The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry will soon amend the 140-year-old Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act to keep a check on frivolous and non-serious publications. The decision, I&B Minister Ambika Soni said, was being taken keeping in mind the exponential growth in the print media. Soni also said the Government is considering increasing the FDI limit from the existing 26 to 49 per cent in consultation with TRAI and revising DAVP advertisement rates.

“It is the endeavour of her ministry to ensure more powers to Press Registrar, RNI in registration/cancellation of titles for checking non-serious players. By March 31, 2010, we will put up a draft of the amended Act on the ministry’s website and seek comments from various stakeholders before sending it to Parliament,” Soni said in her address to the Indian Magazine Congress on Thursday.

The minister said the preamble of the PRB Act would be modified to insert provisions on FDI including syndication, facsimile edition and Indian edition of foreign publications. The Law ministry is currently vetting the draft amendments to the Bill.

“Also, it will have provisions for newspapers and magazines, as earlier there was no separate definition for magazines under the Act. However, registration of books would not be covered under the new provisions of the Act,” the minister added.

Soni said that in view of the increase in newsprint prices, the government would soon finalise the Rate Structure Committee report for revision of DAVP advertisement rates. The minister informed that the process of title verification at RNI has been fully computerised so that the applicants can check the status of application online.