Lok Sabha Question No. 3265 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-13
Subject: Review of Media Units
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: M.K. Vishnu Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3265 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2020

## REVIEW OF MEDIA UNITS

## 3265. DR. VISHNU PRASAD M.K.:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any review of operation of the media units working under his Ministry was done recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has asked the States and UTs to restrict airing  objectionable  contents  and  unauthorized  channels  and ensure  effective  implementation  of  Cable  TV  Act  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  install  FM  transmitters  at different places of the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether any decision has been taken by the Government in regard to publications under the Press and Registration Act and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE; MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES {SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR}

(a)  &  (b):  Functioning  of  some  of  the  media  units  under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was reviewed with a view to bring convergence and synergy, whereby the erstwhile media units, viz. Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP) and Song & Drama Division (S&DD) were merged on 8 th  December, 2017 to  create  a  new  entity,  namely  the  Bureau  of  Outreach  and

Communication  (BOC).  Review  of  the  operations  of  media units is carried out from time to time.

(c): All TV channels are required to adhere to the Programme and Advertising Codes as prescribed under the Cable Television Networks  (Regulation) Act, 1995. The Central Government had on 26 th  April, 2017 issued detailed guidelines regarding constitution of State/ District Level Monitoring Committee  to  ensure  adherence  of  these  Codes  to  all  Chief Secretaries of States and Administrators of Union Territories, State  Information  Secretaries  and  all  District  Magistrates. These have also been reiterated in July 2019.

With  regard  to  transmission  of  unauthorized  channels, the Ministry issued an Advisory under Cable Television Networks  (Regulation)  Act,  1995  on  8 th   July,  2016  to  the Authorised Officers in the State Governments/ UT administrations, to ensure that only Satellite Channels permitted by the Union Government are transmitted by Cable Operators.  The  registered  Multi  Service  Operators  (MSOs) have  also  been  directed  not  to  carry  on  their  networks  the Satellite TV Channels which are not permitted by the Government.

(d):  Prasar  Bharti  has  501  FM  transmitters  at  present  in  the country.  Prasar  Bharti  expands  its  FM  Radio  Network  by establishing new FM stations as per approved projects under Central Sector Scheme of Government of India as per the need and demand in a particular area.

(e): Registration of publication, including newspapers, is done by Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) under the provisions of 'Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867' and the extant procedure laid down for this purpose. *******