Keypoints:
- Javadekar said that the government received several complaints against some OTT series and for which guidelines will be issued soon.
- Content on OTT platforms has recently fuelled controversy, leading to public outcry and booking of makers of these programmes.
- “We will come up with some guidelines on it soon,” he said while addressing media on National Press Day.
On Sunday, the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar said that the government has been receiving several complaints regarding some series available in certain OTT platforms and for which the guidelines will be issues soon.
While addressing the media, Javadekar said,”We have received a lot of complaints against some serials available on OTT platforms. Films and serials released on OTT platforms and digital newspapers do not come under the purview of the Press Council Act, Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act or Censor Board. We will come up with some guidelines on it soon.”
The OTT platforms contents have recently fuelled lot of controversies, leading to public outcry and booking of makers of such series/programs.The government had announced bringing films, audiovisuals, news and current affairs content on online platforms under the domain of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
“TV media should have its own self-regulatory body. An agency headed by Justice AK Sikri has been made to regulate news channels but many of them aren’t its members. Suggestions have come in to make code of conduct holding news channel accountable,” he said.
“There’s a variety of content on these platforms ranging from good to bad. The media fraternity should themselves take initiative to set an example of responsible freedom,” Javdekar added.
Speaking about the regulation of the OTT content, Javdekar said that neither do they come under any regulatory body nor any listed process for self-regulation.Earlier, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had also stated that calls from within the industry have been made for the regulation of OTT platforms.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday night, content made available by online providers such as Netflix will also come under the ministry.
“In the Government of India (Allocation of Business, 1961, in THE SECOND SCHEDULE, under the heading ‘MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SOOCHANA AUR PRASARAN MANTRALAYA)’ after entry 22, the following sub-heading and entries shall be inserted, namely:- VA. DIGITAL/ONLINE MEDIA. 22A. Films and Audio-Visual programmes made available by online content providers. 22B. News and current affairs content on online platforms,” it said.
