Refrain from airing content that may instigate violence, says I&B ministry

The government on Friday (December 20) issued an advisory asking news channels to refrain from broadcasting content that is “likely to instigate violence or which promotes anti-national attitudes.”

This is the second such advisory issued in less than 10 days.

The previous advisory by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry was issued on December 11 when the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, after which protests had broken out in several parts of the country.

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“It is observed that notwithstanding the above advisory, some TV channels are telecasting content that does not appear to be in the spirit of the Programme Codes specified therein.

“It is accordingly reiterated that all TV channels may abstain from showing any content which is likely to instigate violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes,” the ministry said in Friday’s advisory.

It also asked news channels “not to show content that contains anything which may affect the integrity of the nation, maligns or slanders any individual in person or certain groups, segments of the social public and moral life of the country.”

The ministry sought “strict compliance” with regard to their instructions.