india

Updated: Sep 30, 2019 19:57 IST

Members of India’s leading digital news publishing organisations met Union minister for information and broadcasting Prakash Javadekar on Monday and discussed a range of issues including the challenges posed by fake news, the Digital News Publishers’ Association (DNPA) said.

“The delegation apprised the minister about the various initiatives undertaken by the DNPA and its members over the last few months, after its inception. The delegation also discussed the challenges posed by fake news and the menace it was causing in society. The minister too acknowledged the that fake news was becoming a major issue and appreciated the steps initiated by DNPA members,” it said in a statement.

Pawan Agarwal, Chairman DNPA, said that digital arms of the traditional media companies have maintained high editorial standards in providing the most credible and authentic news - across languages - to the ever-growing population of digital news readers in India and abroad.

The DNPA delegation also discussed ways in which it could collaborate with the government in maximising future potential of the digital new industry to propagate and disseminate knowledge among general public.

“The meeting with the Union minister discussed issues pertaining to creation of the right environment for news organisations to flourish, so that they can deliver on their responsibilities as free media in a democratic society. The minister said that he believes such initiatives from the responsible media community will go a long way in delivering news and disseminating information in a credible manner across the length and breadth of the country,” the statement said.

Established on September 21, 2018, DNPA is an organisation of the digital arms of leading media companies of the country, representing both print and television entities. The founding members of DNPA are Dainik Bhaskar, India Today, NDTV, Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, The Times of India, Amar Ujala, Jagran New Media, Eenadu and Malayalam Manorama.

These members together cater to almost 70% of India’s digital audiences. DNPA is open to membership from like-minded credible publisher organisations who believe in supporting the cause of independent, credible and responsible media.