Govt's new print media advertising policy makes significant changes to its existing policy on newspapers ads. It is now mandatory for all newspapers with a circulation of 25k & above to have their figures certified by RNI/ABC.

This rule was earlier limited to newspapers with a circulation of 45k or above.

According to officials the lowering from 45000 to 25000 is to ensure that those above the threshold have their circulation numbets verified through a more rigorous procedure  (RNI/ABC) than those below it (only certificate from auditor/CA required).

But this also means that now more number of papers have to go through the RNI/ABC process. While this is being shown as a compliance management issue to check wrong reporting of circulation figures, it also means more checks for newspapers before renewals for them to get Govt ads

The I&B ministry has also increased the window for renewals for newspapers to submit their circulation numbers (that change every year) by three months, thereby giving the govt more time to carry out the verification process.

New policy allows PSUs - only navratnas & maharatnas to advertise on subsidised rates, 1.5 times more than govt rates. PSUs generally advertise on big newspapers, pay commercial rates that are often 5 times more than govt's.This will likely impact ad revenues of big newspapers.

This on PSUs

Another important change is the categorization by space. The focus undoubtedly is on hindi & regional newspapers with them allotted 80 percent.

Clearly the govt is restructuring its official advertising ways, with more focus on digital campaigns & field publicity. In may for the first time it came up with a formal policy to advertise directly on social media. Our report @gauravl_ET https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/government-plans-to-advertise-on-social-media-platforms-comes-with-policy-guidelines/amp_articleshow/75721305.cms