Press Council Act, 1965
12.Objects and functions of the Council.-
(1) The object of the Council shall be to
preserve the freedom of the Press and to maintain and improve the standards of
newspapers in India
(2) The Council may, in furtherance of its
object, perform the following functions, namely :-
(a) to help newspapers
to maintain their independence;
(b) to build up a code
of conduct for newspapers and journalists in accordance with high professional
standards;
(c) to ensure on the
part of newspapers and journalists the maintenance of high standards of public
taste and foster a due sense of both the rights and responsibilities of
citizenship;
(d) to encourage the
growth of a sense of responsibility and public service among all those engaged
in the profession of journalism;
(e) to keep under
review any development likely to restrict the supply and dissemination of news
of public interest and importance;
(f) to keep under
review such cases of assistance received by any newspaper or news agency in
India from foreign sources, as are referred to it by the Central Government;
Provided that nothing in this
clause shall preclude the Central Government from dealing with any case of
assistance received by a newspaper or news agency in India from foreign
sources, in any other manner it thinks fit;
(g) to promote the
establishment of such common service for the supply and dissemination of news
to newspapers as may, from time to time, appear to it to be desirable;
(h) to provide
facilities for the proper education and training of persons in the profession
of journalism;
(i) to promote a
proper functional relationship among all classes of persons engaged in the
production or publication of newspapers;
(j) to study developments
which may tend towards monopoly or concentration of ownership of newspapers,
including a study of the ownership or financial structure of newspapers, and if
necessary, to suggest remedies therefor;
(k) to promote
technical or other research;
(l) to do such other
acts as may be incidental or conducive to the discharge of the above functions.