I&B Ministry
MIB warns news channels against airing disturbing footage or images
Mumbai: The ministry of information and broadcasting has issued an advisory to all television channels against reporting incidents of accidents, deaths, and violence, including violence against women, children, and the elderly, in manners that grossly compromise “good taste and decency.”
The advisory was issued after the ministry observed several instances of television channels’ lack of discretion.
According to the ministry, television channels have shown dead bodies and images/videos of injured people with blood splattered around, people, including women, children, and the elderly, being mercilessly beaten in close shots, and the continuous cries and shrieks of a child being beaten by a teacher, shown repeatedly over several minutes, including circling the actions, making it even more ghastly, without taking the precaution of blurring the images or showing. It has also been stated that the manner in which such incidents are reported is distasteful and distressing to the audience.
The advisory emphasised the impact of such reporting on various audiences. It has been stated that such reports can have a negative psychological impact on children. The advisory also emphasises the critical issue of invasion of privacy, which could be potentially maligning and defamatory. Television, as a platform typically watched by families in households with people of all ages (old, middle-aged, small children, etc.) and from various socioeconomic backgrounds, instils a sense of responsibility and discipline in broadcasters, as enshrined in the programme code and the advertising code.
The ministry has observed that most videos are taken from social media and broadcast without editorial discretion or changes to ensure compliance and consistency with the programme code.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
