The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry will be taking the final call on ushering in a new programme code for the state-owned All India Radio (AIR), even as it has been made applicable for Doordarshan, officials familiar with the matter told News18.
As reported here last month, the common programme code of the All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD)—a basic list of what the state-owned broadcasters are allowed to air—is being expanded to make it comprehensive to address the newer challenges in the sphere of programming.
As per government officials, the updated programme code has recently been made applicable for Doordarshan.
Different situation
“But for AIR, a decision has to be taken in consultation with the I&B ministry. This is because all private FM channels are provided licences by the ministry on the basis of their agreement to comply with the AIR broadcast code,” an All India Radio official told News18.
The erstwhile programme code followed by DD and AIR is also called the AIR broadcast code.
India currently has around 380 private FM channels and 350 community radio stations.
At present, private FM channels are not allowed to produce their own news but are allowed to air news broadcast by AIR.
The new code
The proposed programme code expands the existing one with at least 14 additional points, some of which also feature in the Programme and Advertising Codes under the Cable TV Network Rules, 1994, which governs content aired by private satellite channels.
The updated code states that AIR and DD will not air programmes that misuse or wrongly depict/present the national flag, national emblem, national anthem, and map of India, or those which may cause disharmony in Centre-state relations.
The other new points in the code include not allowing broadcasters to air programmes that contain undue and out of context publicity or glorification of individuals, institutions, or organisations, contravene prevailing laws, including provisions of the Copyright Act, 1957, aggravate social inequities and evils like caste, child marriage, dowry, alcohol, and substance abuse, among others.
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