Media Laws and Ethics Questions and Answers

Q: In the context of media ethics, an investigative journalist can report a story based on :

The story should rest on facts investigated and verified by him/herself.Investigative journalism is defined by original reporting: the journalist gathers documents, records and testimony, cross-checks them, and can stand behind every claim. Codes such as the Press Council of India's Norms of Journalistic Conduct require accuracy and verification before publication.Hearsay is unverified, relying on others' opinions or work is not original investigation, and fictional events have no place in news reporting.

Q: The following is an example of Cyber-crime :

The example of cyber-crime is Phishing.Phishing uses fraudulent emails, messages or websites that imitate a trusted bank, company or person to trick victims into giving passwords, card numbers or one-time passwords. In India it is punishable under provisions such as Sections 66C (identity theft) and 66D (cheating by personation) of the IT Act.Buying expired products may be a consumer issue, but it is not cyber-crime. Emailing and playing computer games are ordinary lawful uses of a computer.

Q: Identify the 4 factors used under 'fair use' in the context of media laws & ethics :

The four factors are purpose and character, nature of the original work, effect on the market, and amount of content used.Section 107 of the US Copyright Act sets out the fair use test: the purpose and character of the use (including whether it is commercial or transformative), the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount and substantiality of the portion used, and the effect on the potential market for the original.The other options mix in terms such as 'only for educational purpose', 'duplication', 'repurposing' and 'judicial use', which are not the four statutory factors.

Q: Identify the correct statement :

The correct statement is Slander is Intangible.Defamation takes two forms. Slander is defamation in a transient form, usually spoken words or gestures, while libel is defamation in a permanent, tangible form such as print, writing, pictures or broadcast.So slander is not tangible. 'Liable to libel' confuses the two forms, and slander is not harmless: it is actionable when it damages reputation.

Q: What is 'Certification' in the context of media laws ?

The key describes a certification mark as a specific quality standard that the company met.Under trade mark law, a certification mark (such as ISI, Agmark or the Woolmark) certifies that goods or services meet a defined standard of quality, material, origin or method of manufacture, as tested by the owner of the mark.Distinguishing goods by packaging or label is trade dress, a mark representing the services a business deals in is a service mark, and marks sharing a common syllable, prefix or suffix form a family of marks.

Q: Identify the incorrect pair :

The incorrect pair is IPC Sec 508 - Blasphemy.Section 508 of the Indian Penal Code punished an act caused by making a person believe he will become an object of divine displeasure. Offences against religion, the nearest Indian equivalent of blasphemy, were in Chapter XV, notably Section 295A (deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings).The other pairs are right: Section 500 punished defamation, 506 criminal intimidation, and 509 words, gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman. The IPC was replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita from 1 July 2024, but the question uses the IPC numbers.

Q: The provisions about the concept of freedom of expression are laid out in which of the following article of the Constitution of India ?

Freedom of expression is in Article 19(1)(a).Article 19(1)(a) guarantees all citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression, which the Supreme Court has held includes freedom of the press. Reasonable restrictions on it are allowed under Article 19(2).Article 19(1)(c) guarantees the right to form associations or unions. Article 40 is a Directive Principle on organising village panchayats, and Article 35 concerns legislation to give effect to certain fundamental rights.

61.

In the context of media ethics, an investigative journalist can report a story based on :

A.Hearsay
B.Facts investigated and verified by him/herself
C.Opinions or work of others
D.Fictional events

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: B

The story should rest on facts investigated and verified by him/herself.

Investigative journalism is defined by original reporting: the journalist gathers documents, records and testimony, cross-checks them, and can stand behind every claim. Codes such as the Press Council of India's Norms of Journalistic Conduct require accuracy and verification before publication.

Hearsay is unverified, relying on others' opinions or work is not original investigation, and fictional events have no place in news reporting.

Discuss in Forum

62.

The following is an example of Cyber-crime :

A.Buying expired products
B.Emailing
C.Phishing
D.Playing computer games

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: C

The example of cyber-crime is Phishing.

Phishing uses fraudulent emails, messages or websites that imitate a trusted bank, company or person to trick victims into giving passwords, card numbers or one-time passwords. In India it is punishable under provisions such as Sections 66C (identity theft) and 66D (cheating by personation) of the IT Act.

Buying expired products may be a consumer issue, but it is not cyber-crime. Emailing and playing computer games are ordinary lawful uses of a computer.

Discuss in Forum

63.

Identify the 4 factors used under 'fair use' in the context of media laws & ethics :

A.Purpose and Character, Nature of Original vs new content, effect on market, amount of content used
B.reasonable use, only for educational purpose, commercial market and duplication
C.Nature of originals, old content for new designs and repurposing
D.Amount of content used, repurposing the old content, Judicial use and new designs

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: A

The four factors are purpose and character, nature of the original work, effect on the market, and amount of content used.

