Media
Online media is now under the Central Ministry of Communications
NEW DELHI: With a gazette notification signed by the President, the central government has brought digital audio-visual content, including films and web shows on over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms, as well as news and current affairs on online platforms under the ambit of the ministry of information and broadcasting, in a move that media experts say could have far reaching effects on creative expression in India.
Up until earlier this year, senior government officials had emphasized on the need for a light-touch regulatory approach for video streaming platforms. At an event last November, I&B secretary Amit Khare had said they’re looking at a system of self-regulation for the OTT industry.
On the notification, an I&B spokesperson said the move, a long time coming, was aimed at creating a ‘level playing field’ since all other media are regulated.
Television follows the programming and advertising code prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994. Films are governed by the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
“Today print media, news, GECs and theatrical films are all governed and regulated in some way. There was a gap, where online news and content were not yet regulated. Several cases have been filed before various courts in the last few years, seeking regulation of the same and this was coming,” Chandrima Mitra, partner at DSK Legal said. Mitra pointed out that the notification comes on the back of the Supreme Court seeking the Centre’s response on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) for regulating OTT platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video this October. Further, recent controversies such as the Sudarshan TV case had already brought to the fore the need to check web-based digital media.
After several hints from the government, 15 OTT platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, ALTBalaji, ZEE5, Arre, Discovery+, Eros Now, Flickstree, Hoichoi, Hungama, MX Player, Shemaroo, VOOT and Jio Cinema had come together under the aegis of the Internet and Mobile Association of India in September to sign a code of self-regulation, formulating a framework for age classification, appropriate content description and access control. MIB, however, rejected the code and asked IAMAI to look at other mechanisms which allow for an independent monitoring organisation like the Digital Curated Content Complaints Council along with enumeration of prohibited content.
To be sure, India is not the first or only country to regulate digital media. All electronic communication in the US is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, an independent agency of the government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The US has sophisticated regulations for the Internet. In general, the US, in line with the free speech principle expressed in the First Amendment has minimal content regulation.
China, Singapore and South Korea, meanwhile, have Internet-specific censorship laws.
Media and entertainment industry experts, however, say the new notification is a clear case of regulating a segment that refuses to toe the line. A senior journalist also pointed out on condition of anonymity that it will be challenging to implement these regulations given that the entry barriers for digital platforms are extremely low since they don’t require the kind of (uplinking or downlinking) licenses that broadcast networks do, or to check entities not registered in India. “Unless, like China, they want to openly censor all kinds of content,” the person said.
“Censorship and controls smack of colonial elitism where the ruling power doesn’t trust the public because they know what is good for us and we don’t,” journalist Madhu Trehan, also co-founder of digital news portal Newslaundry said.
While recent OTT offerings like Mirzapur, Sacred Games and others had drawn some flak for explicit content, creators say the distinct charm of web titles lies in their ability to be real, rustic and unapologetic. India’s theatrical business has long bowed down to diktats of the censor board, while the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council have regulated TV content.
“This move is not about violence, language, or nudity, they will pass those and look progressive. OTTs were already self-censoring on this front post shows like Leila that got tremendous backlash from the right wing. It is about any content that counters government ideology or policy. So, while it will look like nothing’s really changed, it will severely affect any discourse that could have been started via films or shows about the state of the nation or people,” said a filmmaker working on a slate of web shows, who did not wish to be named.
“We look forward to working with the ministry to implement our industry’s self-regulation efforts. As responsible content creators, we want to ensure this act not only takes cognizance of the nature of content being released, but also ensures that we safeguard creativity in this rapidly growing sector,” Karan Bedi, CEO, MX Player, said.
Last year, the government had capped foreign direct investment (FDI) in digital media at 26%. Last month, in a clarification it added that majority of directors on the board of a digital news platform and its chief executive officer should be Indian citizens. Also, foreigners deployed by them for over 60 days need security clearance.
A recent article in Britain’s The Daily Mail suggested that the prophets Amos and Zechariah may have had something right. As the writer puts it,
“A scientific breakthrough has exposed the truth about a site in ancient Jerusalem, overturning expert opinion and vindicating the Bible’s account. Until now, experts believed a stretch of wall in the original heart of the city was built by Hezekiah, King of Judah, whose reign straddled the seventh and eighth centuries BC. … But now an almost decade-long study has revealed it was built by his great-grandfather, Uzziah, after a huge earthquake, echoing the account of the Bible.”
“… echoing the account of the Bible.” The story reminds me of a scene from a Pirates of the Caribbean movie, when a character says to Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow, “You actually were telling the truth.” To which Captain Jack replied, “I do that quite a lot. Yet people are always surprised.”
