Lok Sabha Question No. 3759 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-09
Subject: Telecast/Broadcast of Objectionable Contents
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: S.P. MUDDAHANUMEGOWDA, B.V. NAYAK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3759 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09/08/2018

## TELECAST/BROADCAST OF OBJECTIONABLE CONTENTS

3759.  SHRI  S.P. MUDDAHANUME GOWDA: SHRI B.V. NAIK:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has received a large number of complaints from the public  against  Television  channels  and  radio  stations  increasingly  airing alleged objectionable contents and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has finalized the complaint redressal mechanism, as advised by the Hon'ble Supreme Court and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  media  representatives  and  experts  on  social  issues  would  be included in the redressal committee and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the period of limitation, within which a complaints could be filed has also been defined in details and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a): Complaints are received directly and also through the public grievance portal i.e http://pgportal.gov.in relating  to  the  content  telecast  on  private  TV  channels    and private FM Radio channels and Community Radio Stations.

(b) to (d): The Hon'ble Supreme Court in its order dated 12.01.2017 in the matter of WP(C)  No.387  of  2000  -  Common  Cause  Vs  UOI  &  Ors.  has  advised  the Government  to  formalize the complaint redressal  mechanism  with  regard to complaints related to content telecast/ aired on TV/ Radio.  As per existing regulatory framework, private satellite TV channels are required to adhere to the Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act,  1995  and  Cable  Television  Networks  Rules,  1994  framed  thereunder  which contain a gamut  of criteria to be followed while carrying  programmes  and advertisements  in  such  TV  channels.  FM  Radio  Channels  are  required  to  comply with the terms & conditions of the Grant of Permission Agreement (GOPA) which is executed  by  them  with  the  Ministry  of  Information  &  Broadcasting  at  the  time  of granting permission to run FM radio channels.

Ministry has constituted an Inter Ministerial Committee  (IMC) to take cognizance suo moto or to look into specific complaints regarding content on private TV channels, private FM Radio Channels and Community Radio Stations, and make appropriate recommendations for issuance of warnings or advisories to the channels or asking them to run apology scrolls on their channels or directing the channels to be taken off air for a limited period depending on the gravity of the violation.

The Ministry has also issued directions to States to set up District level and State level Monitoring Committees to monitor content telecast of local TV channels carried on Cable Networks. Detailed guidelines in this regard have also been issued. These committees have been authorized to monitor private FM Radio Channels and Community Radio Stations as well to ensure adherence to the AIR Broadcast code on suo- moto and complaint basis.

The  Ministry  exercises  the  statutory  powers  available  through  the  Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Rules framed thereunder to regulate the content carried by private satellite TV channels. Further, when the channels are granted permission to uplink/downlink a particular channel from or into India as per uplinking/downlinking  Guidelines,  they  furnish  an  undertaking  to  comply  with  the Programme and Advertising Codes at all times. In case of violation of the codes, the Ministry  takes  action against  the  defaulting  channels  in  terms of powers  conferred under Section 20 of the Cable Act and Uplinking/Downlinking Guidelines.

As  part  of  self-regulation,  the  following  are  the  self  regulating  bodies  of broadcasting industry:

(i)  News Broadcasters Association (NBA)- a representative body of news and current  affairs  TV  channels  has  set  up  News  Broadcasting  Standards  Authority (NBSA)  to  consider  complaints  against  or  in  respect  of  broadcasters  relating  to content of any news and current affairs telecast on TV channels.

(ii)  Indian  Broadcasting  Foundation  (IBF),  which  is  a  representative  body  of non-News  &  current affairs TV  channels, has set up Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) to examine the complaints about television programmes, and

(iii)  Advertising  Standards  Council  of India  (ASCI),  a  self  regulatory  body  of advertising  industry  has  set  up  Consumer  Complaints  Council  (CCC)  to  consider complaints in respect of advertisements.

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