NEW DELHI: The government today reiterated in the parliament that there is no proposal for any censorship or any rules and norms for private TV channels for broadcasting their pre-recorded programmes.
The question in the Rajya Sabha were related to pre-recorded programmes or ‘fabricated videos pretending as live telecast.’
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said under the existing regulatory framework, all programmes and advertisements telecast on private satellite TV channels and transmitted/re-transmitted through the Cable TV network are required to adhere to the Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed 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 programme and advertisement telecast on such TV channels.
However, it prescribes that all programmes and advertisements telecast on such TV channels including regional language channels should be in conformity with the prescribed Programme Code and Advertising Code enshrined in the said Act and the rules framed thereunder, which contain a whole range of parameters to regulate programmes and advertisements including the content aimed at instigating communal violence and fear in the minds of common people on TV channels.
Apart from this, this Ministry had issued an Advisory to news and current affairs TV channels on 20 September 2013 advising them to follow the provisions of the Programme Code scrupulously and exercise restraint and sensitivity while reporting such incidents and refrain from telecasting any material which could ignite communal passions and create law and order problem.
The Ministry has set up Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) to monitor the content telecast on private TV channels with reference to the violation of Programme and Advertising Codes.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) 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. The IMC has representatives from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Defence, External Affairs, Law, Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare, Consumer Affairs, Information & Broadcasting and a representative from the industry in Advertising Standards Authority of India (ASCI). The IMC meets periodically and recommends action in respect of violation of Programme and Advertising Codes by private TV channels.
Apart from this, the Ministry has also issued directions to States to set up District level and State level Monitoring Committees to regulate content telecast on cable TV channels.
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