Indian gov't asks TV channels to refrain from airing misleading, provocative content

NEW DELHI, April 24: Indian government Saturday expressed serious concern about private TV news channels airing content involving violence in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The government has issued an advisory to these channels against airing "unauthentic, misleading, sensational and provocative content."

"The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting today advised private TV news channels against making false claims and using scandalous headlines," an official statement said.

"The ministry has found that in the recent past several satellite TV channels have carried out coverage of events and incidents in a manner which appears to be unauthentic, misleading, sensational and using socially unacceptable language and remarks," said the statement.

The advisory also cited the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the incidence in North-West Delhi, where TV news content and debates "have been found in violation of program code."

"In case of Delhi violence, certain channels have aired news items with provocative headlines and videos of violence that may incite communal hatred among the communities and disrupt peace and law and order," the statement further said.

Last week, communal violence broke out in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area after a Hindu religious procession brandishing swords, country-made weapons and sticks entered the Muslim localities, which triggered clashes between them.