I&B Ministry
I&B minister seeks appointment with PM on CAS
NEW DELHI:Just in case if it interests you all in the industry, India’s information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is reported to have sought an appointment with Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee tomorrow after returning from a trip overseas. The agenda: in all probability conditional access system (CAS).
According to government officials today (23 May), Prasad has sought an appointment with the PM and is likely to update him on CAS and the steps that his ministry has taken to ensure a smooth implementation.
If the meeting takes place, considering the PM is keeping a busy schedule these days, many issues, under cloud of doubts, may get cleared. One of them being that the Bharatiya Janata Party, to which Prasad and the PM belong, is said to have been upset with CAS implementation.
Moreover, this rumored development, which was hotly denied by the party spokesperson yesterday at a press conference, took place when Prasad was out of the country, away to Cannes pitching, along with the industry, for India being the favoured destination for film shooting and other such things on a global platform.
I&B Ministry
MIB halts news TRPs for four weeks over sensational US-Iran conflict coverage
Government flags panic-mongering in television war coverage
NEW DELHI: India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC) to suspend television ratings for news channels for four weeks amid concerns over sensational coverage of the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran.
According to media reports, the move intends to curb excessive dramatisation in television reporting that could trigger unnecessary public anxiety.
Officials have observed that several news broadcasters are amplifying developments in the conflict in ways that may fuel panic among viewers. By temporarily halting the publication of viewership data, the ministry hopes to ease the competitive pressure on channels to chase ratings through sensational content.
The suspension will remain in effect for one month for now. During this period, television news channels will continue to broadcast as usual, but their audience measurement figures will neither be counted nor released.
Authorities will monitor both the evolving geopolitical situation and the tone of television coverage during the pause. The four-week suspension could be extended if the government believes the risk of panic-mongering or sensational reporting persists.
