Ministry Of I&B Directs TV Networks To Share Reports On 'Public Service' Content

Beginning March 1, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has directed TV networks to exchange information regarding required "public service" material.

The ministry requested that stations air at least 30 minutes of "public service" content every day and 15 hours of content each month under the new set of rules that were unveiled on Monday.

A monthly report must be submitted by broadcasters during the first week of each month to the ministry's Broadcast Seva Portal. Foreign networks that downlink into India and channels that primarily broadcast sports, devotional, spiritual, and yoga programmes are excluded from the rules' requirement that they submit monthly reports to the Broadcast Seva Portal.

The ministry stressed that self-certification and voluntary compliance would be the main tenets.

The broadcasting's theme should cover topics of both national and social significance, such as national integration, education and the spread of literacy, agriculture and rural development, health and family welfare, science and technology, and the welfare of women and the weaker segments of society.

The ministry disclosed that the Electronic Media Monitoring Center, a subordinate division, will retain a 90-day record of the content telecast.