In a significant move aimed at reviving India’s traditional media landscape, the Union government has decided to increase advertisement rates for print publications by 27 percent after the completion of the Bihar Assembly Elections. The announcement, made by a senior Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry official, is part of a broader plan to strengthen the livelihood of media professionals and promote conventional media platforms amid rapid digital transformation.

“There are a lot of changes taking place in conventional media. To protect livelihoods and encourage growth, we are introducing reforms across print, television, and the film sector. After the end of the Model Code of Conduct in Bihar, we will notify a 27 percent increase in print media advertisement rates,” the official said. The revision marks the first upward adjustment since 2019, when rates were raised by 25 percent; before that, they were last revised in 2013 with a 19 percent hike.

The increase is expected to benefit small and medium newspapers the most, particularly regional and vernacular publications that rely heavily on government advertising to sustain operations. Industry experts have welcomed the move as a timely intervention to help media outlets struggling with shrinking ad revenue and rising operational costs.

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Meanwhile, the government is also preparing to revamp television advertisement policies and overhauling the Television Rating Point (TRP) system. As part of the reforms, the I&B Ministry will soon release a second consultation paper inviting public and stakeholder feedback on proposed changes to the 2014 Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies. The reforms aim to end the monopoly of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) by opening the ecosystem to multiple agencies, enabling fair competition and more transparent audience measurement.

Officials say the twin initiatives — the print ad rate hike and TRP reforms — highlight the Centre’s comprehensive approach to modernising India’s media ecosystem. By balancing financial relief for legacy outlets with data-driven upgrades for broadcasters, the government hopes to ensure that both print and television remain sustainable and relevant in a digital-first era.

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