Strict advisory issued for TV channels, asks not to malign or slander individuals, groups

New Delhi, October 10: Releasing an advisory to all private satellite TV channels, the Ministry of I & B has strictly advised Tv channels to not carry any program that criticises, maligns, or slander any individual in person or certain groups, segments of the social, public and moral life of the country.

 

 

 

Citing Programme Code under Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1995 the ministry said, private channels no programme should contain half-truths, obscene & defamatory content, among other regulations.

 

According to the notice the programme should not criticizes, malign, or slander any individual in person or certain groups, segments of the social, public, and moral life of the country.

 

"The attention is drawn to the following provisions of the Programme Code which provide that no programme should contain; Rule 6(1)(D): anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half-truths. Rule 6(1)(i): criticises, maligns, or slander any individual in person or certain groups, segments of the social, public, and moral life of the country," read the advisory.

 

 

 

 

The advisory noted that all private satellite TV channels are requested to ensure compliance with the directions. "All private satellite TV channels are requested to ensure compliance with the directions above', it said.

 

This has come after Rakul Preet Singh files a plea in the Delhi High Court alleging defamatory programmes being run against her in connection with a drugs probe related to the Sushant Singh Rajput death case and requested them to put a stop on the media trial going on against her in connection with the drug probe in the SSR's death case. After which, the Court has issued a notice to the Central Government, Prasar Bharti, Press Council of India, National Broadcaster Association, and the Information and Broadcast Ministry. The high court had, in its September 17 order, said, "It is hoped that the media houses and television channels would show restraint in the reporting and abide by the provisions of the Programme Code as also the various guidelines, both statutory and self-regulatory, while making any report in relation to the petitioner."