I&B Ministry issues advisory to TV channels on coverage of Ukraine war, Delhi riots

Ayushi Sikarwar

New Delhi: Taking note of the news coverage of the Ukraine war and the Delhi riots in Jahangirpuri, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a strong advisory to various private TV channels for obedience to the provisions of Section 20 of The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

The five-page advisory from the ministry states, “This Ministry has time and again issued advisories to the satellite TV channels granted permission under the Uplinking/Downlinking Guidelines of 2005/2011 for adherence to the Programme Code read with The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995”.

“Sub-section (2) of Section 20, inter alia, provides that the Central Government may, by order, regulate or prohibit the transmission or retransmission of any channel or program, if it considers it necessary or expedient to do so in the interest of (i) sovereignty or integrity of India; or (ii) security of India; or (iii) friendly relations of India with any foreign State; or (iv) public order, decency or morality”, it said.

Specific ‘hyperbolic’ statements by the news anchors along with discreditable headers during the news coverage of the Ukraine-Russia war and obstructing the investigation process during the Delhi riots in Jahangirpuri by airing “unverified CCTV footages”, were also cited by the ministry.

I&B ministry issues advisory to channels says “some channels broadcast debates having provocative &socially unacceptable language, communal remarks&derogatory references which may also incite communal disharmony & disturb peace at large.Some are also found to be disrespectful…” pic.twitter.com/LarZsM5meb

— Marya Shakil (@maryashakil) April 23, 2022

It also said that several penal discussions on communal clashes in northwest Delhi had “unparliamentary, provocative and socially unacceptable language”.

“Having regard to the above, the government expresses serious concern about the manner in which the television channels have gone about their operations in the manner of transmitting content,” read the advisory.

The ministry in the official document “strongly advised” the TV channels to “immediately refrain from publishing and transmitting any content which is violative of the aforementioned provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and the rules thereunder.”