The Information and Broadcasting Ministry issued an advisory to all news channels in the wake of the Supreme Court judgement on Ayodhya title dispute.
In a single page advisory the ministry has said that in view of the verdict it becomes “imperative to ensure that debates/discussions/visuals carried on electronic media do not incite any divisive or anti national feelings or sentiments”.
As per the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, the ministry has listed out seven don't for the news channels. The ministry has directed the channels to ensure that none of the content telecast should “contain attack on religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups which promote anti-national attitudes”.
It also asked the channels to refrain from showing “defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half truths”.
The content that is “likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order” should not be used. The ministry has asked the channels to stay clear of telecasting anything that amounts to “contempt of court”. It also cautioned them from “criticising, maligning or slandering any individual in person or certain groups, segments of social, public or moral life of the country.”
