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Policy for Release of Advertisement by Govt Department

Information and Cultural Affairs, 👁️ 149

 Policy for releasing of all Advertisements in Print & Electronic Media from all Government departments (including Corporations, Public Sector Undertakings) by I&CA Department.

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION & CULTURAL AFFAIRS
NABANNA/ H.R.B.C. BUILDINGS (9TH FLOOR)
325, SARAT CHATTERJEE ROAD
SIBPUR/ HOWRAH-711 102

No. 1464/Pr.S/ICA/17 Dated, the 10th March, 2017

ORDER

Sub: Policy for releasing of all Advertisements in Print & Electronic Media from all Government departments (including Corporations, Public Sector Undertakings) by I&CA Department.

It has been earlier decided by the highest authority that advertisements in the media issued by any Government Department will be routed through I&CA Department for release. After such release, bills raised by media houses are sent to respective departments for payment from their respective budgets. This instruction was communicated by Chief Secretary vide No. 60(61)-CS/2014 dated 28.05.2014, after concurrence of HCM.

It has lately been observed that some advertisements are still released directly by Departments/ agencies/ corporations/ autonomous bodies.

It is therefore necessary to bring the entire scope of work within one consolidated process, so that the following objectives for all Government advertisements/ publicity materials are achieved:

a) uniformity leading to
b) greater recall value
c) cost saving from better bargaining by Government.
d) uniformity in publication cost
e) leading to transparency, and
f) single-point monitoring (through a special cell) of all information and publicity materials disseminated by all Deptts. of the GoWB.

It is therefore decided that henceforth all Government advertisements, for all Departments/ Corporation/ PSUs, will be designed by them and sent to I&CA Department for a single-window release, directly by this Department.

However, advertisements of all Municipal Corporations and Municipalities may be kept out of the ambit of this procedure.

The procedure under this policy will be as follows:-

  1. The concerned Department will prepare and send the final creative layout in all languages (Bengali, English, Hindi & Urdu, as may be necessary), to I&CA Department, for release in any media whether Print, Audio-Visual, Electronic or Internet. Regarding selection of vehicle or media, I&CA will take decisions according to their guidelines. Software may be developed by I&CA Department and all the releases may pass through this software.
  2. For such creative design, the Departments will utilize the services of the creative agency/ agencies selected and empanelled by the I&CA Deptt. through tender and notified to all Deptts.
  3. It is clarified here that I&CA department will not execute the job of translating the creative from the original to any other languages. The responsibility of finalizing the creative in all languages, and sending the same to I&CA Department, rests with the requiring Department.
  4. The concerned department may, in such cases, also specify the languages in which they want to release their advertisements (as per original & translated versions sent by them). It is clarified that in the absence of such specification from the relevant Department, the I&CA department will release the creative prepared only in the original language to all media.
  5. Such final approved and translated versions of the creatives must reach I&CA Department at least 3 (three) working days prior to the date of publication, thus allowing time for finalization, as stipulated in Chief Secretary’s Memo No. 60(61)-CS/2014 dt. 28.5.2014.
  6. The bills for such releases, raised by the media in which released, will be presented to the requiring body/ Deptt. as before, with a copy to I&CA Department.
  7. Any release in the media which includes a picture or any mention of HCM should first be presented to the CMO for clearance before it is placed to the I&CA Deptt. for release.
  8. All releases under this policy would be made by the I&CA Deptt directly or through empanelled agencies, provided that in the latter case such releases are more economical and result in savings to the Govt. in comparison to the rates effective for direct releases. In such cases, the agency making the release will also make the required payments to the media concerned and thereafter raise bills to the I&CA Deptt. The Deptt. will pay the amount to the agency concerned.
  9. The existing rate structure with different newspapers is valid till March 2017. I&CA Deptt. will take a review to revise and fix rates immediately, taking into account the circulation, reach and quality of the publications and other media, as well as the prevailing genuine market rates. Empanelled agency/agencies’ services may be sought during negotiation to finalize rates compatible with prevalent market rates.
  10. In the case of releases in various local newspapers in districts, the releases may follow the same system except that the district offices will place the matter to the DICO. Where required, the DICO may also seek the help of the empaneled agency/ agencies selected by the I&CA Deptt. for release of advertisements.

Apart from these procedural guidelines, the following points may also be noted:

  • Digital media such as internet portals, e-zines, streaming sites etc. will also be evaluated by I&CA for accreditation and for release of advertisements/ information.
  • Magazines and periodicals (local, national and international) shall be similarly evaluated, accredited and used by I&CA Deptt.
  • Outdoor advertising should be used not only in the urban areas and across the State but also at select sites e.g. airports, across the country, as per decision of I&CA Deptt.
  • For specific events or initiatives, international media may also be used by the requiring Deptt. in consultation with I&CA Deptt.
  • The I&CA Deptt. will source data to identify the reach and target group of all media and specific publications/ channels/ portals etc.
  • The I&CA Deptt. will also prepare a clear profile of the different types of releases in media i.e whether it is a public service message, announcement of an event, announcement of a scheme, information on public services etc. and clearly identify the target groups to be addressed by each communication. The media to be used for each category should be classified and used according to their reach in the specified category e.g. for grassroots communications in rural areas, the Lok Prasar Prakalpa should be the medium of communication, whereas for an announcement to an urban audience appropriate newspapers and audio-visual media should be used.

This order will take immediate effect.

Sd/-Chief Secretary

No. 1464 dated 10.03.2017