Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ensures the freedom of media and makes sure that people have access of the free flow of information. It enables this through the mass communication media consisting of radio, television, films, press, publications, advertising and traditional mode of dance and drama. It is a division of the Government of India which is the head body for formulation and management of the rules and regulations and laws relating to information, broadcasting, the press and films in India.
Organisation of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Following are the different organisations working under of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting:
•Broadcasting
•Conditional Access System (CAS)
•Community Radio Stations
•Prasar Bharati
•Doordarshan
•Akashvani (All India Radio)
•Uplinking/Downlinking of television channels
•Content Regulation on Private television Channels
•Direct to Home (DTH)
•Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)
•Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS)
•Digital television transition
•Radio and Television Licence around the World
•Broadcasting Authority of India 1977
•Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP)
•Directorate of Field Publicity
•Photo Division
•Publications Division
•Research Reference and Training Division
•Song and Drama Division
•Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI)
•Press Council of India
•Press Information Bureau (PIB)
•Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC)
•Directorate of Film Festivals (DFAI)
•Films Division (FD)
•Central Board of Film Certification
•Children`s Film Society
•Film and Television Institute of India, Pune (FTII)
•Film Certification Appellate Tribunal
•National Film Archive of India (NFAI)
•Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI)
•National Film Development Corporation
Responsibilities of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
The responsibilities of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting are:
•News Services through All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) for the people
•Development of broadcasting and television
•Import and export of films
•Development and promotion of film industry
•Organisation of film festivals and cultural exchanges for the purpose
•Advertisement and visual publicity on behalf of the Government of India
•Handling of press relations to present the policies of Government of India and to get feed-back on the Government policies
•Administration of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 in respect of newspapers
•Dissemination of information about India within and outside the country through publications on matters of national importance
•Research, Reference and Training to assist the media units of the Ministry to meet their responsibilities
•Use of interpersonal communication and traditional folk art forms for information/ publicity campaigns on public interest issues
•International co-operation in the field of information and mass media
List of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Ministers
Following are the list of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Ministers:
•Indira Gandhi (1964-1966)
•K. Gujral (1972-1977)[8]
•L. K. Advani (1977-1979)
•Vasant Sathe (1980-1984)
•H. K. L. Bhagat (1984-1988)
•P. A. Sangma (1995-1996)
•Sushma Swaraj (1996)
•Jaipal Reddy (1996-1998)
•Arun Jaitley (2000)
•Sushma Swaraj (2000-2003)
•Ravi Shankar Prasad (2003-2004)
•Dayanidhi Maran (2004-2007)
•Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi (2007-2009)
•Ambika Soni (2009-2012)
•Manish Tewari (2012-2014)
•Prakash Javadekar (2014)
•Arun Jaitley (2014-2016)
•Venkaiah Naidu (2016-2017)
•Smriti Irani (2017-Incumbent)
List of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Ministers of State
•N. K. P. Salve
•Ambareesh (2006-2008)
•Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2014-Incumbent)
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is responsible for international co-operation in the field of mass media, films and broadcasting and interacts with its foreign counterparts on behalf of Government of India.
