| Laws relating to Entertainment & Media in India |
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| Being a democracy, India has a relatively free press. However the freedom of the press is subject to reasonable restrictions as stipulated in the Constitution. Prior to the era of globalization the media was wholly controlled by the Government, and thus theoretically the views expressed by mass media were conditioned by the Government itself. However after globalization and privatization of the media the scenario has been very different. |
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| The enactments that control the dealings of the Print Media are as follows: |
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| The Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 – The Act regulates the dealings of the print media. The Act stipulates the registration of all printing presses. |
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| The Press (Objectionable Matters) Act, 1951 - This enactment provides against the printing of objectionable matters including matters which may provoke a crime. |
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| The Newspaper (Prices and Pages) Act, 1956 – This statute regulates the price, space for advertising and the number of pages that a newspaper may consist of. |
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| Delivery of Books and Newspapers (Public Libraries) Act, 1954 – This statute stipulates that all newspapers must provide free of cost, copies of newspapers to select public libraries. The Act also extends to Publishers of books. |
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| The Working Journalists and other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955 - This act sets out the minimum standards of service conditions for journalists and other employees of a Newspaper. |
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| Civil Defence Act, 1968 – This act stipulates that matters which are prejudicial to Civil Defence contained in any book or newspaper would be banned. |
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| The enactments that control the Film Media in India are as follows: |
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| The Cinematograph Act, 1952 – This Act lays down regulations with regard to certification films Under this act a Central Board of Film Certification has been set up to examine each film and certify whether it is fit for public exhibition. |
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| The Copyright Act, 1957 – ‘copyright’ means the exclusive right to commercially exploit the original literary, dramatic, artistic, musical work, sound recordings or cinematographic films as per the requirements of the owner of copyright subject to the limits imposed in the Act. This Act lays down the infringements of copyright inter alia cinematograph films |
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| Cine Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1981 – This Act provides safeguards to those employed in the industry by imposing certain obligations on motion picture producers and theatre owners concerning the former’s condition of service. |
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| The Bombay Police Act, 1951 – The police are authorized to regulate the exhibition of any film in the State of Maharashtra. the former’s condition of service. |
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| Bombay Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1953 – It provides a scheme for state licensing of cinema theatres and other places where motion pictures are exhibited |
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| The Bombay Entertainments Duty Act, 1923 – It levies taxes on the public exhibition of motion pictures. |
