Lok Sabha Question No. 390 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-19
Subject: Vulgar/Derogatory Dialogues/ Remarks against Women in TV Programmes
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: P. KUMAR, LAKHAN LAL SAHU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 390 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19/07/2018

## VULGAR/DEROGATORY DIALOGUES/REMARKS AGAINST WOMEN IN TV PROGRAMMES

## 390.   SHRI P. KUMAR: SHRI LAKHAN LAL SAHU:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government  is aware  that several television channels including  Doordarshan  are  airing  sponsored  and  other  programmes  and advertisements containing vulgar and derogatory dialogues/remarks/ contents against women in the guise of comedy or otherwise;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  taking  any  action  against  these  channels, whenever such instances are brought to their notice and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to amend the Indian Penal Code and Indecent Portrayal of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 or formulate a new code of conduct to check telecasting of such programmes and advertisements and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the time by which the proposed amendments/new code of conduct is likely to be implemented?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  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/retransmitted  through  the  Cable  TV  network      are  required  to  adhere  to  the Programme  and  Advertising  Codes  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  and  advertisement  telecast  on  such  TV  channels.    However,  it prescribes  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  wide  range  of  parameters  to  regulate  programmes  and advertisements including portrayal of women in a vulgar or indecent manner or contain derogatory dialogues/remarks against women.

The  Ministry  has  set  up  Electronic  Media  Monitoring  Centre  (EMMC)  to monitor  the  content  telecast  on  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 take cognizance suo-moto or look into specific complaints regarding violation of Programme and Advertising Codes by  private  TV  channels.  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.

Details of action taken on violation of Programme and Advertising Codes by private TV channels for telecast of content of indecency/obscenity/vulgarity in TV programmes and Advertisements in the last three years and the current year is enclosed at Annexure-I.

Further,  as  part  of  the  self-regulatory  mechanism  Indian  Broadcasting Foundation  (IBF),  a  representative  body  of  non-news  &  current  affairs  TV channels,  has  set  up  Broadcasting  Content  Complaints  Council  (BCCC)  to examine the complaints relating to content of television programmes. To ensure that  the  channels do not cross the thin line between comedy and vulgarity, the BCCC has issued an Advisory dated 27/12/2012 with regard to comedy shows aired  on  various  non-news  general  entertainment  TV  channels.  The  same  is enclosed at Annexure-II.

Prasar  Bharati  has  stated  that  all  Programmes  of  Doordarshan  are telecast  in  conformity  with  the    Programme  Code  prescribed  under  the  Cable Television Network Rules, 1994 enshrined under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

(d) to (e): There is no such proposal at present.

*******

## ANNEXURE  AS  REFERRED  TO  IN  PARTS  (a)  to  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 390  FOR 19.07.2018

Details of action taken on violation of Programme and Advertisement code by private TV channels for telecast of content of indecency/obscenity/vulgarity in last three years and current year.

Year 2015

|   S.No. | Name of the Channel   | Nature of violation                                                                                               | Details of action taken                                                                                                   |
|---------|-----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | NTV                   | Telecast a song-based programme 'Cine Colors'                                                                     | An order dated 19.01.2015 was issued to the channel for taking the channel off air for seven day.                         |
|       2 | NTV                   | Telecast of news report revealed the identity of sexual harassment minor boy                                      | A Warning dated 23.03.2015 was issued to channel.                                                                         |
|       3 | Satlon News           | Telecast of News report about a private corporate party organised in a five star hotel on the Pune-Mumbai highway | An order was issued on 27.03.2015 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re- transmission of channel for 30 day.  |
|       4 | Jai Hind              | Telecast of 'A; certified film, titled 'Hai Harithe'                                                              | An order was issued on 07.04.2015 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re- transmission of channel for one day. |
|       5 | Russia Today TV       | Telecast of obscene programme 'Crazy Alert'                                                                       | An Advisory dated 06.07.2015 was issued to the channel.                                                                   |
|       6 | A2Z News TV           | The Channel telecast news reports on various date and revealed the identity of Sexually assaulted minor victims   | A warning dated 07.08.2015 was issued to the channel.                                                                     |

Year 2016

|   S.No. | Name of the Channel      | Nature of violation                                                             | Details of action taken                                                                                                      |
|---------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       7 | Care World               | Telecast of a programme "Kya Karun Main AB?" on unnatural sex.                  | A warning dated 24.05.2016 was issued to the channel.                                                                        |
|       8 | F TV                     | Telecast of a programme namely fotos in alleged violation of the programme code | An Advisory dated 25.05.2016 issued to the channel.                                                                          |
|       9 | CVR English News Channel | Telecast of News bulletins showing disturbing visuals of dead bodies            | An Advisory dated 25.05.2016 issued to the channel.                                                                          |
|      10 | Oscar Movies             | Telecast of 'A' certified films on various dates.                               | An Advisory dated 06.06.2016 issued to the channel.                                                                          |
|      11 | Care World               | Telecast of obscene programme 'Kya Karu Main Aab'                               | An order was issued on 02.11.2016 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re- transmission of channel for seven days. |

|   12. | News Time Assam   | Telecast of news report revealing the identity of minor boy                                                   | An order dated 2.11.2016 was issued to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of channel for one day ( to carry out the three awards of one day off air concurrently).   |
|-------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    12 | News Time Assam   | Telecast of News bulletins showing disturbing visuals of dead bodies                                          | An order dated 2.11.2016 was issued to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of channel for one day ( to carry out the three awards of one day off air concurrently).   |
|    12 | News Time Assam   | Telecast of News story defaming the image of MLA and denigrating women.                                       | An order dated 2.11.2016 was issued to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of channel for one day ( to carry out the three awards of one day off air concurrently).   |
|    13 | MBC TV            | Telecast of news report revealing the identity of sexually assaulted victims.                                 | A Warning dated 29.11.2016 issued to the channel.                                                                                                                                             |
|    14 | All TV channel    | Telecast of Condom Advertisements between 10:00 PM - 6:00 AM while telecasting advertisements on TV channels. | An Advisory dated 11.12.2017 issued to fall TV channels.                                                                                                                                      |

## Year 2017

| S.No.   | Name of the Channel   | Nature of violation   | Details of action taken   |
|---------|-----------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|
| NIL     | NIL                   | NIL                   | NIL                       |

********