New press law frozen

The parliament today abruptly shelved the proposed press and publications law. The proposed law was seen as an improvement over the previous one, although it still allowed the jailing of journalists and imposing prohibitively high fines on anybody who “breaks” the press law.

What is most interesting is the reason for this decision. The MP’s are insisting on the return of the Ministry of Truth Information, which was abolished under the misguided notion that we can actually have a free press. The government had wanted to subject the press to the ministry of trade and industry, which would have treated the press as other commercial enterprises. The MP’s want to give the press more prestige, and so are demanding the return of the MoI. It seems difficult for them to comprehend that, yes, the media is an industry. One of the vestiges of the MoI is the press and publications department, which still is performing its Don Quixote role of banning books.

Please make them stop.