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With the ostensible aim of protecting citizens from "undesirable content'', the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry plans to expand the ambit of the Electronic Media Monitoring Committee (EMMC) from 300 to 800 TV channels and include private radio services also.
Established in 2008, the EMMC monitors about 191 channels on a 24X7 basis at present. "The proposal to expand EMMC's scope has received the approval of the expenditure finance committee, '' U K Varma, I&B secretary confirmed.
The EMMC is supposed to monitor the content of all TV channels based on the uplinking and downlinking policy in India to check the violation of program and advertisement codes according to the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act. The EMMC also monitors private FM radio channels but is dependent on the radio channel for recordings.
Sources said that a budget of Rs 90 crore has been cleared for the project. "The burst of TV channels and radio services has made it necessary for the EMMC to be better equipped. It is not enough to keep tabs on 300 channels. There are several regional channels that may be violating the program or advertising code and very often action against them is delayed because we do not have recordings of the objectionable telecast,'' a source said. There are about 840 TV channels registered with the ministry at present.
On FM radio, the sources said, "Private FM radio channels that are operating in cities are monitored. But there is an urgent need to monitor all radio services for which small listening posts will have to be set up in cities where services have started or will begin after the FM phase III auction.''
Although news on radio is not allowed and only news vetted by AIR will be allowed even after the FM phase III policy kicks in, there is an effort to justify its monitoring on the flimsy ground of there being instances of practical jokes or casual remarks made by radio jockeys causing controversies.
Up from 300, I&B panel to monitor 800 TV channels - The Times of India
.
Established in 2008, the EMMC monitors about 191 channels on a 24X7 basis at present. "The proposal to expand EMMC's scope has received the approval of the expenditure finance committee, '' U K Varma, I&B secretary confirmed.
The EMMC is supposed to monitor the content of all TV channels based on the uplinking and downlinking policy in India to check the violation of program and advertisement codes according to the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act. The EMMC also monitors private FM radio channels but is dependent on the radio channel for recordings.
Sources said that a budget of Rs 90 crore has been cleared for the project. "The burst of TV channels and radio services has made it necessary for the EMMC to be better equipped. It is not enough to keep tabs on 300 channels. There are several regional channels that may be violating the program or advertising code and very often action against them is delayed because we do not have recordings of the objectionable telecast,'' a source said. There are about 840 TV channels registered with the ministry at present.
On FM radio, the sources said, "Private FM radio channels that are operating in cities are monitored. But there is an urgent need to monitor all radio services for which small listening posts will have to be set up in cities where services have started or will begin after the FM phase III auction.''
Although news on radio is not allowed and only news vetted by AIR will be allowed even after the FM phase III policy kicks in, there is an effort to justify its monitoring on the flimsy ground of there being instances of practical jokes or casual remarks made by radio jockeys causing controversies.
Up from 300, I&B panel to monitor 800 TV channels - The Times of India
.
