Maharashtra to set up media monitoring centre at Rs 10 crore
| 2025-07-30
Maharashtra to set up media monitoring centre at Rs 10 crore
The Maharashtra government will set up a ₹10 crore media monitoring centre using AI to track and classify news coverage, raising questions on press freedom.
Indian state to launch AI-powered media centre to monitor news content
The government of Maharashtra, a western state in India, has announced plans to establish a new media monitoring centre that will use artificial intelligence to track and classify news coverage across print, electronic, social, and digital platforms.
The ₹10 crore (approximately US$1.2 million) project aims to assess media reports on state government activities and policies, categorising them as “positive” or “negative” and flagging potentially misleading information in real time. The decision was outlined in a Government Resolution issued on Wednesday.
Centre to monitor and analyse news content
According to the resolution, the new centre will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will monitor news coverage on an hourly basis. The initiative includes the creation of a digital dashboard and a mobile application to compile, analyse, and report on news trends and public responses to government schemes.
A private consulting agency will assist in gathering and processing information, including newspaper clippings, digital articles, and social media content. News reports will be classified by department, subject, region, incident, and individual profiles.
The monitoring system is expected to alert government departments about the “tone, mood, and trend” of news coverage and will generate daily, weekly, and monthly reports. Officials say the tool is also intended to respond quickly to the spread of false or misleading information that could lead to public unrest.
AI to play key role in classification and alerts
The Maharashtra government has indicated that artificial intelligence will form the backbone of the system. The technology will help detect misinformation, especially in fast-moving digital spaces such as social media and online news websites.
The government has argued that the system will ensure the accurate dissemination of information about public welfare schemes and provide timely insights into public sentiment.
“Government schemes and policies are publicised through various media. The state was considering a dedicated media monitoring centre to manage this coverage under one roof,” the resolution stated.
Press freedom and editorial independence concerns
Although the government says the initiative is aimed at ensuring accuracy and managing misinformation, critics and media observers have expressed concern about the implications for press freedom.
The idea of classifying content as “positive” or “negative” based on its portrayal of the government has sparked fears that journalists could face pressure to avoid publishing critical stories, potentially encouraging self-censorship.
India’s press freedom environment has drawn increasing scrutiny in recent years. Media watchdogs and legal experts have cautioned against excessive government involvement in regulating content, especially through automated systems lacking transparency.
In 2023, India’s central government faced legal challenges over the establishment of a fact-checking unit with powers to remove content deemed “false or misleading” about government affairs. That measure was struck down by the Bombay High Court as unconstitutional.
Next steps and project development
The state’s Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) has been tasked with preparing a detailed project report and reviewing similar systems in other Indian states, if any exist.
It remains unclear when the centre will become operational or whether safeguards will be introduced to protect editorial independence and ensure that critical reporting is not mischaracterised as “negative”.
Observers have called for greater transparency around how the AI system will function, how editorial judgments will be made, and whether affected journalists or outlets will have the right to appeal any adverse classifications.
The project represents one of the most structured efforts by an Indian state to use artificial intelligence to monitor news in real time, and its rollout is expected to be closely watched both within India and abroad.
The government of Maharashtra, a western state in India, has announced plans to establish a new media monitoring centre that will use artificial intelligence to track and classify news coverage across print, electronic, social, and digital platforms.
The ₹10 crore (approximately US$1.2 million) project aims to assess media reports on state government activities and policies, categorising them as “positive” or “negative” and flagging potentially misleading information in real time. The decision was outlined in a Government Resolution issued on Wednesday.
Centre to monitor and analyse news content
According to the resolution, the new centre will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will monitor news coverage on an hourly basis. The initiative includes the creation of a digital dashboard and a mobile application to compile, analyse, and report on news trends and public responses to government schemes.
A private consulting agency will assist in gathering and processing information, including newspaper clippings, digital articles, and social media content. News reports will be classified by department, subject, region, incident, and individual profiles.
The monitoring system is expected to alert government departments about the “tone, mood, and trend” of news coverage and will generate daily, weekly, and monthly reports. Officials say the tool is also intended to respond quickly to the spread of false or misleading information that could lead to public unrest.
AI to play key role in classification and alerts
The Maharashtra government has indicated that artificial intelligence will form the backbone of the system. The technology will help detect misinformation, especially in fast-moving digital spaces such as social media and online news websites.
The government has argued that the system will ensure the accurate dissemination of information about public welfare schemes and provide timely insights into public sentiment.
“Government schemes and policies are publicised through various media. The state was considering a dedicated media monitoring centre to manage this coverage under one roof,” the resolution stated.
Press freedom and editorial independence concerns
Although the government says the initiative is aimed at ensuring accuracy and managing misinformation, critics and media observers have expressed concern about the implications for press freedom.
The idea of classifying content as “positive” or “negative” based on its portrayal of the government has sparked fears that journalists could face pressure to avoid publishing critical stories, potentially encouraging self-censorship.
India’s press freedom environment has drawn increasing scrutiny in recent years. Media watchdogs and legal experts have cautioned against excessive government involvement in regulating content, especially through automated systems lacking transparency.
In 2023, India’s central government faced legal challenges over the establishment of a fact-checking unit with powers to remove content deemed “false or misleading” about government affairs. That measure was struck down by the Bombay High Court as unconstitutional.
Next steps and project development
The state’s Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) has been tasked with preparing a detailed project report and reviewing similar systems in other Indian states, if any exist.
It remains unclear when the centre will become operational or whether safeguards will be introduced to protect editorial independence and ensure that critical reporting is not mischaracterised as “negative”.
Observers have called for greater transparency around how the AI system will function, how editorial judgments will be made, and whether affected journalists or outlets will have the right to appeal any adverse classifications.
The project represents one of the most structured efforts by an Indian state to use artificial intelligence to monitor news in real time, and its rollout is expected to be closely watched both within India and abroad.
Journalist body alarmed by Maharashtra’s use of AI to monitor media
Maharashtra’s plan to use AI to track and rate media coverage as “positive” or “negative” prompts warnings over press freedom and editorial independence.
| 2025-07-30