The Press Council of India was first set up in the year 1966 by the Parliament on the recommendations of the First Press Commission.
Aim: To preserve the freedom of the press and maintain and improve the standards of the press in India.
The present Council functions under the Press Council Act, 1978. It is a statutory, quasi-judicial authority functioning as a watchdog of the press, for the press and by the press.
Composition: The PCI consists of a chairman and 28 other members.
The Chairman is selected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and a member elected by the PCI.
Powers: It adjudicates the complaints against and by the press for violation of ethics and for violation of the freedom of the press, respectively.
The Press Council of India is responsible for enquiring into complaints received.
It may summon witnesses and take evidence under oath, demand copies of public records to be submitted, even issue warnings and admonish the newspaper, news agency, editor or journalist.
Decisions of the PCI are final and cannot be appealed before a court of law.
Limitations of PCI:
They cannot penalize newspapers, news agencies, editors and journalists for violation of the guidelines.
The PCI only overviews the functioning of print media. It can enforce standards upon newspapers, journals, magazines and other forms of print media.
It does not have the power to review the functioning of electronic media like radio, television and internet media.
