The Punjab News Web Channel Policy, 2021 and shall be applicable in the State of Punjab on and with

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EXTRAORDINARY

Published by Authority

CHANDIGARH, THURSDAY, APRIL1, 2021 (CHAITRA 11, 1943 SAKA)

GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

NOTIFICATION

The 1st April, 2021

No. I/165119/2021.- The Governor of Punjab is pleased to make the following Policy for the empanelment of News Web Channels, namely:-

1.   Short title and extent of POLICY.–This policy may be called The Punjab News Web Channel Policy,
     2021 and shall be applicable in the State of Punjab on and with effect from the date of its publication in the
     Official Gazette.
2.   Definitions.– Unless there is something repugnant in the subject or context, the terms used in this Policy
     are in the sense explained hereunder-
     (a)   "Bankrupt or Insolvent"  the term used in this policy shall have the same meaning as defined in
           clause (3) of section  79 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016;
     (b)   "blacklist" means debarring a News Web Channel from the privilege and advantage of entering into
           lawful relationship with the Government for purposes of gains;
     (c)   "Competent Authority"  means the Director, Information and Public Relations, Punjab, or any other
           officer authorized as such by him for this specific purpose;
     (d)   "date of empanelment" means  the date of issuance of letter of empanelment,
     (e)   "Department" means the Department of Information and Public Relations;
     (f)   "DAVP  Rates"  means  the  rates  decided  by  the  Directorate  of Advertising  and  Visual  Publicity,
           Government of India;
     (g)   "DPR Rates" means the rates decided by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Punjab;
     (h)   "Government" means the Government of the State of Punjab in the Department of Information and
           Public Relations;
     (i)   "News Web Channel" (hereinafter referred to as the 'Channel') shall    include any internet based

( 1575 )PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), APRIL 1, 2021 (CHTR 11, 1943 SAKA) 1576 News Channel permanently engaged in disseminating news at regular intervals daily and verified by youtube and facebook platforms; and

(j) "State Government" means the Government of any State of the Union of India

3. General and technical qualifications.– Every Channel shall have to fulfill the following general and technical qualifications to be eligible for empanelment with the Department, namely:-

(a) only Channels owned and operated by registered companies and firms with State Government or Government of India other than individuals shall be considered for empanelment;

(b) the Channel or its owner or partners should not be bankrupt or insolvent ;

(c) the Channel should not have been blacklisted or dis-empanelled by any State Government or Government of India. The applicant shall upload a self declaration to this effect;

(d) the Channel should have continuously operated under the same name for a minimum period of two years;

(e) the Channel should have at least five lakh subscribers on the date of submission of application for empanelment, combined on facebook and youtube official handles;

(f) the Channel has to submit the facebook analytics and youtube analytics report for a period of six months before the date of application;

(g) the Channel should have uploaded at least one hundred fifty videos or sound bytes or news items (VOs/News Capsules or interviews) with in the period of one month during the period of twelve months;

(h) the Channel should have an office in Punjab or in Chandigarh;

(i) the Channel must have a verified Facebook page and Youtube Channel. All these channels must be in active operations from the last six months;

(j) the Channel should have filed Income Tax Returns for at least one year before filling of the application for empanelment and shall attach copies thereof with the application;

(k) the Channel applying for empanelment shall submit a certificate that the information submitted is correct. It shall also certify that it shall abide by the decision of the Competent Authority regarding empanelment, rates, telecast etc. In case the information submitted by the applicant is found to be false or incorrect, in any manner, the empanelment shall be cancelled immediately;

(l) the Channel should be Punjab specific news channel and should have Seventy percent of the news from the State of Punjab; and

(m) the empanelment shall be non transferable.

4. Procedure for empanelment.–The applicant of the Channel shall apply to the Competent Authority in a prescribed Performa in Annexure I with all relevant documents as specified in Annexure II. After the submission of application by the applicant, the same shall be scrutinised by the department, which shall verify the documents submitted by the applicant, and after due satisfaction of the Competent Authority may empanel the Channel.

5. Responsibilities of the Channel.–

(a)   All the Government advertisements shall only be displayed on following categories of videos, namely:-
      (i)  Political Interviews or News;
      (ii) Daily News Bulletins;
      (iii) Debates or Discussions;

(iv) Special Editorial Interviews; and

(v) Punjab Specific News;

(b) The advertisements on the following categories can lead to penalties or cancellation of empanelment of the Channel as specified in clause 9 and 10, namely-

(i) Hate Speech;

(ii) Violent Content;

(iii) Adult Nudity and Sexual Activity, Intoxicants (Liquor);

(iv) Cruel and Insensitive Content;

(v) Personal Disputes;

(vi) False news;

(vii) Misrepresentation;

(viii) Promotional interviews; and

(ix) Any other objectionable Material.

