Lok Sabha Question No. 1140 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-21
Subject: Regulation of Contents of News
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: V. SATHYABAMA, R.K. BHARATHI MOHAN, PR. SENTHILNATHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1140 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21/12/2017

## REGULATION OF CONTENTS OF NEWS

## 1140.  SHRIMATI  V. SATHYA  BAMA: SHRI    BHARATHI   MOHAN  R.K.: SHRI   PR. SENTHIL NATHAN:

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any proposal  to regulate the contents of the news aired by the 24/7 News Channels in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has taken note of the increasing trend of paid news and the menace of news sensitization and breaking news culture;
- (d) if so, the details thereof ; and
- (e) the stringent action proposed to be taken or plan of action proposed to be adopted by the Government to tackle the above-said issues?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  INFORMATION  &  BROADCASTING [COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]

(a)  to  (d) : As  per  existing  regulatory  framework,  all  programmes  and  advertisements telecast  on  private  satellite  TV  channels  and  transmitted/re-transmitted  through  the Cable  TV  network      are  required  to  adhere  to  the  Programme  Code  and  Advertising Code prescribed  under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 framed thereunder.  The Act does not provide for precensorship of  any programme  or  advertisement  telecast on such TV  channels. However,  it  provides  that  all  programmes  and  advertisements  telecast  on  such  TV channels should be in conformity with the prescribed Programme Code and Advertising Code enshrined in the said Act and the rules framed thereunder, which contain a whole range of parameters to regulate programmes and advertisements on TV channels.

The  Press  Council  of  India  (PCI)  has  formulated  guidelines  to  the  media  for observance during elections. PCI guidelines say - news should be clearly demarcated from advertisements by printing disclaimers, should be strictly enforced by all publications. As far as news is concerned, it must always carry a credit line and should be set in typeface that would distinguish it from advertisements. Besides, advertisement is meant to promote, while news is meant to inform.

Instances  of  Paid  News  during  Election  time  are  directly  dealt  by  Election Commission of India under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It is stated that the  Commission  has  constituted  District  level  and  State  level  Media  Certification  and Monitoring Committees (MCMC). The MCMC examines all the newspapers, print media, electronic   media,   cable    networks   etc.  and    keep records   of  the  advertisements,

advertorials,  discussions  and  interviews  relating  to  the  candidates  and  parties.  In addition, the Commission has also constituted a Committee at its own level to examine references from State level MCMCs and to support policy formulation for issues related to paid news and those related to usage of electronic and print media for campaigning by parties and candidates. After a case is established as confirmed case of Paid News, the same is forwarded to Press Council of India in case of print media.

(e): The existing provisions contained in the Programme & Advertising Codes and the existing  mechanism  are  considered  adequate  to  regulate  content  telecast  on  private satellite TV channels.

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