Watchdog for TV, radio content soon

Separate content monitoring agencies for television and radio broadcasters and the cable industry are on the anvil for stricter monitoring of TV and radio shows. Currently, there is no official body that monitors or regulates content for broadcasters and radio companies.

The government has proposed appointment of content auditors (for channels), consumers complaint committee (for broadcasters) and similar self-regulatory bodies for the cable and the radio operators under the new programme and content code.

The guidelines also seek a regulatory body for cable operators and multi-system operators (MSOs), as they often produce and telecast content locally. The guidelines have asked the public broadcaster Prasar Bharati to set up a complaint redressal body.

The government also said that all content monitoring agencies would work under the guidance of the proposed Broadcast Regulatory Authority of India.

Under the proposal, each television company will now be required to appoint content auditors for monitoring its editorial content.

However, the content auditors will not be personally liable for any violations and only the chief editor of the channel will be accountable.

All content monitoring agencies, however, have not been given the power to ban or cancel the licence of any broadcaster. "The authority of banning any TV channel will lie with the I&B Ministry and later with the BRAI as and when its constituted," a senior I&B ministry official said.

This move also comes close to the recent banning by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) of channels like AXN and Fashion TV (short duration) for alleged airing of obscene content.

According to I&B Ministry officials, this move is aimed at promoting self-regulation by the broadcasting and radio industry in order to promote healthy television and radio content.