GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

RAJYA SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 267

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2017

MISREPORTING BY FOREIGN MEDIA ORGANISATIONS

267. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

Will the Minister of INFORAMTION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

(a) Whether Government is aware that there are a number of foreign media organizations that are deliberately or inadvertently misreporting the counter terrorism operations; and

(b) Whether Government would consider strengthening its communications to avoid accidental misreporting and strict regulations to prevent deliberate misreporting?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF INFORAMTION & BROADCASTING

(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 267 FOR ANSWER ON 10.08.2017

(a) & (b): A number of foreign media organizations operate in India through resident correspondents or through locally hired journalists. Ministry of External Affairs regularly monitors the coverage of all events related to India, including counter terrorism operations. In the event any misreporting of these events, either deliberately or inadvertently, the matter is immediately taken up with the concerned organization and India’s position is clearly explained.

In so far as TV channels permitted to be viewed in India are concerned, all programmes and advertisements telecast on such TV channels are required to be in conformity with the Programme and Advertisements Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Cable Television Networks Rule, 1994 framed thereunder. Rule 6(1)(p) of the Programme which contains live coverage of any anti-terrorist operation by security forces.

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