2 TV Channels Fined For Programme Code Breach

NEW DELHI (TIP): Industry body Broadcasting Content Complaint Council (BCCC) has asked television channels for greater sensitivity while dealing with content depicting acid attacks on women and resist stereotyping of minorities. In an advisory issued to all channels, the BCCC has said that it had received several complaints relating to TV content depicting acid attacks, in most cases on women and girls.

The council said acid attacks are among the most heinous of crimes with traumatic, irreversible physical and psychological consequences to the victim. BCCC chairperson AP Shah advised channels to be “extremely sensitive to the excruciating physical and psychological agony of acid attack victims”.

The BCCC issued another advisory regarding portrayal of content about minorities in various TV programmes. “Due diligence should be adopted to ensure that an entire community is not projected as fanatic, intolerant or criminal,” the BCCC has said. Channels should approach content regarding minorities with caution and, when necessary, ensure that any such depiction is preceded by a declaration that it is a work of fiction and bears no resemblance to any community, caste or creed, the advisory said.

The council has also imposed Rs 10 lakh fine on Big CBS Love and Rs 2.5 lakh penalty on Big CBS Spark for screening content that was obscene and in violation of the programme code adopted by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF). The channels have also been asked to run apology scrolls.

This is for the first time that the BCCC has imposed penalty on TV channels. On July 19, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation had conferred powers on the BCCC to levy financial penalty up to Rs 30 lakh on channels.