Information ministry cautions TV channels against broadcasting disturbing footages, distressing images

New Delhi, Jan 09: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Monday issued an advisory to all television channels against reporting incidents of accidents, deaths, and violence including violence against women, children and elderly in manners which grossly compromises on “good taste and decency”.

The advisory has been issued after several instances of lack of discretion by television channels were noticed by the Ministry.

The Ministry said that television channels have shown dead bodies of individuals and images/videos of injured persons with blood splattered around, people, including women, children and elderly being beaten mercilessly in close shots, continuous cries and shrieks of a child being beaten by a teacher, shown repeatedly over several minutes including circling the actions thereby making it even more ghastly, without taking the precaution of blurring the images or showing them from long shots. It has further highlighted that the manner of reporting such incidents is distasteful and distressing for the audience.