MIB warns private satellite TV channels against encouraging superstition and blind belief

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) today fired an advisory towards private satellite TV channels against telecasting programs and advertisements that may encourage superstition and blind belief. The Ministry noted that miraculous solutions to all problems were being offered by the self-proclaimed preachers in TV programs and advertisements in violation of Rule 6 (1) (i) of the Programme Code and Rule 7 (5) of the Advertising Code contained in the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.

The relevant provisions of the Programme Code read as reproduced below.

Rule 6(1)(j) “No programme can be transmitted/ re-transmitted through Cable Service which encourages superstition or blind belief.”

Rule 7(5) “No advertisement shall contain references which are likely to lead the public to infer that the product advertised or any of its ingredients has some special or miraculous or super-natural property or quality, which is difficult of being proved.”

The Ministry has advised TV channels to abide by the Rule 6 (1) i of Programme Code and Rule 7 (5) of the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994.