I&B Ministry
Tewari issues clarification on Sardar Patel ad releases by govt
NEW DELHI: The Government gave out 2164 newspapers advertisements on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel between 1998 and 2003.
Interestingly, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said in a statement in response to statements by certain political leaders that no advertisements were released during the years 1999, 2000 and 2001.
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However, 20,915 newspapers were given the advertisement between 2004 and 2013. No advertisement was given in the year 2008.
The Ministry said the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity had been regularly releasing advertisements on the birth anniversary of prominent national leaders including Sardar Patel.
In this context, I and B Minister Manish Tewari said: “The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has always followed a policy to acknowledge the contribution of prominent national figures in nation building by releasing advertisements. The advertisements released on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel are part of the continued policy of this Ministry of expressing gratitude to great leaders for instilling confidence and inspiration in the young minds.”
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.
