Author Guidelines & Submission Instructions

The Information of Press Council of Maharashtra publishes original, peer-reviewed research articles, review papers, case studies, and commentaries in the following disciplines:

• Media Studies & Press Freedom
• Journalism Ethics & Practice
• Communication Theory & Research
• Digital Media & Misinformation
• Media Law, Policy & Regulation
• Community and Regional Journalism
• Press Council Functions & Media Governance

The journal welcomes submissions from academics, researchers, and media professionals. Manuscripts in multiple languages are accepted.

Formatting Requirements

• Language: Multiple languages
• Word Limit: 4,000–8,000 words (including references; excluding abstract and title page)
• File Format: Microsoft Word (.docx) only
• Font: Times New Roman, 12pt
• Line Spacing: 1.5
• Margins: 1 inch on all sides
• Referencing Style: APA 7th Edition
• Page Numbers: Bottom centre, beginning from page 1

Required Sections (in order)

• Title: Concise and descriptive (max 20 words)
• Author Details: Full name, designation, department, institution, city, country, and institutional email for each author. Corresponding author must be indicated.
• Abstract: 150–250 words; structured as: Background, Objective, Methodology, Findings, Conclusion
• Keywords: 4–6 keywords, separated by semicolons
• Introduction
• Literature Review / Theoretical Framework
• Methodology
• Results & Discussion
• Conclusion
• References (APA 7th Edition)
• Acknowledgements (if applicable)
• Conflict of Interest Statement

Figures, Tables & Images

• All figures and tables must be numbered sequentially (Table 1, Figure 1, etc.)
• Each must have a descriptive caption placed directly above (tables) or below (figures)
• Images must be embedded in the document AND submitted separately as high-resolution .jpg or .png (minimum 300 DPI)
• Data sources must be cited for all tables and figures

Submit manuscripts by email to the Editorial Office:
Email: editor@presscouncil.in

Email subject line: Submission — [Article Title] — [Corresponding Author Name]

Attachments required

• Main Manuscript (.docx) — with all author details and affiliations included
• Blind Manuscript (.docx) — identical file with all author names, affiliations, and identifying acknowledgements removed (for peer review)
• Cover Letter (.docx or .pdf) confirming:
  • The manuscript is original and not under consideration elsewhere
  • All listed authors have approved the submission
  • Any conflicts of interest are declared
  • The similarity index does not exceed 15% (author's declaration)

The Editorial Office will send an acknowledgement of receipt within 3 working days. If no acknowledgement is received within 5 days, authors should contact: editor@presscouncil.in

Stage	Estimated Duration
Acknowledgement of receipt	Within 3 working days
Initial editorial screening (scope, format, originality)	1–2 weeks
Double-blind peer review (external reviewers)	4–6 weeks
First decision communicated to author	Within 6–8 weeks of submission
Revision deadline (if applicable)	3 weeks from decision letter
Publication (upon final acceptance)	Next scheduled quarterly issue

There is no Article Processing Charge (APC). Submission, peer review, and publication are completely free of charge.

• All listed authors must have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the work.
• Manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not simultaneously submitted elsewhere.
• The similarity index must not exceed 15% overall (verified by the editorial office using anti-plagiarism detection software).
• Manuscripts found to involve plagiarism, data fabrication, or duplicate submission will be rejected and the authors' affiliated institutions will be notified.
• Any changes to authorship after submission must be approved in writing by all listed authors.

• Accepted manuscripts will be copy-edited and typeset. Authors will receive a proof for review.
• Proof corrections must be returned within 5 working days.
• Upon publication, the article will be freely available online under the CC BY-NC 4.0 licence.
• A PDF of the published article will be emailed to the corresponding author.
• Authors are encouraged to share the published article link on academic networks and institutional repositories.

Editorial Office — Information of Press Council of Maharashtra
Press Council of Maharashtra, 2, Administrative Officers College Hostel Premises, Opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (VT) Local Station, 9, Hazarimal Somani Marg, Bori Bunder, Fort, Mumbai - 400001 Maharashtra

Email: editor@presscouncil.in
Phone: +91-97662-20666

For policy-related queries, see: Journal Policies & Ethics