INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

Question No - 281
:
Answered Date : 27-07-2010
Subject : TELEVISION CONTENT

 

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:-


(a) whether the Government has made any review/study on the impact of the depiction of obscene,violent and horror content on Television on the masses including children; 

(b) if so, the details thereof and the outcome thereon; 

(c) whether the Government has any proposal to regulate the depiction of such content in view of its adverse impact; 

(d) if so, the details thereof, 

(e) whether the Government also has any proposal to regulate reality shows soliciting SMS votes for the participants including minors; and 

(f) if so, the details thereof and the action taken in this regard?
ANSWER

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING (SHRI C.M. JATUA) 

(a) No, Sir. 

(b) Does not arise. 

(c)&(d) As per existing Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act- 1995 all programmes telecast on Television channels, transmitted/retransmitted through the Cable TV network, are required to adhere to the Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and rules framed thereunder. Action is taken as per rules whenever any violation of Code is brought to the notice of the Government. This Ministry has constituted an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) to look into the specific complaints or take cognizance suo-motu against the violation of Programme and Advertising codes and action is taken as per rules if violation is established. Government has also set up an Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) to monitor the content of private television channels with reference to the violation of Programme and Advertising Codes. 

The Government had constituted a committee for reviewing the existing Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and the rules framed thereunder to provide greater specificity to the provisions of existing codes. The Committee has submitted its report to the Government which is available on the website of the Ministry www.mib.nic.in under the heading “Self Regulation Guidelines 2008”. 

Further, the Government has recently set up a Task Force under the Chairmanship of Secretary (I & B) for holding wider consultations with stakeholders to arrive at a consensus regarding the provisions of the draft content code. 

(e) No, Sir. 

(f) Does not arise.