MIB revamps radio complaints panel, strengthens content oversight

MUMBAI: The airwaves may be invisible, but the watchdog is tuning in louder than ever. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has reconstituted the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) that examines complaints against private FM radio stations and Community Radio Stations (CRSs), reinforcing the government’s oversight of broadcast content with the power to recommend penalties, content modification and even temporary suspension of programmes.

In an order dated 15 July 2026, the ministry said the newly constituted panel supersedes its earlier notification issued on 5 May 2026. The IMC will examine complaints related to content aired by broadcasters operating under the Private FM Radio Phase III Policy, 2011, and the Revised Community Radio Policy Guidelines, 2024.

The committee will be chaired by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with the Joint Secretary (Industry) serving as a member. It also includes representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Department of Consumer Affairs, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Press Council of India, Bar Council of India, and All India Radio’s Programme Wing. A Deputy Secretary or Director in the ministry will function as the Member-Convener.

The IMC has been tasked with reviewing complaints referred by the Central Government concerning alleged violations of the Programme and Advertisement Codes applicable to both private FM broadcasters and community radio stations.

After examining a complaint, the panel can recommend a range of actions, including financial penalties under Clause 12.1 of the Private FM Radio Phase III Policy and Clause 5 of the revised Community Radio Guidelines. It can also advise broadcasters to delete or modify specific content or recommend that a programme or, in serious cases, an entire channel be taken off air for a specified period, with reasons recorded in writing.

However, the committee’s recommendations are advisory rather than binding. The Central Government will take the final call on any action after considering the IMC’s findings, and broadcasters will be given an opportunity to present their case before penalties are imposed.

The reconstitution comes under Clause 24.1 of the Private FM Radio Phase III Policy, which empowers the government to take cognisance of violations either suo motu or through complaints before referring matters to the IMC.

The revised Community Radio Policy, notified on 13 February 2024, tightened content regulations for community broadcasters. It requires stations to focus on local developmental issues such as agriculture, health, education, environment and community welfare. Every station must constitute an advisory and content committee drawn from the local community, with at least 50 per cent women members.

The policy also mandates that at least 50 per cent of programming should be created with community participation, and half of that content should focus on women’s empowerment beyond conventional themes. Community Radio Stations remain barred from producing independent news and current affairs content, with only Akashvani bulletins permitted for broadcast, either in their original form or translated into local languages without editorial alteration.

Additionally, broadcasters are prohibited from airing content deemed obscene, defamatory, communal, anti-national or likely to incite violence. Stations must also preserve recordings of all broadcasts for at least three months to facilitate regulatory scrutiny.

With hundreds of private FM stations operating under the Phase III regime and an expanding network of community radio stations run by educational institutions, civil society organisations and not-for-profit groups, the government’s latest move signals a renewed focus on tightening oversight as India’s radio ecosystem continues to grow.