I&B Ministry
SC tells DD to air show warning about Blue Whale
NEW DELHI: Amidst reports of suicides reportedly caused by the Blue Whale online game, public broadcaster Doordarshan has been asked by the Supreme Court to conceive and air a cautionary and educational programme on its dangers.
DD was given a week’s time to prepare the programme that should be of at least ten minutes and should be telecast at prime time.
A bench headed by chief justice Dipak Misra with justices DY Chandrachud and AM Khanwilkar said, “Anything that threatens life should be condemned.” The case by a 73-year old Chennai advocate N S Ponnaiah has been posted for further hearing on 15 November 2017.
“Suffice to say that the Blue Whale game is dangerous to life. What endangers life has to be condemned and not allowed,” Misra observed.
The court asked DD to script the programme in consultation with the Ministries of Home Affairs, Women and Child Welfare Department, Human Resource and Development and Information Broadcasting, and Information Technology.
The court also directed the government to see to it that private channels also telecast the programme.
“The idea behind the programme is to make parents and children aware of the dangers of online games like Blue Whale. The message of the programme should be that children should not be trapped by the game. There are children who are lonely and frustrated. Definitely visuals will have more impact,” Chief Justice Misra said.
According to additional solicitor general PS Narasimha, a committee constituted by the Ministry of Information Technology found that around 28 cases have been traced to have links with Blue Whale game. A probe was on and a complete picture of the extent and means of the game would be ascertained in the next three weeks.
The Centre was determined to “stop the game”, which has the potentiality to destroy life. The government had communicated to many agencies and online platforms to check and inform on the availability and use of the game.
The commission has told school authorities to thoroughly verify the background of teachers and non-teaching staff before hiring them.
The Blue Whale challenge is a game created by Russian national Philipp Budeikin, 22, in which a set of instructions tell the players to harm themselves and eventually commit suicide. Budeikin is now in jail.
I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
