Karnataka to empanel digital media, ad agencies for promoting government schemes

Karnataka deputy CM Shivakumar with CM Siddaramaiah

The Karnataka government has released advertising guidelines to raise awareness about government schemes and policies through digital media and advertising.

It has begun empanelling digital media entities and digital advertising agencies for spreading the word about its schemes, a release issued by chief minister Siddaramaiah on April 23 said.

“Digital advertising has become more influential than traditional media and reaches a broader audience. Karnataka government has introduced these guidelines to facilitate the effective use of digital platforms for official communication,” the release said.

According to the Karnataka Digital Advertising Guidelines 2024, all government departments, corporations, authorities, boards, local governing bodies, town municipalities and city corporations are now required to execute their digital advertising campaigns through the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).

Also read: Karnataka to rope in social media influencers with over 1 lakh followers to promote govt schemes

The department will empanel eligible digital media entities and advertising agencies to carry out campaigns across digital platforms. It will tap streaming services like YouTube, Meta platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp and search engines like Google and Bing. Social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Telegram will also be part of the campaigns, as will OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, and JioCinema.

To be eligible for empanelment, a digital media entity must have a minimum of one lakh downloads on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Online news portals, whether app or web-based, with a substantial following are also eligible.

The platform must be a legal entity registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA) and must have published content consistently for at least a year.

Digital advertising agencies must be registered with the MoCA, be at least two years old and have valid GST registration. They should also have an office in Karnataka.

The agencies must possess demonstrated expertise in executing digital campaigns and should have valid agreements with platforms such as Google and Meta to carry out government advertising, the guidelines say.

The DIPR reserves the right to annul the empanelment of any digital media entity or advertising agency if it fails to meet the criteria outlined in the guidelines. Empanelment may also be revoked if any illicit content is found on their platforms.

Eligible digital media entities and advertising agencies can apply for empanelment through Seva Sindhu (sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in), the state's common digital portal for government services. Applications must be submitted with the prescribed fee and necessary documentation on or before May 15.