The recent contradictory statements from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah regarding newspaper empanelment have exposed glaring inconsistencies in Jammu & Kashmir’s media governance. While initially acknowledging that many newspapers have waited eight to ten years for empanelment, he later dismissed the region as having “too many newspapers,” some allegedly spreading “fake news.” This about-face raises serious questions about either the administration’s grasp of ground realities or deeper systemic issues in media regulation.
With approximately 1,000 to 1,200 registered newspapers, Jammu & Kashmir’s media landscape is modest compared to states like Uttar Pradesh (25,000 newspapers) or Maharashtra (20,000). Yet, the empanelment process for government advertisements – a critical revenue stream for credible journalism – remains mired in opacity. While larger states have established relatively transparent systems, J&K’s Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) continues to operate without clear, fair mechanisms, leaving genuine publications in limbo while questions about favoritism persist.
The path forward demands urgent action. First, a comprehensive audit of empanelment decisions and advertisement allocations over the past five years is essential to identify irregularities. Second, the archaic manual system must be replaced with a digitized, real-time process using verifiable circulation data – a standard practice in states like Delhi (15,000 newspapers) and West Bengal (10,000-12,000). Third, clear, publicly available criteria must distinguish between legitimate publications and those allegedly exploiting the system.
This issue transcends media economics – it’s about democratic accountability. When states with exponentially larger media ecosystems can maintain greater transparency, Jammu & Kashmir’s 1,000-1,200 publications deserve a system that values journalistic merit over political connections. The Chief Minister’s mixed messages only underscore the need for decisive reform to restore credibility to the empanelment process. The time for transparent, equitable media governance in J&K is now.
