Foreword
Ignorance and an inborn antipathy to any external pressure on one's inclination to do, speak and write that which one pleases, are often responsible for a blind resistance to any law, custom, tradition or norms. It is forgotten that some discipline and standard are necessary for a healthy and decent life, and they promote rather than thwart, the creative urges of the individual. A distinction has to be made between those restraints which inhibit wholesome potentialities and those which encourage them. Freedom and creativity gain their content only in a society. Unless, life in a society is conducive to the growth of the personality of the individual, the raison detre of an organised living will be defeated. Human beings being what they are, liberty frequently degenerates into licence and creativity into perversity; and the society itself becomes a cesspool of corrupt practices and pursuits. Tempering checks and constructive directions are necessary to preserve and promote decent values, robust creativity and healthy growth. All customs and traditions, norms, mores and laws are born precisely to achieve this object. To the extent they promote that objective, they fulfil the purpose.
The greatest single factor responsible for the human progress so far, is Word. The invention of Word and communication through it, though only orally first, paved the way for human advancement. The invention of the script and then of the print took the graph of human achievement to new heights in a geometrically ascending scale. Today mankind finds itself amidst information - explosion too fast to keep pace with and too difficult to assimilate, thanks to the mind-boggling progress in science and technology.
But the unbounded progress in the material sphere and in particular in the means of communication, itself warns us, that unless proper precautions are taken to control the method and the manner of the use of the Word-spoken or written, typed, printed or copied, human society will be swept of its feet. More wide ranging and penetrating the sweep of the Word, more the need to regulate its use, in the interest, of the peace, unity, fraternity and co-operation among the members of the society.
All countries have therefore, throughout the ages tried to regulate the expression of the Word, whatever the nature of the political regime, dictatorial or democratic. The degree and the extent of the regulation have varied with times, and politica1, social, religious cultural climes; but the need for restriction of some kind or the other has been felt by all, all the time.
Our Constitution gives to every citizen the fundamental right of the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) and at the same time makes its use subject to the restrictions mentioned Clause (2) thereof. The guarantee of the fundamental right does prevent the State from making any law, in so far as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right, in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of the State, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency and morality and in relation to the contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.
The Press Council of India has been established with the objects of the preserving the freedom of the Press and of maintaining improving the standards of newspapers and news agencies in the country. It is to further these objects, that the Council is required among other things, to help newspapers and news agencies to maintain independence; to build up a code of conduct for newspapers agencies and journalists in accordance with high professional standards to ensure on their part the maintenance of high standards of public taste and to foster a due sense of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and to foster the growth of a sense of responsibility and public service among all those engaged in the profession of journalism.
To discharge these functions entrusted to it, the Council has to frame a code of ethics for those engaged in journalism and to enforce it. The Council over the years has built up a code of ethics covering aspects of journalism which came to the fore from time to time and which needed to be dealt with at its end, keeping in mind the objects with which it has been established and the role it is expected to perform. Since its last publication, there have been some additions to the ethical code on important aspects such as financial journalism and pre-poll and exit poll surveys. The Council decided to publish and up-date code and the result is the present publication.
This publication has been designed to be a trim and at the same time a comprehensive treatment on the subject. Besides the ethics, the publication also contains references to the provisions of the Constitution and of the various statute law which have a bearing on the print media.
It is hoped that this booklet will be found useful by all concerned. The Council hopes to publish its translation in regional languages in due course, for the Council is of the view that the education in the code of ethics of journalists connected particularly with the small and regional language newspapers is very necessary if the code is to be effective. We have no doubt that we will succeed in getting assistance in this task from the public spirited individuals and associations.
P.B. Sawant
Chairman
Press Council of India
August, 1996