Government's Strong Warning To Tv Channels Not To Air Certain Crime Stories

NEW DELHI: The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, was violated numerous times over the past few months, including the news broadcast involving Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant, who was recently hurt in a car accident, according to a strong warning the ministry of information and broadcasting issued to TV channels on Monday. Instances of accidents, deaths, and violence have been recorded on television, according to the ministry, "which significantly compromised on 'good taste and decency'" and were "very distasteful to the eyes and ears of a general viewer."

The advisory warned that reporting violent incidents without taking the precaution of blurring the images or showing them from long shots' ' is disgusting, heartbreaking, distressing, undignifying, and sensational. It also reminded broadcasters of a "certain sense of responsibility and discipline."

The children are negatively affected psychologically by such reporting. The critical issue of privacy invasion, which may be damaging and libellous, is also present.

The channels were criticised by the ministry for using video snippets pulled from social media without "modifying, tuning, or editing such footage so as to make it compatible and consistent with the spirit of the Programme Code."

According to the advisory, "Such telecast by the television channels is a matter of grave concern. Given the larger public interest involved and having regard to the nature of television audiences including the elderly, women, and children, all private television channels are strongly advised to attune their systems and practices of reporting incidents of crime, accidents, and violence, including death, in compliance with the Programme Code."

In India, broadcasting was exclusively governed by the State before the advent of cable television, according to sources. When satellite broadcasting and cable networks first started to appear in the early 1990s, the Indian government was taken off guard. The transmission and broadcast of television via foreign satellites was not something the government could control.  

Also read: Punjab: Army Officer Kills Wife With Gunshot, Commits Suicide Later

Also watch: