Lok Sabha Question No. 3213 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-06
Subject: Sensationalization of News
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Ramya  Haridas, Poonam (Mahajan) Vajendla Rao, Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3213 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06/08/2021

## SENSATIONALIZATION OF NEWS

3213. MS. RAMYA HARIDAS: SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN: SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of high decibel, sensationalistic and slanderous news programmes/debates being hosted on Indian news channels and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is of the view that such programmes lack civility and have an adverse impact on the viewers and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether it  is  a  fact  that  the  Government  has  received  complaints  against news channels violating the broadcasting guidelines and broadcasting fake news, hate and divisive agenda during the last three years and if so, the details thereof along with the action taken by the Government against such news channels;
- (d) whether it is also a fact that the Government is planning to initiate any code of  conduct  or  broad  guidelines  for  the  debates  that  happen  on  electronic media and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the time by which final decision is likely to be taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

(a) to (b): All programmes telecast on private satellite TV channels are required to adhere to the Programme Code laid down in Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 framed under the Cable Television     Networks     (Regulation)     Act,      1995.

The  Programme  Code  inter  alia  provides  that  no  programme should  contain  anything  obscene,  defamatory,  deliberate,  false and suggestive innuendos and half truths and should not criticize, malign  or  slander  any  individual  in  person  or  certain  groups, segments of social, public and moral life of the country.

The  Ministry  also  issues  Advisories  from  time  to  time  to private satellite TV channels for adhering to the Programme Code.

- (c):    The  Government  has  an  institutional  mechanism  for  taking action in respect of private TV channels which are found to violate the Programme Code. During 2018-19 to 2020-21, the Government has taken action in respect of 126 cases by issuance of Advisories, Warnings, Apology Scroll Orders and Off-air Orders.
- (d)  &  (e):          The  Programme  Code  under  the  Cable  Television Networks  Rules,  inter  alia  contains  broad  guidelines  relating  to content  broadcast  on  private  Television  channels.  The  Central Government  has  amended  the  Cable  Television  Networks  Rules, 1994  vide  notification  No.  G.S.R.  416(E)  dated  17.06.2021  to provide  for  a  statutory  mechanism  for  redressal  of  grievances/ complaints of violation of Programme Code and Advertising Codes of  the  broadcast  by  Television  channels.  The  Rules  provide  for three level complaint redressal mechanism;  Level I by the broadcaster, Level II by the self regulating bodies of the broadcasters, and Level III by oversight mechanism of the Central Government.

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