News Agencies Registration in India

The registration of newspapers in India is regulated by the Press and Books Registration Act, of 1867. Under the act, the Registrar of Newspaper for India (RNI) provide a license to news agencies and many benefits such as legal recognition, credibility, security of the title, and access to different government schemes. Below is a complete guide to the news agency registration under RNI. The eligibility, documents and process are mentioned.

What is News Channel Registration?

To create a newspaper agency, periodical or printed publication in India. It is important for owners to obtain an RNI (Registrar of Newspaper for India) license. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting control the Registrar of Newspaper for India under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.

However, the importance of registering a newspaper with RNI is not properly mentioned but the Section PRB Act, 1867 states that any newspaper published in India must be under the rules of the Act. Sharing a copy of each published newspaper/periodical with the press registrar is mandatory under Section 11B of the Act. Similarly, registering a newspaper is a must with RNI in the country. The RNI also protects the title of a newspaper from being misused.

Permission for setting up a News Agency

Getting this permission to set up your own New Agency involves:

• Permission for setting up of uplinking Hubs/ Teleports
• Permission for uplinking A news and Current Affairs TV channel
• Permission for uplinking by Indian News Agency
• Permission to use SNG or DNG Equipments in C Band and KU Band

Depending on the nature of your business and the resources you possess, you must obtain a combination of the above.

Eligibility Criteria to obtain News Agencies Registration in India

Online News Channel Registration in India

Every News Agency registration applicant must fulfill the following criteria before filing the registration application:

Permission for setting up uplinking hubs

• The applicant must be a company incorporated as per the Companies Act of 2013
• The applicant company must have a minimum net worth of INR 3 Crore. 

Permission to uplink a News and Current Affairs TV channel

• The applicant should be a company incorporated under the Companies Act of 2013.
• The applicant company must have a minimum net worth of INR 20 Crore. 

Permission if you're proposed Agency is Indian

• The applicant should be a company incorporated under the Companies Act of 2013.
• The applicant company should be accredited by Press Information Bureau (PIB).
• The applicant company should be 100% owned by Indians, with Indian Management Control. 

Documents Required for News Agency Registration in India

The applicant must submit the following document along with the digital news channel registration application:

• Copy of the title verification letter issued by RNI.
• Declaration (Form-1) filed by the Publisher and duly authenticated by DM/DC/SDM/JCP/CMM. A printer is also required to file a declaration, in case the publisher and the printer are different. 
• A written agreement between the owner of a periodical and keeper of the printing press for printing the periodical, bearing signatures & designation of both parties. 
• A copy of the first issue brought out after authentication of declaration by DM/DC/SDM/JCP/CMM. The following points are mandatory for a publisher to ensure:
  • The first issue is brought out within 42 days w.e.f. the date of authentication of declaration, in the case of a newspaper to be published once a week or oftener; and within 90 days, in the case of any other newspaper/periodical. 
  • The first issue had Volume 1, Issue 1 prominently printed on its front cover. 
  • The issue carries a printed title, page numbers and the date/month/year of its publication. 
  • The title/masthead is displayed in uniform font/letter size. Variation, if any, should not exceed 25%. 
  • The published newspaper/periodical contains public news, views or comments. 
  • The newspaper/periodical is published only in the language(s) verified by RNI. 
  • Use of symbols, graphics, emoticons, etc. in place of a syllable/letter of a title is avoided.
  • Only the term ‘Editor’ is used and other terms/nomenclatures like Editor-in-Chief, Chief Editor, Sub Editor, Resident Editor, etc. are avoided in the imprint line.
• An authorization in writing from the owner(s), authorizing an individual (by name) to make and subscribe declaration as publisher/printer. In case, the publisher or printer making a declaration is not the owner thereof.

