Media certification panel starts work at collectorate

It is tasked with detection of paid news and telecast of advertisements without prior approval

A Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) has started functioning at the district collectorate ahead of the Assembly elections.

Among the responsibilities of MCMC include detection of paid news, publication, and telecast of advertisements without prior approval and accounting them in the campaign expenditure of the candidate concerned and granting approval for advertisements by candidates and political parties on social media.

Advertisements, including in newspapers, e-papers, television channels, local cable networks, social media, movie houses, and through SMSs and other audio-video visual mediums should be released only after prior approval from MCMC. Media houses should publish advertisements only after securing permission from MCMC.

The committee operates out of the media centre of the Information and Public Relations Department at Kakkanad. It will be functional on all working days between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

District Collector S. Suhas inaugurated the committee. District Information Officer B. Sethuraj, Election Deputy Collector Jeo T. Manoj, and Information and Public Relations Department Assistant Editor K.K. Jayakumar were present.

Elaborate arrangements have been made for monitoring the media and certification of advertisements. Employees of the District Information Office and journalism students operate in two shifts at MCMC. A committee chaired by the District Collector will decide on action against paid news based on the report of MCMC.

Neither political parties nor candidates are supposed to use campaign materials without the prior approval of the committee. Party representatives or candidates will have to submit details on advertisements in the prescribed format before the committee at least three days before their publication or telecast. An affidavit to the effect that the payment for advertisements will be made either through cheque or demand draft should also be submitted alongside.

MCMC will verify whether the advertisements telecast over electronic media had the requisite approvals. Advertisements in other mediums will also be verified. Restrictions on advertisements will be applicable to bulk SMSs and voice messages. Campaigns in the nature of advertisements on social media should also secure prior approval.

Expenditure of campaign advertisements published with the knowledge of the candidate will be added to the his or her campaign expenditure, while action will be taken against the publisher for carrying advertisements without the knowledge of candidates.

For details, contact 94960-03208, 94960-03217 or mail to mcmcekm2021@gmail.com