Why PCI Charges annual fee on Newspapers?

Every year Press Council of India charges annual fee on Newspaper’s circulation. Under section 16 (2) of Press Council of India collect fees on newspaper’s circulation. It is payable to the Press Council of India. Rule 10 of the Press Council Rules, 1979, as amended from time to time prescribes the different rates of fee on circulation ranging from Rs. 100/- to Rs. 7500/- per annum, depending on the circulation range of registered newspapers and periodicals. Those having circulation of up to 5,000 copies are exempted from payment of levy (Tex).

The 'Explanation' under the said Rule 10 lays down that the circulation ranges of registered newspapers and periodicals shall be the latest circulation figures as available with the office of the Registrar of newspapers for India.

Basis of levied fee

A) Registered newspapers and periodicals with a circulation range above 1,50,000-

(i)    Rs. 7,500 per annum from each daily;

(ii)   Rs. 4,500 per annum from each bi-weekly/weekly;

(iii)  Rs. 3,500 per annum from each fortnightly/monthly;

(iv)  Rs. 2,250 per annum from all other categories;

(B) Registered newspapers and periodicals with a circulation range of above 1,00,000 and upto 1,50,000-

(i)   Rs. 5,250 per annum from each daily;

(ii)  Rs. 3,000 per annum from each bi-weekly/weekly;

(iii) Rs. 2,250 per annum from each fortnightly/monthly;

(iv) Rs. 1,500 per annum from all other categories;

(C) Registered newspapers and periodicals with a circulation range of above 50,000 and upto 1,00,000-

(i)   Rs. 3,750 per annum from each daily;

(ii)  Rs. 2,250 per annum from each bi-weekly/weekly;

(iii) Rs. 1,500 per annum from each fortnightly/monthly;

(iv) Rs. 1,125 per annum from all other categories;

(D) Registered newspapers and periodicals with a circulation range of above 15,000 and upto 50,000-

(i)   Rs. 1,500 per annum from each daily;

(ii)  Rs. 900 per annum from each bi-weekly/weekly;

(iii) Rs. 600 per annum from each fortnightly/monthly;

(iv) Rs. 450 per annum from all other categories;

(E) Registered newspapers and periodicals with a circulation range of above 5,000 and upto 15,000-

(i) Rs. 200 per annum from each daily;

(ii) Rs. 150 per annum from each bi-weekly/weekly;

(iii) Rs. 100 per annum from each fortnightly/monthly;

(iv) Rs. 100 per annum from all other categories;

(f) Rs. 7,500 per annum from each class I News agency;

(g) Rs. 5,250 per annum from Class II News agency;

(h) Rs. 3,750 per annum from all other news agencies.

What is Press Council of India?

The Press Council of India was first set up in the year 1966 by the Parliament on the recommendations of the First Press Commission with the object of preserving the freedom of the press and of maintaining and improving the standards of press in India. The present Council functions under the Press Council Act 1978. It is a statutory, quasi judicial body which acts as a watchdog of the press. It adjudicates the complaints against and by the press for violation of ethics and for violation of the freedom of the press respectively.

The Press Council is headed by a Chairman, who has by convention, been a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. The Council consists of 28 other members of whom 20 represent the press and are nominated by the press organisations/news agencies recognized and notified by the Council as all India bodies of categories such as editors, working journalists and owners and managers of newspaper , 5 members are nominated from the two houses of Parliament and 3 represent cultural, literary and legal fields as nominees of the Sahitya Academy, University Grants Commission and the Bar Council of India. The members serve on the Council for a term of three years . The Council was last reconstituted on May 22, 2001.

The Council is funded by revenue collected by it as fee levied on the registered newspapers in the country on the basis of their circulation. No fee is levied on newspapers with circulation less than 5000 copies. The deficit is made good by way of grant by the Central Government, through Ministry of Information and Broadcasting