REGULATION OF TV CHANNELS

TOPIC: Polity

Context- the Information and Broadcasting Ministry barred the transmission of Malayalam news channel Media One citing ‘security reasons’.

Concept-

The content or “programs” on TV channels are regulated by the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 by Ministry of information & Broadcasting:

Cable Television Network Act, 1995:

The Act aimed at regulating content and operation of cable networks. This Act regulates the ‘haphazard mushrooming of cable television networks’.
Important Provisions:
- Section 2: Under the Act, district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates and police commissioners are the ‘authorised officers’ to ensure that the Programme Code is not breached.
- Section 3: No person shall operate a cable television network unless he is registered as a cable operator under this Act.
- Section 4A: It is obligatory for cable operators to transmit programmes of any channel in an encrypted form through a digital addressable system when the centre asks them to do so.
- Section 19: Authorised officer has power to prohibit transmission of certain programmes in public interest if it promotes, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, linguistic or regional groups or castes or communities.
- Section 20: Parliament has power to prohibit operation of cable television networks in public interest.

Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021.

It provides for a three-level grievance redressal mechanism —
- self-regulation by broadcasters,
- self-regulation by the self-regulating bodies of the broadcasters, and
- oversight by an Inter-Departmental Committee at the level of the Union government.