Lok Sabha Question No. 6232 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-05
Subject: Issue of Notices to News Channels
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: HARI OM PANDEY, MAMTAZ SANGHAMITA, SANTOSH KUMAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6232 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05/04/2018

## ISSUE OF NOTICES TO NEWS CHANNELS

## 6232.  SHRI  HARI OM PANDAY: DR. MAMTAZ SANGHAMITA: SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has issued any notices/warning letters to some of the news channels for promoting anti-national agenda in the recent past;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the names of the news channels; and
- (c) the reasons for not cancelling the licenses of those news channels?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (c)  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 Network Rules, 1994 framed thereunder.  The Act does not provide for pre-censorship 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 including the content which is likely to promote anti-national attitudes. In this regard, specific provision in the Programme Code is given as under:

Rule  6  (1)  (e)  provides  that  no  programme  should  be  carried  in  the  cable service  which  is  likely  to  encourage  or  incite  violence  or  contains  anything  against maintenance of law and order or which promote anti-national attitudes.

The Ministry has set up Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) to monitor the content of private TV channels with reference to the violation of Programme and Advertising Codes. An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has also been set up in the Ministry to look into the specific complaints or suo-motu take cognizance against the violation of Programme and Advertising Codes. The IMC has representatives from the Ministries  of  Home  Affairs,  Defence,  External  Affairs,  Law,  Women  and  Child Development, Health & Family Welfare, Consumer Affairs, Information & Broadcasting and  a  representative  from  the  industry  in  Advertising  Standards  Council  of  India (ASCI).  The IMC meets periodically and recommends action in respect of violation of Programme  and  Advertising  Codes  by  private  TV  channels . Apart  from  this,  the Ministry  has  also  issued  directions  to  States  to  set  up  District  level  and  State  level Monitoring Committees to monitor content telecast on cable TV channels.

Action  against  TV  channels  may  extend  from  issue  of  warnings  or  advisories  to comply with the Programme/Advertising Codes or directing channels to run apology scrolls on their channels and can extend up to taking the channels off air temporarily for varying period depending on the gravity of the violation.  Before taking such action, usually show cause notices are also issued to the channels. Details of action taken against TV cannels for violation of the aforesaid Rule 6 (1) (e) of the Programme Code are at Annexure .

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## ANNEXURE  AS  REFERRED  TO  IN  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)    OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6232 FOR 05.04.2018

Action  Taken  for  violation  of  6(1)(e)  of  Programme  Code  of  Cable  Television Networks  Rules,  1994    by  private  satellite  TV  channels  during  the  last  three years and the current year.

Year - 2015

|   S.No. | Name of the Channel   | Reason for Show Cause Notice                                                                                                                          | Details of action taken                                                                                                              |
|---------|-----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | TV9                   | Telecast a 'Bullet News' political satire targeting Chief Minister of Telangana.                                                                      | An order was issued on 27.03.2015 to the channel for running apology scroll.                                                         |
|       2 | Aljazeera TV          | Telecast of News report carried wrong graphical map of India repeatedly.                                                                              | An order was issued on 10.04.2015 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re- transmission of channel for 5 day.              |
|       3 | Sathiyam TV           | Telecast of objectionable programme 'Ungal Aseervatha Seram' and Paarthathum Padithathum by Sathiyam TV                                               | A warning dated 12.05.2015 was issued to the channel                                                                                 |
|       4 | Sudarshan News        | Telecast of a programme called BINDAAS BOL making allegation about non-salutation of National Flag on the Republic Day by the Hon'ble Vice President. | A warning dated 17.06.2015 was issued to the channel.                                                                                |
|       5 | DY 365                | Telecast of News story defame the image of MLA and denigrating women.                                                                                 | A order dated 07.08.2015 was issued to the channel thereby warning the channel and directing it to run an apology scroll for one day |

YEAR- 2016

|   S.No. | Name of the Channel   | Reason for Show Cause Notice                                                                    | Details of action taken                                                                                                                                           |
|---------|-----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       6 | NDTV India TV         | Telecast of a prgramme based on hanging of a 1993 Mumbai serial blast-case convict Yakub Memon  | An Advisory dated 01.06.2016 issued to the channel                                                                                                                |
|       7 | NDTV 24x7             | Telecast of a programme 'Truth vs Hype -the Riddle of Yakub Memon'                              | An Advisory dated 01.06.2016 issued to the channel                                                                                                                |
|       8 | Aaj Tak               | Telecast of a programme based on hanging of a 1993 Mumbai serial blast-case convict Yakub Memon | An Advisory dated 07.06.2016 issued to the channel                                                                                                                |
|       9 | ABP News              | Telecast of a prgramme based on hanging of a 1993 Mumbai serial blast-case convict Yakub Memon  | An Advisory dated 07.06.2016 issued to the channel                                                                                                                |
|      10 | NDTV INDIA            | Telecast of news report on Pathankot terrorist attack                                           | An order was issued on 02.11.2016 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re- transmission of channel for one day which was subsequently held in abeyance. |

## 2017

| S.No.   | Name of the Channel   | Reason for Show Cause Notice   | Details of action taken   |
|---------|-----------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------|
|         |                       | ----NIL----                    |                           |

## 2018

| S.No.      | Name of the Channel   | Reason for Show Cause Notice   | Details of action taken   |
|------------|-----------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------|
| ----NIL--- | ----NIL---            | ----NIL---                     | ----NIL---                |

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