(c) The Channel shall be obliged to submit its bills (in hard copy and soft file), complete in all respects, within seven days of completion of the campaign, along with certificates to the effect that the advertisement has been displayed or relayed on the Channel. The Channel shall also provide the entire schedule or log of the displayed or related advertisements along with youtube Analytics and Facebook Analytics and PDF files of the daily screenshots;

(d) Online payments shall be made by the competent authority for only that period during which the advertisement was displayed or relayed at the DPR rates;

(e) The Channel shall abide by all the instructions of the Government issued from time to time;

(f) The Channel shall submit certified data regarding its views, after the interval of every three months.

The Department may, from time to time, recheck or assign any agency to review the data provided by the Channel;

(g) The Channel shall provide an undertaking that the rates accepted by them from the Department, are the lowest.

6. Validity of the empanelment.– The empanelment shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of empanelment. The Competent Authority may extend the empanelment further for a period of one year at a time.

7. DPR Rates and Validity of the rates.– The DPR Rates shall be reviewed and revised, if required, by the Competent Authority for the empanelled Channels under various categories or slabs on yearly basis.

8. Government Advertisement Format.–

     (a)   Aston Band Format: The advertisements shall be shared in animated aston band format to be used on
           videos exclusively for the Government.  No other advertisements shall be posted alongside Government
           advertisements on these particular set of videos;
     (b)   Video ads:  Video advertisements of duration of fifteen seconds to thirty seconds shall be embedded
           within particular videos after one minute as a part of the video; and
     (c)   L Band format: The advertisements in L Band format shall be displayed for fifteen seconds along
           with other advertisements and shall be given priority.
9.   Suspension of empanelment.– If any channel telecasts hate speech, violent content, adult nudity and

sexual activity, intoxicants (liquor), cruel and insensitive content, personal disputes, false news, misrepresentation, promotional interviews or any other objectionable material, then it shall lead to- (a) immediate suspension of empanelment of the Channel by the Competent Authority; and (b) blacklisting of the Channel for a period as may be specified, but not less than six months, by the Competent Authority.

10. Cancellation of the empanelment.–The empanelment of the Channel shall be cancelled by the Competent Authority if-

(a) the Channel refuses to carry an advertisement issued by the department at any time; or (b) the subscribers of a particular channel shall reduce by ten percent at any given point of time, until they qualify again:

Provided that where the Competent Authority passes an order under sub-clause (a) it shall not empanel the Channel again until after the passage of six months from the date of passing such an order:

Provided further that where the Competent Authority passes an order under sub-clause (b) it may, on a fresh application moved by the Channel, empanel it again on satisfactory compliance of the qualifications prescribed in clause 3 of this policy.

11. Appeal.– The Channel shall have the right to appeal before the Government, or any officer authorized by it in this regard, against any order passed by the Competent Authority under this Policy.

ANNEXURE -I

(See clause 4)

APPLICATION FORM FOR NEWS WEB CHANNEL SEEKING EMPANELMENT

1.   Name of the News Web Channel:         _____________________________
     (In block letters)
2.   Place of functioning:                 _____________________________
3.   (a) Place of broadcast/telecast :     _____________________________
        and periodicity
     (b)  Report of Facebook and:          _____________________________
        Youtube analytic
4.   Percentage of Punjab based news covered: _____________________________
5.   If  affiliated  with  newspaper  or  TV  channels:_____________________________

(Please specify name)

6.   Permanent address in full            ____________________________
     (Copy of residence proof be attached)
7.   Present address at place of work     ____________________________
     (in full)
8.   Telephone Number of Office           _______________
                    Residence             _______________
9.   Mobile Number and e mail address     ____________________________

Signature of ApplicantPUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), APRIL 1, 2021 (CHTR 11, 1943 SAKA) 1580

ANNEXURE II

(See clause 4)

Documents to be submitted for empanelment.

1. Application on the official letterhead of the firm for empanelment.

2. Authentic self attested document regarding subscription and followers of the channels.

3. Income tax return from last one year.

4. Company/Firm registration documents.

5. Copy of Facebook and YouTube analytics reports.

6. Self declaration on the information provided is accurate and authentic and you will abide by rules and conditions of the empanelment.

7. Address proof of the company.

Annexure III

Performa for Empanelment

Particulars Facebook Youtube Instagram Twitter Any other Platform

(please mention in

different column)

Number of Followers/

Subscribers

Official URL

GURKIRAT KIRPAL SINGH

Secretary to Govt. of Punjab,

Department of Information & Public Relations.

2265/4-2021/Pb. Govt. Press, S.A.S. Nagar