163 instances of communal remarks flagged on TV channels in 3 years: Thakur

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday that the government has flagged 163 incidents of airing communally inflammatory remarks in violation of the 'programme code' and issued warnings and advisories to private television channels in the last three years.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur replied in a written statement in the Lok Sabha that the government has an institutional mechanism to take action against private TV channels that violate the program code. "During the last three years and current year, the government has taken action in respect of 163 cases by the issuance of advisories, warnings, apology scroll orders and off-air orders," Thakur said.

Under the cable television network rules, the program code has a broad set of guidelines that are related to content aired on private television channels, he said.

Thakur said that on June 17, 2021, the Central Government amended the Cable Television Network Rules to provide a legal mechanism for redressal of complaints/grievances regarding violation of the Program Code and Advertising Code by broadcasting television channels.

"The rules provide for three-level complaint redressal mechanisms, Level I by the broadcaster, Level II by the self-regulating bodies of the broadcasters, and Level III by oversight mechanism of the Central government," Thakur said.

The Ministry of I&B issues time-to-time advisories to private satellite TV channels to comply with the Program Code. On April 23, 2022, the ministry issued an advisory to all private satellite TV channels to ensure strict compliance with the program code under the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1995 and regulations thereunder, Thakur said.

(With PTI inputs)