UPSC Key-September 22, 2022: Why you should read ‘Media Ethics’ or ‘Over-the-top (OTT)’ or ‘Naxalism’ for UPSC CSE

FRONT PAGE

SC flags: TV channels chief medium of hate speech, may lay down guidelines

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies IV: Ethics and Human Interface

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Expressing its anguish and displeasure over hate speeches via debates on TV channels, the Supreme Court Wednesday called the “visual media” the “chief medium of hate speech” and questioned the government why it is “standing by as a mute witness when all this is happening” and treating it as “a trivial matter”.

• Why the Supreme Court of India on came down heavily on TV news channels?

• “Hate drives TRPs, drives profit”-decode the quote

• What is the role of the anchor in TV news debate?

• The bench asked the government whether it proposed to come up with a law to regulate hate content in TV programmes. It said until a law is brought, it may consider placing guidelines on the lines of Vishaka (against sexual harassment at workplace)- What do you understand by the ‘guidelines on the lines of Vishaka’?

• What is the stand taken by the Government of India?

• Why Media is called as the Fourth Pillar of Democracy?

• Importance of Journalism-Know in detail

• What do you understand by the term “Journalism ethics”?

• Media Ethics and Journalism Ethics-Compare and Contrast

• What are the responsibilities of Journalists or Media towards the Society?

• What do you understand by the term “Journalism ethics”?

• What are the Ethical dilemmas faced by Journalists anywhere in the world?

• What are the Issues Associated with Media and Journalism in India?

• What do you understand by ‘Yellow journalism’?

• How Media Is Regulated in India?

• What are the Loopholes in Media Regulation in India?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍The Digital Media Code balances many priorities, interests of several stakeholders

📍Mainstream channels biggest threat to mainstream media: Anurag Thakur

Draft Bill moves to regulate Internet-based, OTT telecom services

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- THE Department of Telecommunications Wednesday proposed regulating communication services including voice, video, and data offered by over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as WhatsApp as telecom services, requiring them to obtain a licence from the government just like other telecom operators.

• What is OTT?

• How OTT is Delivered?

• How Do Over The Top Media Services Work?

• Examples of OTT-know them

• What draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 says about OTT?

• Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022-Know the highlights of the bill

• The draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 proposed to dilute some crucial powers and responsibilities of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on issuing new licences to service providers-Know the powers and functions of TRAI

• Know about the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and The Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Protection) Act, 1950

• How these three acts (the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and The Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Protection) Act, 1950) governs the telecommunication sector in India?

• Is OTTs comes under the ambit of telecom services?

• The draft Bill also states that the TRAI may direct operators “to abstain from predatory pricing”-What is Predatory Pricing?

• The draft Bill also proposes to replace the What is Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) with the Telecommunication Development Fund (TDF)- Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) with the Telecommunication Development Fund (TDF)?

• Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) with the Telecommunication Development Fund (TDF)-Compare and contrast

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What is the draft Telecom Bill, and what changes it aims to bring

EXPRESS NETWORK

CRPF claims big breakthrough, clears Jharkhand Maoist hub

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Linkages between development and spread of extremism and Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Stating that security forces have cleared Budhapahad, a forested area in the tri-junction of Latehar and Garhwa districts in Jharkhand and Balrampur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), CRPF director-general Kuldiep Singh on Wednesday said that Bihar and Jharkhand can now be said to be free of Maoists.

• ‘Operation Octopus’, ‘Operation Double Bull’ and ‘Operation Thunderstorm’ by whom and for what?

• For Your Information-In a media release, the MHA stated, “The fight against Naxals has now reached its final stage and it can prove by the fact that in 2022, in comparison to 2018, there has been a 39 percent reduction in incidents of LWE-related violence, 26 percent reduction in the number of sacrifices made by security forces. Civilian casualties have reduced by 44 percent…”

• Do You Know-The MHA on deaths due to LWE violence, stated that the death toll was at its highest 1,005 in 2010, which was down to 147 in 2021. “Their sphere of influence has (also) decreased significantly. Simultaneously, the area of influence of Maoists has also reduced significantly…from 96 districts in 2010 to only 39 districts in 2022,”.

• According to the CRPF director-general Kuldiep Singh, “Bihar and Jharkhand can now be said to be free of Maoists”-Know how badly these two states were affected by Naxals?

• Naxalism in India-Know the background

• What is red corridor or red zone?

• Map Work-Red Corridor

• How many states are affected by Naxalism in India?

• Maoism and Naxalism-Compare and Contrast

• What are Naxals fighting for in India?

• What are the socio-economic conditions the districts that make up the red corridor?

• ‘Naxalism is a social, economic and developmental issue manifesting as a violent internal security threat’-discuss

• What steps being taken by the Government of India to eradicate Naxal and LWE forces from the country?

• How the Government of India has taken several specific initiatives in LWE affected States with Special reference to expansion of road network, improving Telecommunication connectivity, skill development and financial inclusion?

