New MIB guidelines in place for Print ad eligibility; to come into force from Aug 1

The MIB Bureau of Outreach and Communication has come up with a Print Media Advertisement Policy that will be effective from August 1.

The guidelines state that all Ministries or Departments of the Government of India, Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous Bodies and Societies, Central Universities, Educational Institutions of Government of India shall route their display advertisements, through BOC. However, they may issue classified advertisements (e.g. tender notices, auction notices, recruitment advertisements, etc.) directly to the BOC empanelled publications at BOC rates and may publish their recruitment advertisements directly in the Employment News at BOC rates.

It further states that there shall be a Panel Advisory Committee (PAC) for considering applications of publications for empanelment for receiving government advertisements.

The guidelines state certain eligibility criteria for a publication. Some of them being: The publication must have been uninterruptedly and regularly under publication for a period of not less than 36 months. House periodicals, souvenirs, annual periodicals, bi-monthlies, quarterlies and second edition of any periodical will not be empanelled. The compulsory uninterrupted and regular publication period of 36 months may be relaxed to 6 months for some categories.

The publication also needs to maintain a reasonable standard.

Fresh applications for empanelment may be made twice a year, once during February and during August.

These applications will be considered by the Panel Advisory Committee (PAC), the meetings of which shall be held twice a year.

The rate structure for advertisements against advertisements released by BOC will be worked out as per recommendations of the Rate Structure Committee. The rates will be related to certified circulation of a publication. The rates for advertisements by Maharatna and Navratna Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) will be 1.5 times the normal BOC rates. The rates will be valid for 3 years from the date of revision.

The guidelines also state: In order to incentivise newspapers which get their circulation verified by ABC/RNI and those who have better professional standing and to bring transparency and accountability in the release of advertisements, BOC shall follow a marking system based on objective criteria and release advertisements to the medium and big category newspapers on the basis of marks obtained by each newspaper.