Lok Sabha Question No. 2267 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-11
Subject: Complaints Received by BCCC
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, T. RADHAKRISHNAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 2267 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1111212015

## COMPLAINTS  RECEIVED  BY BCCC

2267. DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

SHRIMAT! SUPRIYA  SULE:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

SHRI SATAV RAJEEV:

DR. HEENA VUAYKUMAR  GAVIT:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

## W|II the Minister of INFORMATION  AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) the number  of complaints  received  by Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) since its inception against general entertainment  channels,
- (c) whether  the number of complaints against sex, obscenity  and nudity  on TV has declined;
- (b) the details  of nature of complaints  received/disposed  of by the Bccc during each of the last three  years and the current year, category and channel-wise;
- (d) if so, the details thereof  and the reasons  therefor;  and
- 1"i the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to make the channels self regulated and work accordinglY?

## Answer

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION  & BROADCASTING ICOL  RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE  (REtd')I

- (a)  Broadcasting  content complaints council (BCCC) has informed that the total number of complaints  received by BCCC since its inception  in June 201 1 till 30 September 2015 is 28365.  Out of this 5386 were specific content  related complaints, which were dealt by BCCC.
- (b)  BCCC has conveyed  the details  of the complaints received  by them during the last three  years and the current  year which are placed at Annexure-|.
- (c)  & (d) The number of complaints  against the theme  sex, obscenity  and nudity appear to have declined as per data provided by BCCC for current  year are up to 30"' september, 2015. The details  are  placed  at Annexure-ll.  No study  on the reasons for the decline  is available.  However,  Ministry  of Information and Broadcasting  has constituted an Inter Ministerial  Committee (lMC) to look into the violations suo-motu or whenever violation  of the Programme and Advertising  Codes is brought to the notice of this Ministry in respect of orivate iatellite  TV channels.  IMC has representatives  from the Ministries  of Home  Affairs, befence, External Affairs, Law, Women and Child Development,  Health and Family Welfare,  Consumer  Affairs  and a representative from the industry in Advertising  Standards Council  of India (ASCI). IMC meets periodically to consider the complaints of serious nature and recommends  action in case of violation  by the channels.

- (e) Government  has encouraged  self-regulation  in electronic  media by the Broadcasting Industry.  The following  are the self regulatory mechanisms established  by industry bodies:
- (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 currents affairs telecast  on TV channels.

(ii) Indian Broadcasting  Foundation (lBF), 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),  established  in  '1985,  has set up Consumer Complaints  Council (CCC)  to consider complaints  in respbct of advertisements.

## ANNEXURE  AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART  (b)  OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.2267 FOR ANSWER ON'11.12.2015

The details of the complaints  received by BCCC,  during the last three years and the current vear.

| Themes   | Description                                 | Jan2012- Dec 2012   | Jan2012- Dec 2012   | Jan 2013- Dec 2013   | Jan 2013- Dec 2013   | Jan2014- Dec 2014   | Jan2014- Dec 2014   | Jan 2015- Sep 2015   | Jan 2015- Sep 2015   | Jan20'12- Sep 2015   | Jan20'12- Sep 2015   |
|----------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------|---------------------|----------------------|----------------------|---------------------|---------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
| Themes   | Description                                 | Total               | o/o                 | Total                | o/o                  | Total               | o/o                 | Total                | o/o                  | Grand Total          | o/o                  |
| Themes   | Description                                 | A                   | A                   | B                    | B                    | c                   | c                   | D                    | D                    | A+B+C+D              | A+B+C+D              |
| Theme 1  | Crime & Violence                            | 't26                | 21                  | 209                  | 22                   | 107                 | o                   | 1?A                  | o                    | 580                  | 12                   |
| Theme 2  | Sex, Obscenity & Nudity                     | 142                 | 24                  | 141                  | 15                   | 130                 | 7                   | 60                   | 4                    | 473                  | 10                   |
| Theme 3  | Horror & Occult                             |                     | to                  | 112                  | 12                   | 9                   | 1                   | 347                  | 22                   |                      | 11                   |
| Theme 4  | Drugs, Smoking, Tobacco, Solvents & Alcohol | 2                   | 0                   | o                    | 1                    | o                   | 1                   | 1E                   | 1                    | 5Z                   | 1                    |
| Theme 5  | Religion & Community                        | 50                  | 8                   | 345                  | 36                   | t,/                 | 4                   | 856                  | F,A                  | 1318                 | 27                   |
| Theme 6  | Harm & Offence                              | '145                | 24                  | 123                  | 13                   | 1445                | 81                  | 135                  | q                    | 1848                 | 2e                   |
| Theme 7  | General Restrictions                        | ??                  |                     | 11                   | 1                    | 24                  | I                   | 25                   | 2                    |                      |                      |
| TOTAL    | TOTAL                                       | 593                 | 100                 | 947                  | 100                  | 't79'l              | 100                 | 1576                 | 100                  | 4907                 | 100                  |

## ANNEXURE AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) AND (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  No. 2267 FOR ANSWER ON 11.12.20'15

The details of the complaints  received by BCCC during the last three  years  and the current year, against the theme  sex, obscenity and nudity.

| Calendar Year   |   Total Specific Gomplaints | Out of total Specific Complaints, number of complaints pertaining to Theme 2: Sex and Obscenity   |   Percentage |
|-----------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|
| 2012            |                         593 | 142                                                                                               |           24 |
| 20't3           |                         947 | 14',1                                                                                             |           15 |
| 2014            |                        1791 | 130                                                                                               |            7 |
| 20't5           |                        1576 | 60                                                                                                |            4 |