South Asia’s media watchdog begins work

The South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) which was established in early April will prepare model legislation and guidelines to be adopted and followed by the media for it to be able to attain high professional standards and ensure press freedom. These will be among the objectives of the Commission which was established in New Delhi on April 1.

The other objectives of the Commission will include identifying the laws, rules and regulations that circumvent the right to freedom of opinion and expression in different countries of the region, and keep watch on measures adopted by state and non-state actors to punish the independent media economically or in any other way, including withholding of advertisements, setting up regulatory mechanisms, censorship and other punitive measurers.

The Commission will also periodically monitor violations of media rights and attacks on journalists and media organisations and publish its annual and periodical reports. It will also follow up cases of victimisation of journalists and media organizations and will serve as a voluntarily acknowledged media watchdog to set professional standards and audit media content, formats and presentations.

The Hindu newspaper's Editor-in-Chief N.Ram was appointed for two years as the first SAMC Chairman.