Govt. to constitute mechanism to monitor content on television
March 15th, 2011 - 5:00 pm ICT by ANI
New Delhi, Mar 15 (ANI): Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Tuesday informed that the Government would soon announce a self-regulatory mechanism with representation from civil society to monitor content on television.
Responding to concerns raised by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convenor Sharad Yadav and Janata Dal (Secular) MP N Chaluvaraya Swamy about reality shows like ‘Big Boss’, Soni said: “We are right on the threshold of announcing a self-regulatory mechanism to monitor content on television. This mechanism will take up complaints from the civil society regarding any objectionable content on private television channels.”
Soni also told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour that her ministry would step in only when the action of the mechanism was not satisfactory.
She made it clear that there was no censor board for television content, which is at present being regulated by the Cable Regulatory Act with some uplinking and downlinking criteria for broadcasters.
“The ministry would not like to do anything which is later on struck down by the courts,” she said, and cited an example of change in timing of a TV show by the ministry which was turned down by the High Court.
Soni further said that enough steps are being taken to strengthen the Doordarshan network in border areas like the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir to make sure that signals of foreign broadcasters do not dominate the region. (ANI)
- Government to form watchdog to monitor TV content - Mar 15, 2011
- No diktat, but open to all-party meet on TV content: Soni - Dec 13, 2011
- Renewal of TV licences: Self-regulatory bodies to be consulted - Dec 09, 2011
- Broadcasters will be consulted on new TV guidelines: Soni - Oct 10, 2011
- Soni backs Katju on media's self-regulation - Nov 17, 2011
- Broadcasting council takes shape to deal with TV complaints - Feb 18, 2011
- Government amends rules to toughen entry for TV channels - Oct 07, 2011
- Soni pitches for self-regulatory mechanism for media - Oct 28, 2009
- Govt. proposes "Broadcasting Content Complaints Council" - Feb 18, 2011
- TRP report provided a roadmap to Information and Broadcasting ministry: Soni - Jan 10, 2011
- TRAI asked to look into number of TV channels: Soni - Dec 07, 2009
- Government prefers self-regulation by media, says Soni (Lead) - Mar 31, 2010
- Broadcast sector not looking down: Ambika Soni - Mar 30, 2010
- India to support Afghanistan in building media capacities - May 24, 2011
- Bill to digitalise cable TV passed by Lok Sabha - Dec 13, 2011
Tags: ambika soni, big boss, border areas, broadcasters, doordarshan, jammu and kashmir, kashmir, Lok Sabha, national democratic alliance, New Delhi, objectionable content, private television, reality shows, regulatory act, regulatory mechanism, sharad yadav, swamy, television channels, television content, threshold