I&B Ministry
MIB minister cautions against unlicensed TV channels
NEW DELHI: Minister for Information and Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu while cautioning against transmission of unauthorized TV channels in the country said that content generation in local languages and dialects was important to reach out to communicate with people.
Adopting innovative ways and leveraging new media in information dissemination was necessary to keep pace with the changing communication paradigm, the Minister stated Thursday while chairing a review meeting of regional media units of MIB.
Stressing upon the need to ensure effective implementation of Cable TV Act in order to restrict airing of objectionable content and unauthorized channels, the Minister urged Union territories to appoint nodal officers to assist local administrators in this regard.
During the review meeting, Naidu announced that the All India Radio would be commissioning of two new shortwave solid state digital transmitters of 100 kw power each for dissemination of content across the border for Afghanistan- Pakistan region by the end of August 2017. The transmitters shall be installed in Delhi.
Those who were present during the meeting included junior MIB Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, Andaman & Nicobar Islands LG Jagdish Mukhi, MIB secretary N K Sinha and representatives from UTs.
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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.
