Rules regulating Cable TV network amended

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Thursday amended the foundations regulating Cable TV networks, offering for a “statutory” mechanism for complaints raised by residents relating to any content material broadcast.

At current, there are over 900 TV channels which might be required to adjust to the Programme and Advertising Code laid down by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting beneath the Cable Television Network Rules.

The Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 offers for a three-level grievance redressal mechanism — self-regulation by broadcasters, self-regulation by the self-regulating our bodies of the broadcasters, and oversight by an Inter-Departmental Committee on the stage of the Union authorities.

A viewer can file a criticism on to the broadcaster, who should reply inside 15 days. If the complainant is just not happy with the response, the criticism could be escalated to the self-regulating our bodies arrange by TV channels, which ought to take care of the case in 60 days.

“If the complainant is not satisfied with the decision of the self-regulating body, he may, within 15 days of such decision, prefer an appeal to the Central Government for its consideration under the Oversight Mechanism,” the modification mentioned.

Such appeals shall be handled by the Inter-Departmental Committee arrange beneath the Oversight Mechanism. The committee shall be headed by the Additional Secretary within the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and have members from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and representatives of different Ministries and organisations, together with consultants, because the Centre might determine.

This third tier is just not solely saved apart to listen to the appeals, it may well take up complaints that come on to the Centre.

At current, there may be an institutional mechanism by means of an Inter-Ministerial Committee to deal with the grievances of residents regarding the violation of the Programme/Advertising Codes beneath the Rules, but it surely doesn’t have statutory backing.

After analyzing the complaints, the Inter-Departmental Committee can suggest the Centre to advise, situation a warning, censure, admonish or reprimand a broadcaster, or search an apology. It may ask the broadcaster to incorporate a warning card or a disclaimer, or to delete or modify content material, or take the channel or a programme off-air for a specified time interval, the place it’s happy that such motion is warranted.