Monday, April 17 2006 16:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Government is finalising a content code for the television industry, including news channels, which will elaborate and redefine existing guidelines under the programme and advertising code and impose severe penalty on defaulters.

Official sources told that the final stage of drafting the code was in progress after long drawn consultations.

"The Government is looking to expand the current guidelines and elaborate exhaustively on issues like what comprises obscenity, vulgarity and violence," they said pointing out that news channels would also be covered under the new guidelines.

When asked, sources informed that a content regulator would be entrusted with the task of regulation. "A separate regulator for this would be formed and the broadcast regulatory bill will define its parameters," they said.

So far, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry takes action wherever required while TRAI is the regulator for carriage.

Regulatory system as the first line of defence

The sources said that the line of thinking within the Government was to usher in a self-regulatory system as the first line of defence. "However, if the channels fail to do this on their own, the Government will step in and the violators will face stiff penalties, including suspension of licence," they said.

To make the monitoring process exhaustive, the Government is also thinking of involving local residents associations and allow them to file complaints in case of any violation of the code.

The new guidelines will also see Government stipulating time slots for various kinds of programmes.

Industry chamber FICCI was involved in the formulation of the draft regulation, which also included broadcasters, cable operators and consumer groups.

"The draft is being finalised now and after that it will go for inter-ministerial consultation before reaching the Cabinet," the sources said.