I&B deputes EMMC to monitor international channels downlinking in India

NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Ministry is keeping a check on all the international channels that are downlinking in India.

The ministry sources told indiantelevision.com that the Electronic Media Monitoring Cell (EMMC) is closely monitoring all the 89 channels from abroad which had so far been permitted to downlink in India.

Of these channels, 33 channels are beaming exclusively in English while another 33 are beaming in English, Hindi and one or more regional languages.

While 15 are beaming in English and Hindi, two channels are in Japanese and English, two in French, and one each in Korean-English, German-English, Tamil, and Hindi.

Since the channels are beamed by companies having a registered office in India, they are also covered under the Cable TV Networks (Regulations) Act 1995, the Inter-Ministerial Committee which is empowered to act on complaints as well as suo motu, and the self-regulation mechanisms of the private channels - the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council, and the News Broadcasting Regulatory Authority.