73 complaints against vulgar ads on TV channels: govt tells Parliament

New Delhi: Seventy-three complaints have been received against obscene and vulgar advertisements on private television channels by the regulatory bodies over the past three years, the government has told parliament.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan said the complaints were “suitably” addressed by a three-level grievance redress system.

Murugan said the mechanism, established under the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, includes self-regulation by broadcasters, self-regulation by self-regulating bodies of the broadcasters, and an oversight mechanism of the central government.

The minister said appropriate action is taken wherever violation of the Advertising Code is found by issuance of “Advisories, Warnings, ‘Apology Scroll’ Orders and Off-air orders.”

In reply to a separate question, Murugan said OTT platforms are required to adhere to the Code of Ethics under Part-III of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

“These codes are self-regulatory in nature,” the minister said.

Murugan said these Code of Ethics require the publishers not to transmit any content which is prohibited by law and to undertake age-based self-classification of content into five categories, based on general guidelines provided in the Rules.

The guidelines provide that while undertaking such self classification, the context of the period depicted in such content and the contemporary standards of the country and people to which such content relate, are to be kept in mind, he said.

Murugan said the Code also provides that the OTT platforms will put in place adequate safeguard for restricting age inappropriate content for children.