Issuing advisory, I&B Ministry asks channels to adhere to news, non-news categories

New Delhi, May 23: As the curiosity among the people is rising as the counting for the battle begins, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday issued an advisory to all private satellite TV channels, asking them to strictly comply with their respective undertakings of carrying news or non-news content.

Bifurcating the definitions, the I&B highlighted that the ‘non-news and current affairs’ channel means a channel which does not have any element of news and current affairs in its programme content.

 

A ‘news and current affairs TV channel’ means a channel which has elements of news and current affairs in its programme content. News channels are mandated to carry news and current affairs content, while non-news and current affairs channels are not mandated to carry any news and current affairs content.

In accordance with the 2011 policy guidelines for up-linking of television channels from India, the ministry gives permission for up-linking under two categories, non-news and current affairs, and news and current affairs.