Throughout the last century, and especially in the last few decades, the scholarly world has been “surprised” to find that the biblical authors were telling the truth. Skeptics assume that the content of the Bible is more “pious fraud” than history, a well-intentioned story to inspire the faithful. And yet the reliability of the Word of God has been repeatedly affirmed, as more biblical archaeological sites are discovered and more extra-biblical sources corroborate biblical events.
From small artifacts to larger sites, recent discoveries lend proof to biblical accounts. For example, DNA found in the City of David confirmed that the Philistines, Israel’s main enemy during the reign of King David, turned out to be exactly the sort of people the Old Testament described. A smaller discovery was of a signet ring that confirmed the detail of an Old Testament character who only gets a passing mention in 2 Kings. And, of course, there was the discovery of the site of the Pool of Siloam, where we know Jesus walked.
These findings match characters and events in the Bible to tangible, touchable, real things, a crucial confirmation for a worldview that is not esoteric but fully grounded in events that took place within human history. Luke, once written off as a fable-maker, is now considered by most scholars to be an excellent and precise historian. Though online atheists may continue to insist that Jesus never existed, no reputable biblical scholar would support this theory. To paraphrase Mark Twain’s preemptive obituary, rumors of the Bible’s inaccuracies have been greatly exaggerated.
Of course, the Bible is a more comfortable book if only merely “spiritually” true and not really true. This is the sort of thinking that has both shaped and sapped the strength of liberal Christianity, such as is found in many mainline denominations. Once giants in American Christianity, most are now mere husks of their former glories, with increasingly empty churches that have dropped all the doctrine but kept the robes and collars of their now rainbow-accented vestments.
The Bible, however, doesn’t offer the option of just believing the comfortable stuff. It demands to be taken as fact or not at all, while making claims about real times and real places, about real people and real things. Most notably, it claims that the God revealed in its pages intruded Himself into the grit and grime of our fallen world in a way that can now be found by archaeological discoveries. If the God of the Bible is indeed God, He is the God of the real world.
It should comfort that what God has given to us in the Bible is true. Thus, it can be trusted in all that it promises, whether about the past, the present, or the future.
Sources:Christian Post
വാട്സ്ആപ്പ് ലോകമെമ്പാടുമുള്ള ഏറ്റവും ജനപ്രിയ സന്ദേശമയക്കൽ ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനുകളിൽ ഒന്നാണ്. രണ്ട് ബില്ല്യണിലധികം ഉപയോക്താക്കൾ വാട്സ്ആപ്പിനുണ്ട്. എന്നാൽ ചില രാജ്യങ്ങളിൽ വാട്സ്ആപ്പ് നിരോധിച്ചിരിക്കുകയാണ്. ഇത്തരം നിരോധനങ്ങൾക്ക് പിന്നിലെ കാരണങ്ങൾ എന്തൊക്കെയാണെന്ന് നോക്കാം.
വാട്സ്ആപ്പ് നിരോധിച്ച രാജ്യങ്ങൾ:
* ചൈന: ചൈനയിൽ സർക്കാർ കർശനമായ ഇന്റർനെറ്റ് നിയന്ത്രണങ്ങൾ നടപ്പിലാക്കുന്നുണ്ട്, ഇതിനെ ‘ഗ്രേറ്റ് ഫയർവാൾ’ (Great Firewall) എന്ന് വിളിക്കുന്നു. വിദേശ സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയ പ്ലാറ്റ്ഫോമുകളും മെസേജിംഗ് ആപ്പുകളും ഉൾപ്പെടെ നിരവധി വെബ്സൈറ്റുകളും ആപ്പുകളും ഈ ഫയർവാൾ വഴി തടയുന്നു. ചൈനയിൽ അവരുടേതായ നിയന്ത്രണ സംവിധാനങ്ങളുള്ള സെൻസർ ചെയ്ത സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയ പ്ലാറ്റ്ഫോമുകളും മെസേജിംഗ് ആപ്പുകളും ഉപയോഗിക്കാൻ ആളുകളെ പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുക എന്നതാണ് ഒരു കാരണം.
* ഉത്തരകൊറിയ: ലോകത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും നിഗൂഢമായ സമൂഹങ്ങളിലൊന്നാണ് ഉത്തരകൊറിയ. സർക്കാർ വിവരങ്ങളുടെ നിയന്ത്രണത്തിൽ വളരെ കർശനമാണ്. പുറത്തുള്ള ലോകവുമായുള്ള ആശയവിനിമയം പരിമിതപ്പെടുത്തുന്നതിനാണ് വാട്സ്ആപ്പ് പോലുള്ള ആപ്പുകൾ നിരോധിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്.
