ITANAGAR : The Arunachal Electronic and Digital Media Association (AEDMA) has urged all state government departments to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Arunachal Pradesh Print and Digital Advertisement Policy 2025, warning that its poor implementation is affecting transparency and the growth of local media houses.
Addressing media persons at the Arunachal Press Club on Thursday, AEDMA president JT Tagam said the policy was first notified as the Arunachal Pradesh Electronic Media Advertisement Policy 2020 through a Gazette notification on August 4, 2020. Following Cabinet approval, it was later revised and re-notified in a unified format as the Arunachal Pradesh Print and Digital Advertisement Policy 2025 on November 6, 2025.
“Even after six years since its initial notification, the policy has seen only around five per cent implementation due to lack of awareness and unwillingness among several departments to follow the guidelines”, Tagam said.
He said the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (IPR) remains the only department complying with the policy by issuing government advertisements to five empanelled digital media houses on a periodic basis.
“No other government department is routing advertisements for electronic and digital media through the Directorate of Information and Public Relations, which has been designated as the nodal agency for issuing government advertisements”, Tagam said.
He further alleged that several departments continue to independently handle advertisement works and selectively engage media houses, bypassing established procedures.
Tagam also claimed that a substantial portion of government advertisement funds is being diverted to national television channels and publications, bypassing local empanelled digital media houses.
He also alleged that media houses with proximity to ministers and bureaucrats are receiving disproportionate advertisement and promotional assignments, calling the practice unethical and against the spirit of the policy.
“Funds sanctioned for advertisements are being allotted to certain organisations not associated with the media or advertisement sector. We appeal to the state government to re-verify such allocations”, Tagam added.
The association further flagged the non-utilisation of funds meant for local media advertisements, attributing it to the absence of adequate Information, Education and Communication (IEC) content with the Directorate of Information and Public Relations.
Reiterating its demand, AEDMA urged all government departments, boards and state-funded programmes to strictly follow the advertisement policy and route all advertisement releases through the designated nodal agency.
The association said proper implementation of the policy would strengthen and sustain the growth of the media ecosystem in the state and reiterated its commitment to act as a watchdog for ensuring compliance across departments.