Section 107 of the US Copyright Act sets out the fair use test: the purpose and character of the use (including whether it is commercial or transformative), the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount and substantiality of the portion used, and the effect on the potential market for the original.

The other options mix in terms such as 'only for educational purpose', 'duplication', 'repurposing' and 'judicial use', which are not the four statutory factors.

Discuss in Forum

64.

Identify the correct statement :

A.Slander is Intangible
B.Slander is Tangible
C.Slander is Liable to Libel
D.Slander is a harmless

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: A

The correct statement is Slander is Intangible.

Defamation takes two forms. Slander is defamation in a transient form, usually spoken words or gestures, while libel is defamation in a permanent, tangible form such as print, writing, pictures or broadcast.

So slander is not tangible. 'Liable to libel' confuses the two forms, and slander is not harmless: it is actionable when it damages reputation.

Discuss in Forum

65.

What is 'Certification' in the context of media laws ?

A.Categorized in Trade Dress or label or product can be distinguished based on its packaging
B.Represent the service which a company or business deals in
C.Specific quality standard that the company met in a financial year
D.Which has a common syllable, prefix or suffix

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: B

The key describes a certification mark as a specific quality standard that the company met.

Under trade mark law, a certification mark (such as ISI, Agmark or the Woolmark) certifies that goods or services meet a defined standard of quality, material, origin or method of manufacture, as tested by the owner of the mark.

Distinguishing goods by packaging or label is trade dress, a mark representing the services a business deals in is a service mark, and marks sharing a common syllable, prefix or suffix form a family of marks.

Discuss in Forum

66.

Identify the incorrect pair :

A.IPC Sec 500 - Defamation
B.IPC Sec 508 - Blasphemy
C.IPC Sec 506 - Criminal intimidation
D.IPC Sec 509 - Insulting Modesty

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: B

The incorrect pair is IPC Sec 508 - Blasphemy.

Section 508 of the Indian Penal Code punished an act caused by making a person believe he will become an object of divine displeasure. Offences against religion, the nearest Indian equivalent of blasphemy, were in Chapter XV, notably Section 295A (deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings).

The other pairs are right: Section 500 punished defamation, 506 criminal intimidation, and 509 words, gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman. The IPC was replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita from 1 July 2024, but the question uses the IPC numbers.

Discuss in Forum

67.

The provisions about the concept of freedom of expression are laid out in which of the following article of the Constitution of India ?

A.Article 35(a)
B.Article 40
C.Article 19(1)(a)
D.Article 19(1)(c)

Exam Year(s)

MH SET - 2025, SET Exam - 2025,

Answer: C

Freedom of expression is in Article 19(1)(a).

Article 19(1)(a) guarantees all citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression, which the Supreme Court has held includes freedom of the press. Reasonable restrictions on it are allowed under Article 19(2).

Article 19(1)(c) guarantees the right to form associations or unions. Article 40 is a Directive Principle on organising village panchayats, and Article 35 concerns legislation to give effect to certain fundamental rights.

Discuss in Forum

68.

In Britain, the Press Council was replaced by

A.the Royal Press Commission
B.the Media Complaints Commission
C.the News Council
D.the Media Ombudsman

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: B

The keyed answer is the Media Complaints Commission. In the options, it is the body that took the place of the Press Council in Britain, which was replaced in 1991 by a self-regulatory complaints body (the printed name differs slightly from the Press Complaints Commission).

The Royal Press Commission was an inquiry body, not a successor to the Council, the News Council is an American model, and the Media Ombudsman is a single official, so these do not fit as well as option B.

Discuss in Forum

69.

The Second Press Commission of India recommended the establishment of

A.Press Council of India
B.National Media Training Institute
C.Newspaper Development Corporation
D.Media Competition Commission

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: C

The keyed answer is the Newspaper Development Corporation. The Second Press Commission (1978-82, under Justice K.K. Mathew and then P. Rajadhyaksha) made recommendations about the economic position of the press, including a body to help newspapers with newsprint and finance.

The Press Council of India had already been set up in 1966 on the recommendation of the First Press Commission, so option A is wrong. The other two options are not the keyed recommendation.

Discuss in Forum

70.

The first amendment to Article 19(1)

(a) of the Indian Constitution was mainly aimed to include ______ as a cause for reasonable restriction.

A.Public order
B.Censorship
C.Newspaper registration
D.Licensing printing press

Exam Year(s)

UGC NET - 2012,

Answer: A

The First Amendment (1951) to Article 19(1)(a) added 'public order' (along with friendly relations with foreign States and incitement to an offence) as grounds for reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech and expression.

Censorship, newspaper registration and the licensing of printing presses are not the grounds added; in fact the Supreme Court in Romesh Thappar and Brij Bhushan (1950) had struck down measures of pre-censorship, which led to the amendment.

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