* ഇറാൻ: രാജ്യത്തെ അസ്ഥിരതയുടെ സമയങ്ങളിൽ ഇറാൻ അടക്കിടെ വാട്സ്ആപ്പ് താൽക്കാലികമായി നിരോധിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. സർക്കാർ വിരുദ്ധ പ്രവർത്തനങ്ങൾക്കും പ്രചരണങ്ങൾക്കും വാട്സ്ആപ്പ് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത് തടയാനാണ് ഇത്.
യുഎഇയിലും ഖത്തറിലും വാട്സ്ആപ്പ് കോളുകൾ തടഞ്ഞിട്ടുണ്ട്. ടെലികോം കമ്പനികളുടെ വരുമാനം വർദ്ധിപ്പിക്കാനാണ് ഇതെന്നാണ് പറയുന്നത്. വാട്സ്ആപ്പ് നിരോധിക്കുന്നതിന് പിന്നിലെ കാരണങ്ങൾ രാജ്യങ്ങൾക്കനുസരിച്ച് വ്യത്യസ്തമാണ്. ചില സർക്കാരുകൾ വിവരങ്ങളുടെ നിയന്ത്രണവും സെൻസർഷിപ്പും നടപ്പിലാക്കാനാണ് ഇത് ചെയ്യുന്നത്. മറ്റുള്ളവർ ദേശീയ സുരക്ഷാ ആശങ്കകളോ ടെലികോം വരുമാനം വർദ്ധിപ്പിക്കാനുള്ള ശ്രമങ്ങളോ ആയിരിക്കാം കാരണം. അതേസമയം ഈ നിയന്ത്രണങ്ങൾ മറികടക്കാൻ വിപിഎൻ പോലുള്ളവ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നവരുമുണ്ട്.
Sources:azchavattomonline.com
When Jesus came as the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), He announced the good news of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14). What is the Kingdom of God? The rule of God emanates from the throne of God in Heaven. Hence, the Kingdom of God rules over all of creation (Psalm 22:28; 24:1; 103:19).
Consequently, when Jesus announced that the Kingdom of God was at hand (Matthew 4:17), He declared that restoring the created order back under His rule as it was in the Garden of Eden (before the fall) was now inaugurated.
We see themes relating to the work of restoration to Eden throughout Scripture (Isaiah 11:6-9; 51:3; 65:17-25; Ezek. 36:34-36; Romans 8:19-21; Rev. 21:1-5).
In light of this, we see that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is related to the reconciliation of the world, not merely to individual sinners (2 Corinthians 5:19).
The following are eight ways the Kingdom of God is connected to the Edenic state.
1. Through work
God’s first act after creating Adam was to put him in a garden to work and keep it (Genesis 2:15). Even before Adam had a family, he worked unto the Lord. (Hence, using our abilities to work is not merely to provide for our family but is an act of worship since we are reflecting Yahweh who worked for the six days of creation.)
Consequently, Paul the apostle commands the Church to work and to be a blessing to others (Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:11). Paul even declares that if a man does not work, he should not eat! (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
Thus, Christians are called to work and plant the Garden of the Lord as part of our Christian witness that the Kingdom of God is at hand.
2. Through God’s provision
God planted humanity in a lush garden with enough to sustain it even before Adam worked. Humans did nothing to earn what we were born into, yet God provided everything we needed for sustenance through His grace.
Consequently, continuing to receive divine provision is one way the Church manifests the Kingdom of God to the rest of the world.
3. Through holy matrimony
God joined one man and one woman to be “one flesh” as the foundation of civilization (Gen. 2:21-24). Before there was human government, there was marriage. Thus, His Kingdom influence started with biblical marriage.
Also, the fact that God made binary gender to represent His nature implies that it takes both male and female to transmit the image of God to the next generation (Genesis 1:27). Hence, two men and two women cannot fully transmit the image of God to the next generation.
The main reason why Satan distorted biblical marriage with alternative forms of family as well as through the proliferation of pornography and divorce, is to prevent the complete image of God from being transmitted to the next generation.
Consequently, when Christians live faithfully together in holy matrimony and raise their children in the Lord, they plant the Garden of the Lord and manifest His Kingdom in the world.
4. Through defining reality
God brought the animals of the earth to Adam so he could name them (Genesis 2:19-20). As God’s vice-regent, it was up to Adam to name and define reality. Thus, whoever defines a thing can categorize and frame the perspective of that entity.
This is why there is an ideological push to reframe biblical symbols such as the rainbow and to redefine biblical concepts such as marriage, gender, human sexuality, and social justice (Genesis 9:13).
The rainbow symbolizes God’s promise to Noah that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:13-17). Today, the rainbow is widely recognized as a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, representing diversity and inclusion.
