Media Laws and Ethics Questions and Answers

Q: The code of ethics drawn in 1978 was a form of self-censorship by

The official key gives the All-India Newspaper Editors' Conference. I could not confirm this from a source, so the explanation is by elimination.Self-regulation of the press has been carried out by bodies of editors and of the industry, and a code of ethics drawn by a body of editors is a form of self-censorship by the profession itself, which is what the question describes.The Advertising Standards Council of India is a code for advertising, not for news. The Indian Languages Newspaper Association is a body for owners of regional-language papers, and the Editors' Guild is a later body. The key stands as published.

Q: A licence in copyright matters creates in the license

A licence in copyright matters creates in the licensee a personal right.A licence is permission to do something that would otherwise infringe the owner's copyright. It does not transfer ownership, so the licensee gets a personal right against the licensor to use the work on the agreed terms.A proprietary right goes with an assignment, which transfers the ownership of the copyright (or an interest in it) to the assignee. A public right belongs to everyone and not to a licensee, and statutory right is not the usual name for what a licence gives.

Q: Assertion (A) : The Right to Information has created hurdles for good governance in India.Reason (R) : The Right to Information has become a credible source of news for mass media for investigative journalism.

The official key gives D: A is false and R is true.The Right to Information Act of 2005 is generally seen as a tool for transparency and accountability, so the claim that it has created hurdles for good governance (A) goes against that view. The reason (R) is true, because the Act has become a rich source of documents for investigative journalism.A and B would accept A as true, which the key does not. C would make R false, but reporters do use RTI replies widely, so D is the answer.

Q: Identify the correct sequence of the following laws of the press.

The correct chronological sequence is Official Secrets Act, Copyright Act, Contempt of Courts Act, Right to Information Act.The Official Secrets Act dates from 1923, the Copyright Act from 1957, the Contempt of Courts Act from 1971 and the Right to Information Act from 2005.The other options place the RTI Act first or the Official Secrets Act last, which does not agree with the years of enactment.

81.

The code of ethics drawn in 1978 was a form of self-censorship by

A.the Indian Languages Newspaper Association
B.the Advertising Standards Council of India.
C.The All-India Newspaper Editors' Conference
D.The Editors' Guild

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: C

The official key gives the All-India Newspaper Editors' Conference. I could not confirm this from a source, so the explanation is by elimination.

Self-regulation of the press has been carried out by bodies of editors and of the industry, and a code of ethics drawn by a body of editors is a form of self-censorship by the profession itself, which is what the question describes.

The Advertising Standards Council of India is a code for advertising, not for news. The Indian Languages Newspaper Association is a body for owners of regional-language papers, and the Editors' Guild is a later body. The key stands as published.

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82.

A licence in copyright matters creates in the license

A.public right
B.personal right
C.proprietory right
D.statutory right

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: B

A licence in copyright matters creates in the licensee a personal right.

A licence is permission to do something that would otherwise infringe the owner's copyright. It does not transfer ownership, so the licensee gets a personal right against the licensor to use the work on the agreed terms.

A proprietary right goes with an assignment, which transfers the ownership of the copyright (or an interest in it) to the assignee. A public right belongs to everyone and not to a licensee, and statutory right is not the usual name for what a licence gives.

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83.

One of the major recommendations of the First Press Commission of India was I introduction of

A.Price-page schedule
B.Right to Information Act
C.Press freedom as a constitutional guarantee
D.Codification of journalistic privileges

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: A

One of the major recommendations of the First Press Commission was the introduction of a price-page schedule.

The Commission, which reported in 1954, wanted newspapers to be allowed to charge only according to a schedule that links the price to the number of pages, so that big papers could not undercut small ones by selling at a loss. It also proposed a Press Council and a Registrar of Newspapers.

The Right to Information Act came in 2005, long after the Commission. Press freedom was already guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, so it was not a new recommendation, and codification of journalistic privileges was not its main proposal.

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84.

Assertion (A) : The Right to Information has created hurdles for good governance in India.

Reason (R) : The Right to Information has become a credible source of news for mass media for investigative journalism.

A.Both (A) and (R) are true.
B.Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
C.(A) is true, but (R) is false.
D.(A) is false, but (R) is true.

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: D

The official key gives D: A is false and R is true.

