MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING
[COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]
(a): Complaints are received directly and also through the public grievance portal i.e http://pgportal.gov.in relating to the content telecast on private TV channels and private FM Radio channels and Community Radio Stations.
(b) to (d): The Hon’ble Supreme Court in its order dated 12.01.2017 in the matter of WP(C) No.387 of 2000 – Common Cause Vs UOI & Ors. has advised the Government to formalize the complaint redressal mechanism with regard to complaints related to content telecast/ aired on TV/ Radio. As per existing regulatory framework, private satellite TV channels are required to adhere to the Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 framed thereunder which contain a gamut of criteria to be followed while carrying programmes and advertisements in such TV channels. FM Radio Channels are required to comply with the terms & conditions of the Grant of Permission Agreement (GOPA) which is executed by them with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting at the time of granting permission to run FM radio channels.
Ministry has constituted an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) to take cognizance suo moto or to look into specific complaints regarding content on private TV channels, private FM Radio Channels and Community Radio Stations, and make appropriate recommendations for issuance of warnings or advisories to the channels or asking them to run apology scrolls on their channels or directing the channels to be taken off air for a limited period depending on the gravity of the violation.
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The Ministry has also issued directions to States to set up District level and State level Monitoring Committees to monitor content telecast of local TV channels carried on Cable Networks. Detailed guidelines in this regard have also been issued. These committees have been authorized to monitor private FM Radio Channels and Community Radio Stations as well to ensure adherence to the AIR Broadcast code on suo- moto and complaint basis.
The Ministry exercises the statutory powers available through the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Rules framed thereunder to regulate the content carried by private satellite TV channels. Further, when the channels are granted permission to uplink/downlink a particular channel from or into India as per uplinking/downlinking Guidelines, they furnish an undertaking to comply with the Programme and Advertising Codes at all times. In case of violation of the codes, the Ministry takes action against the defaulting channels in terms of powers conferred under Section 20 of the Cable Act and Uplinking/Downlinking Guidelines.
As part of self-regulation, the following are the self regulating bodies of broadcasting industry:
(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 current affairs telecast on TV channels.
(ii) Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), 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), a self regulatory body of advertising industry has set up Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) to consider complaints in respect of advertisements.
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