Lok Sabha Question No. 207 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-11
Subject: Indecency in Reality Shows
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: CHINTAMANI MALVIYA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA STARRED OUESTION NO. 207 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1110312016

## INDECENCY  IN REALITY  SHOWS

*  207. PROF. CHINTAMANI MALVIYA:

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION  AND BROADCASTING

be oleased to state

- (a) whether  the Government  has taken note of vulgarity  and indecency in realty shows being telecast  by various Television channels in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government  has issued any guidelines  to curb the said trend in reality shows,  if so, the details thereof?
- (b) whether  the Government has received a number of complaints in this regard during the last three years  and the current year, if so, the details thereof  and the action taken thereon; and

## ANSWER

THE llllNlSTER  OF FINANCE;  THE M|N|STER OF CORPORATE AFFATRS AND THE MTNTSTER  OF TNFORMATTON  & BROADCASTTNG  (SHR| ARUN JA|TLEY)

(a) to (c): A statement  is laid on the trable of the House.

(a) & (b): The content telecast on private satellite  TV channels including reality  shows of different  genres  is regulated 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 programmes  and advertisements  telecast on such  rV channels. However,  it  prescribes  that all programmes  and advertisements  on such rV channers should be in conformity  with the prescribed programme  code and Advertising  code enshrined in the Act and the rules framed thereunder, which contains  a whole range of principles  to be followed by these  ry channels  including  the reality shows  carried thereon. The Programme code, inter-alia, provides  that no programme  should be carried in the cable service which (i) offends against good taste or decency; (ii) contains  anything obscene,  defamatory, deliberate,  false and suggestive  innuendos and half truths; and (iii) denigrates women through  the depiction  in any manner of the figure of a women,  her form or body or any part thereof in such a way as to have the effect of being indecent, or derogatory to women, or is likely to deprave,  corrupt  or injure the public  morality or morals. Action  is taken against  defaulting channels whenever any violation  of the said codes  is noticed  or brought to the notice of the Ministrv.

The covernment has set up Erectronic Media Monitoring  centre (EMMo)  to review the content  of private  TV channers  in the contest of vioration(s)  of  programme  and Advertising  Codes.

An Inter-Ministeriar  committee  (lMc)  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 and appropriate  action is taken as per cabre Television Networrs (Regulation)  Act' 1995,  if any violation  if established.  The details  of action taken against the reality shows telecast  on TV channels  in violation of the  programme and Advertising  codes during the last  three years  and the current year is enclosed  at Annexure.

This Ministry  also issues advisories to TV channels from time to time on various lssues, which are also relevant  to reality shows.  These  are available  at Ministry's website: www.mib.nic.in.  In addition, National  commission  for  protection  of child Rights,(NCpcR) has formulated  the'Guidelines  for Media Reporting on children,which have been circurated by this Ministry  among ail TV channers/NBA,/rBF  on 23.11.2012. The guiderines,  inter-aria, lay down provisions  to be followed  by broadcasters/producers  in case child participants  are taken in their shows.

Besides, as part of its self-regulating  mechanism, Indian Broadcasting  Foundation (lBF), which is a representative  body of non-news & current affairs TV channels,  has set up Broadcasting  content complaints council (BCCC) headed by shri Mukul Mudgal retired judge  of Hon'ble  High  court to examine  complaints  about television  programmes.  Bccc has also issued some Advisories  on various issues related to reality shows to their member channels, which are available at their website i.e. www.ibfindia.com.

- (c): There is no such proposal  as the existing provisions contained in the  programme  & Advertising  codes and the existing mechanism  are considered  adequate to regulate content including reality shows on TV channels.

## ANNEXURE  AS REFERRED  TO lN PARTS (a)  TO  (b)  OF LoK SABHA STARRED ouEsTroN  No.207 FOR 11.03.2016

Action taken against the reality shows telecast on TV channels in violation of the Programme and Advertising Codes during the last three years and the current year.

| S.No.   | Name the channel   | Reason for issuing SCN                                                    | Action Taken                                                                                                      |
|---------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| a       | Colors             | Telecast of a reality show Bigg Boss Season-7                             | An Advisory dated 26.03.20'14 was issued to channel                                                               |
|         | ColorsW            | Telecast of programme namety " Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi-Dan Blockbuster" | Fear Ka A order dated 08.01.2015 was issued to the channel warning them and asking them to run an apology scroll. |