MUMBAI: This is one state which is taking the central government’s order to keep a check on the content being aired satellite TV channels following the hue and cry which was raised after the Peace TV controversy. We are referring to the Telangana state government.
Yesterday it constituted the State and District level monitoring committees whose job will be to ensure effective implementation of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act.
The committees are expected to meet at least once a year and submit a detailed annual report for Telangan, including district-wise data of cable operators registered within the state and estimated number of TV homes/viewers, to the I&B ministry before 31 December 31 annually. Their job would also be to recommend action and forwarding complaints against satellite television channels that are violating the government’s orders on the programme and advertising codes to the I&B ministry, to ensure that respect, dignity and self-esteem of children and women and other sections of society are duly protected, to see whether the authorised officers are effectively performing their duties, to see how many cases are handled by them and what decisions are arrived at, to give suggestion/ guidance to district/ local level committee, to take decision on the matters referred to it by district/ local level committee, to collect data/ information from district/ local level committee and forward it to I&B secretary.
On the state level committee would be the following: the principal secretaries of revenue and home, secretary and commissioner of I&PR department, Doordarshan Kendra Hyderabad director and commercial taxes commissioner.
The district level committee would have the following members: district collector, superintendent of police, commercial taxes deputy commissioner or his representative and the district public relations officer.
Observers believe that the setting up of the committees is a step in the right direction, but the state would have done well to have other representatives from society and the private sector to give a more holistic perspective.