The Right to Information Act of 2005 is generally seen as a tool for transparency and accountability, so the claim that it has created hurdles for good governance (A) goes against that view. The reason (R) is true, because the Act has become a rich source of documents for investigative journalism.

A and B would accept A as true, which the key does not. C would make R false, but reporters do use RTI replies widely, so D is the answer.

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85.

Assertion (A) : The Press Council of India must be converted into a media council is a matter of opinion.

Reason (R) : Since the reach and access of electronic media have increased tremendously, there are issues to be considered involving all of them.

A.Both (A) and (R) are true.
B.Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
C.(A) is true, but (R) is false.
D.(A) is false, but (R) is true.

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: A

The official key gives A: both statements are true and the reason explains the assertion.

The question is built from a debate about whether the Press Council of India, which covers only the press, should become a media council covering broadcasting and the internet. That it 'is a matter of opinion' is true as a statement about the debate (A), and the reason, that the reach of electronic media has increased and raises issues involving all media, is the ground on which the debate is held.

B would treat the reason as unconnected, which it is not. C and D would make a statement false.

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86.

Identify the correct sequence of the following laws of the press.

A.Right to Information Act, Copyright Act, Official Secrets Act, Contempt of Courts Act
B.Copyright Act, Official Secrets Act, Contempt of Courts Act, Right to Information Act
C.Official Secrets Act, Copyright Act, Contempt of Courts Act, Right to Information Act
D.Contempt of Courts Act, Copyright Act, Right to Information Act, Official Secrets Act

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: C

The correct chronological sequence is Official Secrets Act, Copyright Act, Contempt of Courts Act, Right to Information Act.

The Official Secrets Act dates from 1923, the Copyright Act from 1957, the Contempt of Courts Act from 1971 and the Right to Information Act from 2005.

The other options place the RTI Act first or the Official Secrets Act last, which does not agree with the years of enactment.

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87.

The first chairman of the Press Council of India was

A.Justice Rajagopala Iyenger
B.Justice P.B. Sawant
C.Justice Jeevan Reddy
D.Justice J.R. Mudholkar

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2013,

Answer: D

The first chairman of the Press Council of India, set up in 1966 on the recommendation of the First Press Commission, was Justice J.R. Mudholkar, a Supreme Court judge. Justice Rajagopala Iyengar and Justice Jeevan Reddy were later chairmen or held other roles, and Justice P.B. Sawant also served as a later chairman, so none of those was the first. The Council was first constituted in 1966 and was reconstituted under the Press Council Act of 1978, which is why later chairmen are listed in the options.

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88.

Expression of opinion as to the public conduct of public servants is not

A.a breach of privilege
B.contempt of public servants
C.violation of service protection
D.defamatory

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2013,

Answer: D

Expression of opinion as to the public conduct of public servants is not defamatory. Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code, in its Second Exception, says that it is not defamation to express in good faith any opinion respecting the conduct of a public servant in the discharge of his public functions. So it is neither a breach of privilege nor contempt of public servants, and it is not a violation of service protection. The protection holds only if the opinion is in good faith, which is the safeguard that stops it from becoming a licence to abuse.

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89.

The decision of the Union Government to fix a minimum price for a newspaper was challenged by

A.Hitavada
B.The Tribune
C.Deccan Herald
D.Sakal

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2013,

Answer: D

The decision of the Union Government to fix a minimum price for a newspaper, with pages tied to price, was challenged by Sakal, and the case was Sakal Papers (P) Ltd. v. Union of India (1962). The Supreme Court struck down the Daily Newspaper (Price and Page) Order as violating freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a). Hitavada, The Tribune and Deccan Herald were not the petitioners in this case. The case is still cited for the rule that the government cannot curb a newspaper’s circulation as a way of limiting its freedom.

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90.

The organisation of ombudsmen is located in

A.The United States
B.Brazil
C.Hong Kong
D.South Africa

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2013,

Answer: A

The Organization of News Ombudsmen, a professional body of news ombudsmen, is located in the United States. It was founded in 1980 to bring together those who handle readers’ complaints at news organisations. Brazil, Hong Kong and South Africa have no such organisation named in the key. The body brings together ombudsmen and readers’ editors from several countries and shares standards of practice among them.

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