electronic Media local news channel journalists should be atleast SSC with course in journalism.
19. For the purpose of accreditation, Editor should be considered as being engaged in the news gathering and should be given accreditation. The Committee shall satisfy itself that the applicant is fully employed in the news organization by asking for the news clippings, video clips, radio clips etc. apart from employment certificate, a certificate from the publisher that the applicant is engaged in the news reporting. The accreditation of editor shall be recommended by the publisher. The Committee shall not give accreditation to advertising or sales persons who put in a claim that they are also correspondents.
20. On satisfaction that the applicant meets the criterion to be an accredited correspondent, the committee shall permit grant of accreditation, subject to the availability of the quota of the news organization.
21. The Member Secretary shall issue the accreditation card for journalist within a fortnight of the date of approval by the Committee. The fee of Rs. 150 per Accreditation Card shall be paid by the journalist, subject to revision. In case of duplicate/renewal of accreditation card the journalist will have to pay additional fee of Rs. 150/-.
22. In case the Committee rejects the application of a media, organization, or a journalist on behalf of a media organization for accreditation, then the applicant organization/individual shall be informed the reasons for rejection in writing within a fortnight. The applicant organization/individual can make amends or place other relevant facts before the Committee for reconsideration with in a month’s times on receipt of letter from Member Secretary. However, the Committee’s decision, after such reconsideration, shall be final.
23. The Committee can grant accreditation to senior journalists, who are freelancing, provided they have been continuously working for news organization for last 25 years, provided they show evidence that their main vocation is of journalism and that they are earning their livelihood through journalism.
24. The Committee may grant special accreditation to journalists on application in prescribed form, self authenticated who have done a long and distinguished service as accredited correspondents provided they are above 58 years of age and were accredited for minimum period of 15 years; and are actively pursuing journalism at the time of recognition of their services. The accreditation issued in this category is only a recognition and shall not accrue any benefit as extended to regular accredited journalist.
25. The accreditation cards issued to Editors/Reporters/Correspondents/ Cartoonists/News photographers/TV Cameramen, etc. shall be valid for a period of two years. Under the general directions of the Committee, the Member Secretary shall renew the accreditation of all accredited journalists once in two years, ensuring that the accredited journalist is not deprived of the facility even for a single day. The Committee shall consider/treat as cancelled the accreditation card of accredited journalist who fails to renew the same within period of 30 days.
26. In case a correspondent/reporter who work for more than one organization, and requests for additional accreditation, the Committee may not entertain such applications to grant additional accreditation.
27. All Government Ministries, Department, undertakings and other wings shall provide access and information to accredited journalists, and they shall not discriminate amongst accredited journalist for dissemination of news.
28. The Committee shall withdraw the accreditation, provided:-
– The Editor informs the committee that the journalist has reassigned within the organization.
– The Editor informs the Committee that the news organization has closed down/or is no longer carrying 50 per cent content as news.
– The journalist is no longer an employee of the news organization.
– If a journalist has been censured at least twice by the Press Council of India for professional misconduct.
– If the Committee were to come to the conclusion that the journalist has made gross misuse of the accreditation facility, then he shall be given an opportunity to answer the charges, and the Committee shall record its reasons for withdrawal of accreditation.
29. Provision: As journalists enjoy the protection of the Constitution, the Accreditation Committee shall ensure that the accreditation is not cancelled for any malafide or frivolous reason by the State Government or any politician or official who have a grudge against journalists publication news which may be unpalatable. No media organization or journalist shall be deprived of accreditation merely on the ground that he had published what was claimed to be an official secret, or that he has published reports which are unfavourable to the Government or its Ministers or Officials.
(a) Apart a from considering applications for grant and withdrawal of accreditation by news organization and journalists, the Committee shall discuss and recommend measures for providing additional facilities to news organizations and journalists to improve the quality of news dissemination.
(b)Editor/Journalists deputed by editors of newspapers, magazines, news agencies, television and radio organization, news portals who are accredited by a State Accreditation Committee shall be considered eligible for accreditation to the Government of India as its headquarters in New Delhi and offices in State capital/s, even though they may not be residing in the National Capital Region, with a view to ensure that the news relating to Government of India is disseminated in all regions and Editors/ accredited journalists from all over India have access to Government of India’s offices.
30. Government media organization viz.- The Department of Information & Publicity, Press Information Bureau of Government of India, News Services Division of All India Radio, the News unit of Doordarshan, the Photo Division of Government of India may be deemed as equivalent to experience the work in a news media organization for the purpose of accreditation. Those officers having experience of Journalistic Work in Media Unit of the Information and Publicity Department of the State Government other than those referred to above, may also be considered for the purpose of accreditation, if the Committee would be satisfied about their journalistic experience.
31. Accreditation card for press representatives:-
(1)Accreditation card bearing a passport size photograph of the media representatives will be issued to an accredited media representative by the Member Secretary.
(2) The accreditation card will normally be utilized for attending press conference convened by the Government, or any authorized Government officer and for entry into Government offices.
(3)The accreditation card shall not be admissible for attending special functions or conferences, where entry is covered by special invitation cards and security passes.
(4)The accreditation card will entitle the holder to receive the facilities provided to him/ her by the Government from time to time in respect of medical, transport, housing, Government accommodation in the State of Goa.
32. Power of Government to take action deemed fit:- Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, the Government shall be free to take any action warranted by circumstances in matters relating to accreditation and dis-accreditation and in giving press facilities and in all these cases, the Government decision shall be final.
By Order and in the name of the Governor of Goa
(Sandip Jacques)
Director of Information and Publicity &
Ex. Officio, Addl. Secretary to the Government