India - SC;Govt to submit content code for TV channels in 4 weeks

MUMBAI: Supreme Court has granted the Centre four weeks to submit guidelines for regulating contents of programmes telecast by TV channels on the lines of those evolved by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF).


Additional solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam tabled before a bench of Justices BN Aggrawal and GS Singhvi the "draft television content code" framed by the IBF aimed at ensuring responsible coverage by TV channels in a manner acceptable to all viewers, reports PTI.


In an earlier hearing, Subramaniam had told the bench that the Centre, instead of being seen as a regulator, would like to adopt the self-regulatory code evolved by the IBF, subject to the final approval by the Government. The draft guidelines tabled in the apex court today come in that backdrop.


NGO Common Cause had earlier filed public interest litigation (PIL) in the apex court seeking regulatory measures to curb the "growing obscenity, violence and other disturbing" contents being shown by some TV channels.


According to the code, it would be the responsibility of the broadcasters that nothing is included in the programmes of any television service which is against public interest, national harmony or which genuinely offends good taste and decency.

Among other things, the self-regulatory code seeks to ensure that social issues like institution of marriage should be treated with responsibility, while issues like adultery, promiscuity, sex, obscenity and nudity should not be promoted.


"Portrayals of sexual behaviour should be discreet and infrequent. Sexual innuendos or suggestiveness should not be crude and offensive," the code stated.