Team News Riveting
New Delhi, September 21
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has today issued an advisory to television channels to refrain from providing any platform to persons against whom there are charges of serious crimes including terrorism or belonging to organisations proscribed by law.
The advisory has been issued in light of a recent discussion on a television channel of a person in a foreign country against whom there are serious cases of crime including terrorism, belonging to an organization which has been proscribed by law in India. During the discussion the person had made several comments which are detrimental to the sovereignty/integrity of the country, security of India, friendly relations of India with a foreign state and also have the potential of disturbing public order in the country.
The Ministry has categorically stated that the Government upholds media freedom and respects its rights under the Constitution, but at the same time the content telecast by TV channels must adhere to the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 including sub section (2) of Section 20.
The advisory issued to all satellite television channel said attention is invited to Section 20 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 laying down the circumstances and conditions under which the Central Government may, by order, regulate or prohibit transmission/retransmission of any television channel or programme in public interest, and where it is considered necessary and expedient to issue such orders in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of state, friendly relations of India with any foreign state, or public order or decency or morality.
