IB ministry pulls up TV channels for ‘distasteful, disturbing & violent content’

Rishabh Pant’s accident was specifically highlighted in statement of the ministry of information and broadcasting

The ministry of information and broadcasting on Monday pulled up private television channels against reporting “incidents of accidents, deaths, and violence, including violence against women, children and elderly in manners which grossly compromises on good taste and decency”, including the accident of cricketer Rishabh Pant, stating that such content violates the programme code.

The ministry issued a stern warning cautioning the channels against telecasting such content. (File image (Representative))

In a statement, the ministry issued a stern warning cautioning the channels against telecasting such content as it can also have “adverse psychological impact on the children”.

“There is also a crucial issue of invasion of privacy which could be potentially maligning and defamatory, the advisory has underlined. Television, being a platform usually watched by families in households with people from all cohorts – old aged, middle aged, small children, etc., and with various socio-economic backgrounds, place certain sense of responsibility and discipline among the broadcasters, which have been enshrined in the programme code and the Advertising Code,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The Ministry has observed that in most cases the videos are being taken from social media and broadcast without editorial discretion and modifications to ensure compliance and consistency with the programme code,” it added.

It highlighted particular incidents that took place last year, including videos of Pant’s accident in Uttarakhand broadcast on December 30, 2022, without blurring his face, dead body of a Punjabi singer telecast in April, and the a “disturbing incident of a man brutally beating two minor boys with a stick in Chirang district of Assam”.

“In the video, the man can be seen mercilessly beating boys with sticks. The clip was played without blurring or muting in which the boys’ painful cries are clearly heard,” the government statement said.

From 2017 to 2022, nine television channels were taken off air for programme code violations, minister Anurag Thakur informed Parliament in August last year.

“The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued directions for blocking of 94 YouTube based news channels and 19 social media accounts / websites / mobile applications under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 during 2021-22. The CBFC has informed that between 2017 and 2022, it has refused certification to 11 songs,” he added.

“Raising concern over such broadcast and in view of larger public interest involved and having regard to the nature of audience of television channels including elderly, women and children, the Mministry has strongly advised all private television channels to attune their systems and practices of reporting incidents of crime, accidents and violence, including death in conformity with the programme code,” the ministry said.