Not TV channels, regulate digital media first, Centre tells top court

The government on Thursday opposed the Supreme Court’s intent to set up a committee to lay down guidelines for the regulation of content on TV channels, saying that such an exercise is neither “warranted nor permissible”.

The information and broadcasting ministry told a three-judge bench that laying down generic and “broader guidelines” for all TV channels is not necessary to balance journalists freedom with responsible journalism.

The Centre submitted

THE CENTRE insisted that if the court does want to establish guidelines for the electronic media, then it should start with digital media which, coupled with social media platforms which are much faster. that statutory provisions Justice Indu Malhotra and already exist, as well as Justice K.M. Joseph decidprevious judgments of the ed to hear the matter on top court, and that issues Friday. can be decided on case to On Tuesday, a furious case basis. Supreme Court had

It, however, added that if stopped a private TV chanthe court does want to nel, Sudarshan TV, from establish guidelines for telecasting a show that the electronic media, then was “vilifying Muslims”. it should start with digital A show, which the court media which, coupled called “rabid” and “insidiwith social media platous”, alleged that forms like WhatsApp, “Muslims were infiltratTwitter, YouTube, is much ing government services”. faster. The court had also called

A bench comprising for a panel of five “emiJustice D.Y. Chandrachud, nent and unbiased” people, to be headed by a former Chief Justice of India, to come with standards for electronic media.

Resisting guidelines exclusively for the visual media, the Centre said that if the court does go ahead, then the exercise should not be limited to electronic media.

The I&B ministry said that media includes “mainstream electronic media, mainstream print media as well as a parallel media — namely digital, print media and digital web-based news portal and YouTube channels, as well as ‘Over The Top’ platforms (OTTs).”