No bias, no paid news: PCI draws red lines for poll reporting

NEW DELHI: In a clear message to newsrooms ahead of a packed election calendar, the Press Council of India (PCI) has asked print media to stick to “fair and objective reporting”, steer clear of “paid news”, and strictly avoid publishing exit polls until voting concludes, tightening the guardrails around election coverage.In two press releases issued on March 27, the Council laid out detailed dos and don’ts for reporting during assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, along with bypolls in multiple states.Emphasising the role of the media in a democracy, the PCI said, “General Election is a very important feature of our democracy and it is imperative that the media transmits to the electorate fair and objective reports of the election campaign by the contesting parties.”The Council cautioned newspapers against slanted or exaggerated coverage, noting that “the newspapers are not expected to indulge in unhealthy election campaigns” or publish “exaggerated reports about any candidate/party.” It also flagged the risks of divisive reporting, advising the press to avoid content that may “promote feelings of enmity or hatred between people” on social or religious lines.A key focus of the advisory is curbing paid news. The PCI reiterated its definition of paid news as “Any news or analysis appearing in any media (print and electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration.” It listed warning signs such as identical reports across publications, unverified allegations, and coverage disproportionately favouring a candidate.On opinion polls and surveys, the Council urged caution, warning that such content could be used to mislead voters. “The newspapers should be on guard against their precious forum being used for distortions and manipulations of the elections,” it said.Invoking Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, the PCI reiterated the legal bar on exit polls during the notified period. “No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicize… the result of any exit poll during such period,” it said.Reinforcing this, the Council added: “No newspaper shall publish exit-poll surveys, however genuine they may be, till the last of the polls is over.”The advisory also calls for balanced reporting, verification of claims, and strict compliance with directions issued by the Election Commission.