I&B Ministry advises private TV news channels against making false claims and using scandalous headlines

Information and Broadcasting Ministry has advised private TV news channels against making false claims and using scandalous headlines. In a detailed advisory, the Ministry has called for adherence to the provisions of The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act. The Ministry said, in the recent past, several Satellite TV channels have carried out coverage of events and incidents in a manner which appears to be unauthentic, misleading, sensational and using socially unacceptable language and remarks. The advisory has cited the Ukraine-Russian conflict and the incidence in North-West Delhi in particular where TV news content and debates have been found in violation of Programme Code.

In the case of reporting on Ukraine-Russia conflict, the Ministry has found channels are making scandalous headlines unrelated to the news item and journalists making unsubstantiated and fabricated claims and using hyperbole to incite audience. The Ministry said, in case of Delhi violence, 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. The channels have further fabricated headlines giving communal colour to actions of authorities.

The Ministry has cautioned private TV channels against broadcasting debates having unparliamentary, provocative and socially unacceptable language, communal remarks and derogatory references which may incite communal disharmony and disturb the peace at large.

Talking to reporters, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that the Ministry has also issued notices to the TV channels found reporting misleading and unauthentic news.