Srinagar, August 01, KDC: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has drafted a new media policy, which marks a significant departure from the stringent, monitoring, 2020 media framework launched after the cancellation of Article 370.
According to a report by The Times of IndiaDraft Media Policy 2025 aims to expand digital engagement, increase the press independence and open the door for more government advertising space on verified online platforms.
The proposed policy, which is expected to be released for public response soon, formally recognizes digital media platforms and social media channels for government advertising – a step that focuses from the earlier system that focuses a lot of focus on material veating and narrative control.
Officials told times of India The new draft is designed to modernize the government’s communication strategy, especially targeting youth who mainly consume news through online platforms. A dedicated section of the draft, titled “Jammu and Kashmir Digital Media Advertisement Policy,”, “,,” describes specific eligibility criteria for digital institutions seeking government advertisements.
According to the draft, digital platforms would have worked for at least three years and maintained active, verified accounts on platforms such as Facebook, X (East Twitter), Instagram or YouTube. Applicants are also required to submit analytics data, proof of operation in Jammu and Kashmir and submission of two years of income tax returns.
For private FM radio stations, the criteria include at least six months of commercial broadcasting, with a minimum 16 -hour daily programming. Community radio stations should perform three months of continuous operation with a daily broadcast of at least two hours.
Print media outlets will also have to complete the revised circulation threshold – minimum 3,000 copies for dieties and 5,000 for monthly publications.
Importantly, the new policy also opens up opportunities for student engagement, allowing college and university students to contribute to forming official material through competitive selection in video production.
To broaden outreach and cultural engagement, policy proposes financial and institutional support for traditional and performing arts including folk music, puppet, street play, opera and regional dance functions – all are used as a means of promoting government schemes and spreading public service messages.
The draft policy claims that the government is committed to preserving press autonomy as a “fundamental column of democratic rule”. This emphasizes the role of media in transparency, accountability and promoting civil engagement.
“By protecting media autonomy, the government ensures public access to accurate, time and reliable information, which is important for strong civil participation and preservation of democratic principles,” it is said in policy. times of India,
This is a clear break from the 2020 media policy, which strongly criticized political parties, media groups and rights organizations. That policy examined the background for editors, publishers and reporters, which precedes the empire and widely provides powers to monitor the material for “fake news,” “anti -national activities,” or “immoral journalism”.
The 2020 structure described Jammu and Kashmir as a region as a “important law and order and safety views”, justifying the tight media control to combat the “Proxy War” stories. The new draft, however, takes a more open and growth-oriented approach, while still aligns media engagement with responsible journalism.
While the draft remains to be finalized, media stakeholders hope that this policy can mark a significant turn in Jammu and Kashmir to restore more and more press independence and digital equality. (KDC)