GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE STRICT COMPLIANCE
OF CABLE ACT
The Information and
Broadcasting Minister, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that
programmes telecast on TV channels transmitted/retransmitted through
the cable television network, are required to adhere to the Programme
Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation)
Act, 1995 and Rules framed thereunder. The Programme Code, inter
alia, provides that no programmes should be carried in the cable
service which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains
anything against maintenance of law and order or which promote
anti-national attitudes, contravenes the provisions of the Cinematograph
Act, 1952 and is not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition.
In reply to a
question by Smt. Shyama Singh and Shri Subodh Ray in Lok Sabha
today, Shri Prasad said that the Programme Code further provides
that care should be taken to ensure that programmes meant for
children do not contain any bad language or explicit scenes of
violence. The Act also provides that programmes unsuitable for
children must not be carried in the cable service at times when
the largest numbers of children are viewing.
So far as Doordarshan
is concerned, the Prasar Bharati has informed that all serials
scheduled for telecast are subjected to preview to ensure conformity
with the Broadcast Code of Doordarshan and suitability for family
viewing.
The Act provides
that any authorized officer i.e., DM or SDM or Commissioner of
Police or any other officer notified in the official gazette,
by the Central Government or the State Government, may by order
prohibit any transmission re-transmission of any programme or
channel if it is not inconformity with the prescribed Programme
Code. The Central Government has also constituted an Inter-Ministerial
Committee under Section 20 of the Cable Act to look into the violations
of the Programme Code, either suo-moto or on receipt of a specific
complaint. The Government is vigilant in this regard and is committed
to dealing expeditiously and effectively with any breach of the
Programme Code in this regard.
As regards public
exhibition of films, the same are released after certification
from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) under the
provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the guidelines framed
thereunder. The guidelines under the Act, inter alia, provide
that the scenes depicting anti-social activities, such as violence
modus operandi of criminals, scenes tending to encourage, justify
or glamorize drug addiction, glorifying drinking etc., are not
depicted, and these are being strictly adhered to.
