J&K cable channels told to adopt self-censorship

The Srinagar district administration has asked local news channels to desist from airing “provocative” and “anti-government” footage in their current affairs and news programmes.

The direction for “self-censorship”, according to Srinagar District Magistrate Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo had been given under Section 6 of the Cable TV Regulation Act 2005, under which airing of “anti-government” content amounts to “breach of peace and tranquillity of the general public.”

The local news channel operators have been asked to remain careful while airing daily news. They should not show any anti-government and provocative content.

“Any channel which fails to follow the directions under the programme code would be dealt with strictly as per the law,” Mr. Kakroo said.

The directions have been passed after the owners and editors of some local channels were invited for a meeting with top civil and police officers.

Sources said the government asked the cable TV channels to filter anti-government content with immediate effect and threatened to book them under Public Safety Act if they failed to comply with the orders.

The directions came immediately after local cable TV channels telecast the footage of violent clashes between people and police after the death of a teenager on Sunday.