I&B Ministry
MIB to TV: Use same language captions & audio descriptions for differently-abled
NEW DELHI: All news and other television channels have been requested to carry the same language captions and audio descriptions along with the programmes and news reports for persons with disabilities.
In a notice out on its website yesterday, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said this was in compliance with concerns raised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DoEPwD) regarding formulation of Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) for achieving universal accessibility for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
The note was addressed to all channels and also to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (lBF), and the Association of Regional Television Broadcasters.
The DoEPwD had stressed that access to TV programmes for many persons with disabilities is denied due to lack of assistive technology. During discussion with various NGOs, a need was felt to prepare guidelines that include that broadcasting partners should develop and telecast a certain percentage of programmes with audio description and captioning as an experiment to the benefit of the target persons with disabilities.
The note said the media has always been in the forefront of taking up important issues and causes including those for the welfare of the disadvantaged sections of society. In the recent past, Republic Day Parade commentary and Independence Day ceremony was carried with sign language interpretation for the benefit of differently abled people.
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.
