A Hindi news channel, which was issued a showcause notice by the Information and Broadcasting ministry for airing a programme allegedly depicting 'gory details' of the Nithari serial killings, has defended its position.
NEW DELHI: A Hindi news channel, which was issued a showcause notice by the Information and Broadcasting ministry for airing a programme allegedly depicting 'gory details' of the Nithari serial killings, has defended its position.
In its reply to the notice, news channel Aaj Tak has contended that there is nothing wrong in narrating the modus operandi of a crime, sources in the ministry said.
"The reply will be examined by an inter-ministerial committee which will be meeting shortly. The members will also see the programme clips before taking any further decision," a senior official in the ministry told.
Taking cognisance of complaints made by some NGOs and public organisations, the ministry on September 21, had issued a show cause notice to the channel.
The complainants had alleged that the programme was "doing harm to children's mindset" and was unsuitable for viewing.
Objecting to the programmer's content, the ministry said narrating "gory details" about the methods of murder carried out by the accused served no news interest.
The showcause notice to the channel is among the several proactive measures taken by the ministry to rein in on broadcasters for not confirming to the rules laid down by the government.
On September 20, the ministry banned 'Live India' channel for a month for airing a sting operation involving a school teacher, which later turned out to be fake.
Ten days later, an FM channel was banned for a week for allegedly making 'derogatory' remarks against the Gurkha community. The ban has been stayed by telecom regulator TDSAT.
Earlier this year, the ministry had imposed a month-long ban on FTV and AXN channels for allegedly airing 'obscene' content.
Rules of the Programme and Advertising Code under the Cable Television Network Regulation Act bars any programme which "offends against good taste or decency...contains anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half truths".
It further states that "programmes unsuitable for children must not be carried in the cable service at times when largest numbers of children are viewing them".
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}