With the growth of Internet in India and its penetration in smaller cities, people have got another option in the field of mass communication other than traditional media (Print and electronic media) in the form of new media or online media. The old days have gone when there was no technological support to the medium of communication in India.

Electronic media has started scoring over the print media in 90s because of the technological advancements it started using in its functions. Camera has the power to show the visuals right from the spot to the people sitting in their bedroom.

There was no need to wait for another day to know what actually happened today. The news channels have jumped in the cutthroat competition to present the news within minutes.

Now, Newspapers have become the medium only to present the best analysis on any incidents or on any issues. Electronic media has a positive point that they can present the news within minutes from the site but you will rarely get the best analysis from the bunch of boom-holders byte-takers employees of news channels.

The visual media has a negative point that they can not give you a good analytical report because they have to repeat other news capsules so many times. Some good talk shows are there but they are being failed to present a nice analytical report on any incident or issue.

The newspaper is still the best source to get the analytical view on any serious issue or incidents. But this medium of mass communication is not getting the support of technological development.

Now, India is going through the age of Internet revolution now and the Internet has invaded like never before. People are getting everything with a click on mouse on their PCs and Laptop.

The rise of online medium of mass communication has started giving tough competition to the other two mediums of communication. The success of online news networks such as Instablogs have forced the Newspaper organizations and even the news channels to start their own online editions to be remained in the competition.

People are getting views of well-known journalists and common people both on Internet in different news portals and Blogs. They are getting visuals and analytical reports as well on a single click on mouse. The positive point of the online medium of mass communication is that this is a two-way communication.

The readers may write a comment on any news, views and analysis. Online media has become the best way to boost the concept of Citizen Journalism in India because every common citizen can feel that they are journalists and he can share their views with many others.

Now, the government of India has recognized the potential online medium has vested in it. Now, the government had reportedly decided to give an extensive overhauling to the 140-year-old Press and Registration of Books Act, that was enacted during the British period, just to bring the new media (online news portals and web editions of newspapers) well within the sphere of the act.

Till the date, the PRB Act of 1867 had been covering the hard copy editions of printed newspapers and books. The online news portals and web editions of newspapers did not fall in the sphere of the act.

Now, the government is looking serious to put the online medium under the check. However, the I&B ministry has rejected the report that government was eyeing the online and Internet editions with a view to controlling them.

A senior official in I&B ministry said:

The print is no longer the print on paper we have had. It has also gone online on computer screens instead of the paper.

The press is no longer the old galley printing press now. A paper is being published in facsimile form through dedicated telecommunication lines in distant cities. According to the I&B ministry, the proposed Act would have provisions to deal with foreign newspapers, and the FDI (foreign direct investment) in the online news portals and web editions.

However, the message is almost clear that even the government has started feeling the heat that is being generated by the new medium of communication in India with the support of extraordinary growth of Internet users in India.

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