MIB advises TV channels to refrain from promoting blind belief and superstition

MIB advises TV channels to refrain from promoting blind belief and superstition

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) wants Television channels to refrain from airing programmes that promote blind belief and superstition and has issued an advisory to this effect.

The Ministry has advised TV channels to abide by the Rule 6(1)(j) of programme code and Rule 7(5) of Advertising Code of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.

The MIB in its advisory stated, "It has come to the notice of this Ministry that some of the TV channels telecast programmes/ advertisements which encourage superstition and blind belief. Miraculous solutions of all problems are offered by the self-proclaimed preachers in TV programmes/ advertisements, which is a violation of Rule 6(1)(j) of the programme code and Rule 7(5) of the Advertising code contained in the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. Advisories in this regard have been issued by this Ministry in past on 13.05.2010 and 07.06.2013."

Rule 6(1)(j) of the Programme Code states that "No programme can be transmitted/ re-transmitted through Cable Service which encourages superstition or blind belief."

Further, Rule 7(5) states that "No advertisement shall contain references which are likely to lead the public to infer that the product advertised or any of its ingredients has some special or miraculous or super-natural property or quality, which is difficult of being proved."