I & B Ministry advices TV news channels to refrain from using scandalous headlines

On Saturday, the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry issued an advisory  to private television news channels against making false claims and using scandalous headlines.

The Ministry has urged adherence to Section 20 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, as well as the Program Code established by it. 

Several Satellite TV channels have recently broadcasted coverage of events and incidents that appears to be unauthentic, misleading, sensational, and using socially unacceptable language and remarks, offending good taste and decency, and obscene and defamatory, with communal overtones, according to the ministry.

The advisory mentions the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, as well as an incident in North-West Delhi where TV news content and debates were found to be in violation of the Programme Code.

While the Ministry stated that it has found channels making scandalous headlines unrelated to the news item and journalists making unsubstantiated and fabricated claims and using hyperbole in order to incite audience in the case of reporting on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, certain channels have aired news items with provocative headlines and videos of violence that may incite communal hatred among the communities and disrupt peace and law and order in the case of Delhi violence. The channels have also fabricated headlines to provide communal colour to government actions, as per the ministry.

The Ministry has advised private TV channels against broadcasting debates with unparliamentary, provocative, and socially unacceptable language, communal remarks, and derogatory references that may have a negative psychological impact on viewers, as well as incite communal disharmony and disturb the peace in general.

The Ministry expressed serious concern about programmes aired, citing these instances of violation, and strongly advised against violating the provisions of The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the laws that govern it.