Telangana Govt forms panels to monitor TV channels

The State government on Thursday constituted State and district level monitoring committees for effective implementation of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1955. The government on Thursday issued orders in this regard.

This comes after the directive from the Government of India, which wanted to keep a check on the content on the satellite channels. The State-level committee would comprise the Principal Secretaries of Revenue and Home, Secretary & Commissioner of I&PR Department, Doordarshan Kendra Hyderabad director and Commercial Taxes Commissioner. Similarly, the district-level committee comprises the District Collector, SP, Commercial Taxes Deputy Commissioner or his representative and district public relations officer. 

The functions of the committee include recommending action and forwarding complaints against satellite channels to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) in cases



of violation of Government of India’s orders on the programme and advertising codes, to see that the respect, dignity and self-esteem of children and women and other sections of society were duly protected, to see whether the authorised officers were effectively performing their duties, to see how many cases were handled by them and what decisions were arrived at, to give suggestion/ guidance to district/ local level committee, to take decision on the matters referred to it by district/ local level committee, to collect data/ information from district/ local level committee and forward it to Secretary of I&B Ministry.

It may be mentioned here that the controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s channel Peace TV, which was banned in the country, was being telecast in several places.  It was found that many cable operators were telecasting the TV programmes without realising that there was a ban on the channel.