In a major sop for the media sector, the Indian government has decided to revise the rates of advertisements it releases by 26 percent, apart from introducing premium category for coloured ads as per recommendations made by a committee set up to review the structure.

According to an official statement from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), the media rates for print media per sq.cm. for one lakh (100,000) copies of dailies in the black and white category have been enhanced from Rs. 47.40 to Rs. 59.68, an increase of 26 percent.

The government also agreed to the recommendations of a committee relating to premium rates to be offered for colour advertisements and preferential positioning.

The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) is a nodal media unit under MIB that undertakes publicity campaigns on behalf of various Ministries/Departments of the Government of India in various media vehicles, including print media empanelled with CBC for this purpose.

The rates for release of advertisements in print media by CBC were last revised by the government on the basis of the recommendations of the 8th Rate Structure Committee (RSC) in January 2019, which were valid for a period of three years.

The 9th Rate Structure Committee, under the chairmanship of a senior MIB official, was constituted on November 11, 2021 for making recommendations regarding revision in rates for government advertisements in print media.

The committee during its proceedings considered representations from various newspaper associations of small, medium and big category newspapers like the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), All India Small Newspapers Association (AISNA), Small-Medium-Big Newspapers Society (SMBNS) and other stakeholders. The Committee also deliberated on the various parameters having an impact on the rates of advertisements in print media — such as wholesale price index inflation in respect of newsprint, wage, rate of inflation, trend of imported newsprint prices, processing cost, etc.

The statement observed that higher rates for government advertisements will provide essential revenue support to print media, especially in an era of competition from various other media platforms and in view of the escalation in cost in the last few years.

By boosting financial stability, print media can invest in better content, thereby serving the public interest more effectively, it added