Necessary guidance for all India level newspaper registration

There was a time when people were illiterate. But with the changing time, people started giving importance to EDUCATION. The introduction of newspapers in India was actually the result of spreading sense globalization amongst the countrymen.

The newspaper has been a part of our daily life for several centuries. They have been away for the public to be informed of important events that are occurring around the world.

No doubt newspapers have undergone dramatic changes over the course of history. While the method of delivery is changing, the newspaper and the industry still has a niche in the world.

“The window to the world can be covered by a newspaper.” Stanislaw Jerzy Lec.

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Starting a newspaper agency and getting a certificate to start the same is as easy as thinking about it. Once has to follow the below steps to get this done:

Step 1:

Verification of Title

Application for the verification of title shall be forwarded through the concerned authority (DM/DC/SDM/DCP/JCP/CMM etc.) to RNI office.

1. The application for verification of title must have the following Information to start with:

Atleast 5 title options along with English meaning of titles

Language of publication- Language in which proposed publication is to be printed i.e, single language or multi language

2. Periodicity of publication- Periodicity of proposed publication i.e., daily, forth nightly , daily evening weekly, monthly, half yearly, annually etc.

3. Owner’s name

4. Place of publication, and

5. Address, contact number, E-mail address of Applicant

6. Recent Passport Size Photograph of The Applicant

7. Complete Address of Place of publication

8. Self attested copy of Pan Card/Voters Identity Card/Aadhar Card/Passport as Photo I.D. Proof of applicant.

Following word are restricted to be used for title option:

1. Book

2. Channel

3. Gazette

4. Abbreviations of words

5. Names of Prominent National Leaders

6. Heads of the Government functionary

7. Name same or similar to any national emblem

8. Words sounding absurd or meaningless

9. Religious overtones

OPTION 1: All the above-mentioned documents can be submitted to District Magistrate. The DM after verifying the applicant will forward the same to the RNI, who in turn will check the availability of the title.

The registrar will notify the District Magistrate and publisher about the availability of the title by issuing a letter of title verification.

Subsequently, the publisher has to file a declaration with the District Magistrate in the prescribed format to start publishing the newspaper.

The application for registration will be submitted to the RNI along with an attested copy of title verification, a copy of the declaration, the first issue of the newspaper and a ‘No Foreign Tie-up’ affidavit- duly attested by a Notary.

OPTION 2: Since this is an era of technology, an online application for approval of tile can be made after arranging all documents at http://rnititle.nic.in/.

Step 2:

Authentication Declaration:

Verification letter from RNI should be presented to forwarding authority concerned (DM/DC/SDM/DCP/JCP/CMM etc.) along with properly filled declaration with the below mention documents.

1. 4 Copies of form B.

2. 1 photo and 3 specimen signature.

3. Copy of printing press declaration.

4. Copy of title issued from RNI.

5. Copy of resolution in case of owner being a firm/Company/Society.

6. Income Proof.

7. Residential proof.

8. Copy of appointment letter of Publisher/Printer in case the applicant is not publisher/Printer.

9. Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum/Articles of the Company and in the case of Proprietorship- the registration certificate issued under Shops and Establishment Act and in the case of Partnership- Partnership Deed in case of the application made in the name of the entity.

10. PAN of the organization in the case of application being made in the name of the entity.

11. List of Promoters/Directors/Partners in the case of application being made in the name of the entity.

12. Board resolution in case of Company in the case of application being made in the name of the entity.

13. ID and Address proof of Partners/Directors/Proprietor in case of application made in the name of the entity.

Step 3:

Publication of Volume/Year-1/Issue-1:

1. If periodicity of publication is daily or weekly, publication of volume should be printed within 45 days of authentication of a declaration. In case of other periodicities, publication of volume should be brought out within 90 days of authentication of the declaration.

2. The publication should only be printed in the press mentioned in the declaration and should primarily contain news/views/articles etc.

3. The title, page number, and date/month/year of publication should be displayed on each page.

4. Name and address of the printing press.

Step 4:

Submission Of Documents To RNI for final Registration:

Following documents should be submitted to RNI office along with the application for final Registration:

1. Copy of the Title Verification Letter

2. Declaration duly authenticated by department concerned i.e, (DM/DC/SDM/DCP/JCP/CMM etc.)

3. Copy of agreement with the printing press.

4. An Affidavit duly signed by Publisher in case there is no foreign tie-up.

5. Copy of first and latest issue of the newspaper published.

6. Certificate authorizing the appointment of the printer.

Once the office of RNI is satisfied, they will issue an RNI Certificate.

There are few formalities which one needs to keep in mind after getting the registration.

Formalities after Registration

 Whenever newspaper is published/printed a copy of the same should be delivered to RNI.

 The 1st issue after the last day of Feb should contain the Form No. IV duly filled ( it is regarding the ownership and other particulars of the newspaper)

 It is compulsory to submit an annual statement in form II on or before last day of May every year. In the case of the daily newspaper, an additional form AR-R may also be submitted with form II.

 A copy of every printed edition should usually be submitted on quarterly basis to RNI, Delhi.

“I read about eight newspapers in a day. When I'm in a town with only one newspaper, I read it eight times. - Will Rogers”

• 1. 4 COPIES OF B FORM

• 2. 1 PHOTO AND 3 SPECIMEN SIGNATURE ATTESTED BY GOS.

• 3. COPY OF PRINTING PRESS DECLARATION ATTESTED BY GOS.

• 4. COPY OF TITLE ISSUED FROM RNI ATTESTED BY GOS.

• 5. AFFIDAVIT (AS PER SPECIMEN) ATTESTED BY NOTARY.

• 6. COPY OF RESOLUTION IN CASE OF OWNER IS FIRM/COMPANY/SOCIETY.

• 7. INCOME PROOF ATTESTED BY GOS.

• 8. RESIDENTIAL PROOF ATTESTED BY GOS.

• 9. COPY OF APPOINTMENT LETTER OF PUBLISHER/PRINTER IN CASE THE OWNER IS NOT PUBLISHER/PRINTER

• 10. TEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF APPLICANT

• 11. ID AND ADDRESS PROOF OF APPLICANT

• 12. ID AND ADDRESS PROOF OF PRINTER

• 13. ID AND ADDRESS PROOF OF EDITOR

• 14. DETAILS OF PROPOSED FINANCIAL INVESTMENT IN THE NEWSPAPER/ MAGAZINE

• 15. PERIODICITY OF THE PUBLICATION

• 16. REQUIRED TEN NAME OF NEWSPAPER

• 17. LANGUAGE OF PUBLICATION 

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