I&B Ministry Advisory To Private News Channels Over News Coverage

NEW DELHI:  The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Saturday, has advised private Television news channels against making false claims and using scandalous headlines while telecasting stories.

In a detailed advisory, the Ministry has called for adherence to the provisions of The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act. The Ministry said, in the recent past, several Satellite TV channels have carried out coverage of events and incidents in a manner which appears to be unauthentic, misleading, sensational and using socially unacceptable language and remarks. The advisory has cited the Ukraine-Russian conflict and the incidence in North-West Delhi in particular where TV news content and debates have been found in violation of the Programme Code.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory for adherence to the provisions of Section 20 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 pic.twitter.com/PijXlVduOa

— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) April 23, 2022

In the case of reporting on Ukraine-Russia conflict, the Ministry has found channels are making scandalous headlines unrelated to the news item, and journalists making unsubstantiated and fabricated claims and using hyperbole to incite the audience. The Ministry said, in the case of Delhi violence, certain channels have aired news items with provocative headlines and videos of violence that may incite communal hatred among the communities and disrupt peace and law and order. 

I&B Ministry issues advisory to private channels asking them to refrain from using scandalous headlines. pic.twitter.com/bM4ce4UjkY

— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) April 23, 2022

The Ministry has cautioned private TV channels against broadcasting debates having unparliamentary, provocative, and socially unacceptable language, communal remarks and derogatory references which may incite communal disharmony and disturb the peace at large.

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