Process of Registering News Agencies in India

The following are the steps to complete the registration of news agencies in India:

1. Log onto the RNI official website.
2. Read guidelines for title verification under “RNI Guidelines”.
3. For the online news channel registration option, click on the link of the title application on the home page.
4. Fill in all the mandatory fields submit the application and take a printout of the duly filled-in application. The print code is generated, for reprinting the application if necessary.
5. Submit the application to the forwarding authority for news portal registration concerned and DCP will be the sole forwarding authority in the Delhi region.
6. The application will be forwarded to RNI by the authority concerned with the proper name, signature and seal of the forwarding authority. So, in the news portal registration process, the application needs to send a hard copy duly forwarded by the authority concerned. However, the applicant is advised to keep a copy of the application duly signed and forwarded by the authority to RNI for future reference.
7. Once RNI receives the hard copy of the application, the applicant will be intimated the receipt of the application through an RNI reference number on their mobile number and e-mail.
8. The applicant should save the RNI reference number for any future inquiry.
9. The applicant can check the status of the application on the RNI website by either providing the DM number given by the forwarding authority or the RNI reference number.
10. The applicant can also download the Title Verification Letter/Title non-approval Letter/Discrepancy Letter from the RNI official website.
11. Once the title is verified, the applicant should get the title registered within one year from the date of verification, to prevent de-blocking/cancellation of the title.
12. The ownership of the title is non-transferable before registration.

Guidelines for News Portal Registration 

The following are the guidelines for the verification of the publication title and the authentication of the title.

Step 1: Verification of Title

The first and most important step is to choose a title for registration, this is done to avoid any conflict with the publication title in future. The District Magistrate (DM) verify the details and then provide approval. In the application following details must be included: 

• Name of the newspaper
• Name of the owner
• Language of the circulation
• Periodicity
• Area of the publication

Submit the information to the DM and then the DM will forward the approval to RNI. After this the letter of title verification will be sent by the RNI to DM or the publisher. So, the title verification process can be submitted online news channel registration.

Step 2: Authentication of Declaration

• After downloading the verification letter from the official website of RNI, the same must be submitted to the concerned authority with the properly filled declaration (form-1) for authentication.
• Separate declaration from both if the publisher and printer are two different persons. Declaration from both the district if the place of publication and printing press are based in different districts.
• The declaration must be filed from the side of the publisher from the place of publication. Similarly, the printer should file the declaration from the district of the printing press.

Step 3: Publication of Volume/Year-1 Issue-1

• The volume/year-1 issue-1 must be brought within 42 days of authentication of declaration. In case the periodicity is daily or weekly. This is stated under the section 5 (5) of PRB Act 1867.
• If periodicity is fortnightly or above, then it must be filed within 90 days of authentication of declaration.
• If the place of publication and printing press are in different districts, then the date of authentication of the place of publication declaration filed by the publisher will be considered for calculating 42/90 days for the beginning of volume-1 issue-1.
• The publication should be printed in the press mentioned in the declaration.
• The publication should primarily contain news/views/articles etc. In case of bilingual/multilingual publications, news/views/articles etc should be brought out in all the languages of the publication.

How Can We Help You Establish a News Agency in India?

In news agency registration with RNI, it is important to get help from experts. We at Registrationwala provide consultation to clients based on their needs.

• Fill out your application form and collect documents.
• Help you meet the mandatory requirements.
• Conduct a follow-up with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

For further details about RNI registration reach out to our experts.

FAQs

Q1. What is the News Channel registration fees in India?

A. To know the News Channel opening cost in India, connect with Registrationwala’s registration experts.

Q2. How to discontinue/cease publication of a newspaper/periodical?

A. File form 1 before the DM, clearly specifies the reason to permanently cease publication of newspaper/periodical. The RNI certificate must be surrendered in original. This application must be carried forward with the concern of the DM.

Q3. What is the validity of RNI?

A. Once you get the RNI certificate, there is no need for renewal. The RNI certificate is valid for a lifetime, until there is a need to change the registration details, the publisher needs to apply for revised registration.

Q4. What to do after a title is unblocked?

A. A fresh application for verification should be submitted through the authenticating authority. 

Q5. How to availability of the title available?

A. Check the list of verified titles from the official website. The applicant is advised to search for a part of a title such as a short word instead of using the complete title for better results.

Q6. How to apply for verification of a new title?

A. The applicant must file an application form online and submit it. The printout of the same must be submitted to the office of Authenticating Authority by putting the stamp/seal or signature. 

Q7. What are the steps included in registering a newspaper?

A. The news channel registration of the newspaper includes 2 steps:

1. Verification of title, and
2. Registration of title

Q8. How to register social media news channel registration?

A. The process of online social media registration in India is as follows:

• Application filing.
• Paying the news channel registration fees.
• Get a consultation from experts. 
• Obtain the registration certificate.