Marriage
Historically, marriage has been defined as a union between one man and one woman. Many societies now recognize same-sex marriages and broader definitions of partnerships and unions.
Gender
Gender was traditionally understood as strictly male or female, based on biological sex.
The concept of gender has expanded to include a spectrum of identities beyond the binary male and female, such as non-binary, pansexual and genderfluid.
Woke
The connotation of the traditional meaning had to do with a conversion experience in which a person’s eyes were opened, and they were turned from darkness to light, which is why the term “awakening” was used to describe masses of people coming to Christ (Acts 26:18). Now ”woke” has been hijacked to describe people who ascribe to the far left (woke) ideology. Consequently, the Church is called to function as cultural creatives who define reality for society in a way that aligns with the Kingdom of God.
5. Through cultivation
Adam was called to cultivate the Garden of the Lord and subdue the rest of the earth (Genesis 1:28). Similarly, believers are called to plant systems and create art that reflect the beauty of the Lord as depicted in the Garden of Eden for human flourishing.
6. Through multiplication
As God created the world with the ability for every living thing to multiply (Genesis 1), the Ephesians 4:11 ministry gifts were called to equip people who can multiply biological families, churches, and businesses, so the seeds of the Garden of the Lord will eventually fill all things (Ephesians 4:10-12)
7. Through stewardship
As God called Adam to steward the created order, God has called the church to nurture people capable of managing their families, churches, and businesses and to produce Christ-followers capable of stewarding leadership in society for the glory of God.
8. The ‘tree-centric’ world on the 8th day
The Tree of Life was in the midst of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9). Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection created a “Tree-Centric” world since the cross (tree) of Christ became the Tree of Life that brought healing and reconciliation back to the created order (I Peter 2:24). Since Jesus rose on the 8th day, this also represented new beginnings regarding the process of the renewal of all things.
Consequently, as Christ-followers live a cross-shaped life, they will be His agents of healing that plant the garden of the Lord as an oasis of hope amid broken cities.
Sources:Christian Post
മസ്കറ്റില് എല് റോയ് റിവൈവല് ബൈബിള് കോളജിന്റെ പ്രഥമ ഗ്രാജുവേഷന് നടന്നു
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സൗദി അറേബ്യയിൽ ജോലിയിൽ നിന്നും വിരമിക്കാനുള്ള പ്രായം അറുപത്തി അഞ്ചായി ഉയർത്തി
റിയാദ്: സൗദി അറേബ്യയിൽ ജോലിയിൽ നിന്നും വിരമിക്കാനുള്ള പ്രായം അറുപത്തി അഞ്ചായി ഉയർത്തി. കഴിഞ്ഞ ദിവസം കിരീടാവകാശി മുഹമ്മദ് ബിൻ സൽമാന്റെ അധ്യക്ഷതയിൽ ചേർന്ന യോഗത്തിലാണ് പുതിയ...
സൂറത്തിൽ പെന്തെക്കോസ്ത് ചർച്ചിനുനേരെ ആക്രമണം
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ഓസ്ട്രേലിയന് പാർലമെൻ്റിൽ നിന്ന് ‘സ്വര്ഗസ്ഥനായ പിതാവേ…’ എന്ന പ്രാര്ത്ഥന നീക്കം ചെയ്യണമെന്ന് ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ട് ഗ്രീന്സ് പാര്ട്ടി എം പി മെഹ്റിന് ഫാറൂഖി
ഓസ്ട്രേലിയന് പാര്ലമെന്റിലെ ഉപരി സഭയായ സെനറ്റില് നടപടികള് ആരംഭിക്കുന്നതിനു മുന്നോടിയായി ചൊല്ലുന്ന ‘സ്വര്ഗസ്ഥനായ പിതാവേ…’ എന്ന പ്രാര്ത്ഥന നീക്കം ചെയ്യണമെന്ന ആവശ്യവുമായി ഗ്രീന്സ് പാര്ട്ടി വീണ്ടും രംഗത്ത്....
പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കാതെ സംഭവിക്കുന്നതിൽ നിന്ന് ദൈവം മാത്രമാണ് രക്ഷിക്കുന്നതെന്ന് ട്രംപ്
യു.എസ് : പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കാത്ത സംഭവിത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ദൈവം മാത്രമാണ് രക്ഷിക്കുന്നത്. നിങ്ങളുടെ നിലപാടുകൾക്കും പ്രാർത്ഥനകൾക്കും എല്ലാവർക്കും നന്ദി. നാം ഭയപ്പെടേണ്ടതില്ല, പകരം നമ്മുടെ വിശ്വാസത്തിൽ ഉറച്ചുനിൽക്കുകയും ദുഷ്ടതയ്ക്കെതിരെ...
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