Staff REPORTER
Itanagar, May 14: The Arunachal Electronic and Digital Media Association (AEDMA) has urged all state government departments to strictly adhere to the rules and guidelines of the Arunachal Pradesh Print and Digital Advertisement Policy, 2025.
Addressing reporters here on Thursday, AEDMA president JT Tagam said the policy, initially notified as the Arunachal Pradesh Electronic Media Advertisement Policy, 2020, was first introduced through a Gazette Notification on August 4, 2020. The policy was later amended and re-notified in a unified format as the Arunachal Pradesh Print and Digital Advertisement Policy, 2025 on November 6, 2025 following Cabinet approval.
However, Tagam alleged that despite six years since the initial notification, implementation of the policy on the ground remains inadequate due to lack of awareness among departments and unwillingness to comply with the prescribed guidelines.
Highlighting the present scenario, he claimed that only around five per cent implementation of the policy has been achieved so far. According to him, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (IPR) is presently the only department complying with the policy by periodically issuing government advertisements to the five empanelled digital media houses.
He alleged that no other government department is routing advertisements for electronic and digital media through the IPR Department, which has been designated as the nodal agency for issuing government advertisements to media organisations.
Tagam further claimed that despite repeated appeals, several departments continue to independently manage advertisements and arbitrarily select media houses for publicity works.
Expressing concern, he alleged that a substantial portion of government advertisement funds are being diverted to national television channels and publications while bypassing local empanelled digital media houses.
The AEDMA president also alleged that media organisations having links with ministers and bureaucrats are disproportionately receiving advertisement and promotional works, which, according to him, undermines the spirit and purpose of the policy. He termed such practices unethical and warned that they could set a wrong precedent for the future of the media industry in the state.
Tagam further appealed to the government to re-verify organisations allegedly receiving advertisement-related funds despite having no direct connection with media or advertisement activities.
The association also pointed out non-utilisation of funds earmarked for local media advertisements due to the shortage of IEC materials with the IPR Department.
Referring to the recent circular issued by the IPR Directorate regarding streamlining of Govt advertisements, AEDMA appealed to all Govt departments, boards and state Govt-funded programmes to comply with the advertisement policy. It said that proper implementation of the policy would significantly contribute towards strengthening and sustaining the media industry in Arunachal Pradesh.