• What do you know about the ‘Integrated Action Plan in Naxal-affected Districts’?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 365

Non-communicable diseases led to 66% of deaths in India in 2019: WHO

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Every two seconds, one person under the age of 70 dies of a non-communicable disease (NCD) with 86 per cent of those deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In India, 66 per cent of total deaths were due to NCDs in 2019, a new WHO report: ‘Invisible numbers – the true scale of non-communicable diseases’ stated.

• WHO report: ‘Invisible numbers – the true scale of non-communicable diseases’-Know key highlights of the report

• For Your Information-The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also launched a portal, which, for the first time, brings together all WHO data related to NCDs for 194 countries.

• Do You Know-Over 60.46 lakh people died due to NCDs in India in 2019, according to the report. The report further revealed that there was a 22 per cent probability of death between the age of 30 and 70 due to any type of non-communicable disease, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

• What do you understand by ‘Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)’?

• The rise of NCDs has been driven by primarily four major risk factors-What are they?

• Pandemic and ‘Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)-Connect the dot

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Noncommunicable diseases

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Exporting division

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story--Over the past 24 hours, media in the United Kingdom have been reporting on “large-scale” and “serious” disorder in the English city of Leicester to the northwest of London after street clashes between large groups of Hindus and Muslims.

• So, What happened in Leicester?

• Why is there unrest in the city?

• Is it unusual for clashes to follow sporting encounters?

• What is the demographic profile of Leicester like?

• How big is the Indian diaspora in the UK?

• According to the author, ”Long-distance diasporic nationalisms have always been a feature of global politics”-Decode the statement

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why are mobs fighting on the streets in Leicester, UK?

EXPLAINED

Live streaming of SC proceedings: rationale and concerns

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The Supreme Court in a full court held on Tuesday (September 20) decided to live stream its proceedings in crucial Constitution Bench cases that will be heard from September 27. The decision comes nearly four years after a plea was made in the interest of transparency.

• In the Swapnil Tripathi judgment, in September 2018, the SC had cleared the deck for live streaming of cases of national and constitutional importance- Know the History of the case

• ‘The case for live streaming of SC cases of constitutional/national importance is quite strong. Such cases impact various aspects of people’s lives’-Do you agree that live streaming of SC cases of constitutional/national importance will enhance citizen’s legal literacy?

• But still there may be many issues and challenges in live stream of Supreme Court’s proceedings-What are they?

• Who recommended introducing live streaming as a pilot project in Court No.1, which is the CJI’s court, and only in Constitution Bench cases?

• live streaming in other nations vis a vis in India-Compare and contrast

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Live streaming Supreme Court proceedings: The case for and against

Hearing before death sentence

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The Supreme Court on September 19 referred to a larger Bench issues relating to procedural norms for imposing the death sentence. The intervention is seen as a major step in plugging gaps in the way in which trial courts award the death sentence.

• What has the court said?

• What is the difference of opinion?

• What is an adequate sentencing hearing like?

• What are mitigating circumstances?

• What happens next?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Meaningful chance to those on Death Row: Supreme Court refers case to 5-judge bench

The tiniest specks of plastic can infiltrate the human food chain, finds study

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-There is growing concern about the environmental and health impact of plastic pollution, especially since it breaks down into smaller pieces that begin to accumulate in the environment. Now, researchers from the University of Eastern Finland have found that small pieces of plastic called nano plastics can travel up the human food web, through plants, insects and even fish. Nano plastics are tiny plastic debris particles smaller than 1,000 nanometre (1 nm is equal to one billionth of a metre).

• How the study was conducted

• What are Micro plastics and Nano plastics?

• Where they come from

• How they come in the food chain?

• No barriers against Nano plastics?

• What are the action taken by India and other countries?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Micro and nano plastics in the atmosphere are polluting oceans! Here’s how

ECONOMY

Fed raises rate by 75 bps, expects another large increase this year

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Intensifying its fight against chronically high inflation, the Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate Wednesday by a substantial three-quarters of a point for a third straight time, an aggressive pace that is heightening the risk of an eventual recession.

• What is the Federal Funds Rate (FFR)?

• Why is the Fed tightening money supply?

• ‘Tapering’- what does it mean?

• US Fed Taper-Meaning

• US Federal Reserve Policies and its Impact on India

• So, is the US in recession?

• Why are some people contesting that the US might be in recession?

• What is the outlook for the US economy?

• What is the main reason behind the high inflation in USA?

• How is inflation measured in USA?

• Inflation in USA vs Inflation in India-Compare and Contrast

• Inflation measured in USA and inflation measured in India-Compare and Contrast

• What goods or services are driving the increase in prices in USA and also in India?

• Why is USA’s inflation a matter of concern for India?

• How inflation in USA will impact India’s Import and Export?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: US inflation and its impact on India

📍Explained: Federal Reserve signals, and Indian markets

📍Everyday Economics: What is the Fed, and what role does it play in the US economy?

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