Newindpress

New Delhi, Jun 19: Forget news editors. If Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi has his way, news channels will soon have to appoint news ‘‘auditors’’ to regulate content.

The ‘‘content’’ which needs to be regulated by the auditor is also rather well defined - the audiovisual presentation and subject matter treatment of programmes going on air. The new guideline, being projected as a ‘‘self-regulatory mechanism’’ for news coverage by television channels, provides specifications for everything. It includes a nine-part set of dos and don’ts which the channels have to abide by.

The content auditor will keep a watch on what visual and subject matter is going on air round the clock. The auditor will have the power to nip objectionable content, which does not abide by the guidelines set by the Ministry, in the bud.

Though the chief editor of a channel will have the power to overrule the auditing, the content auditor will have the option of reporting the non-compliance to the regulatory authority set up by the Ministry, namely the Broadcast Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI).

Who would be the Big Brother watching what is being put on air on the Ministry’s behalf? That too has been clearly specified-preferably a chartered accountant, otherwise a lawyer or a senior journalist. ‘‘It has to be a professional,’’ said Dasmunsi. The proposed guidelines, the Minister promised, would be put on the official website for the public and the experts to see for themselves and compare with international practices in this regard.

According to officials who have drawn up the guidelines, the content auditor is a self-regulator for the channel as he/she would keep the Ministry off the back of all news and entertainment channels. In order words, the Ministry would not have to be directly involved in banning channels for violating public morality. The regulatory authority through the content auditor would do the needful.

The new ‘‘content certification rule’’ would be replacing the existing programme and advertising code. Apart from the content auditor who would be the key element of the self-regulatory mechanism, a four-tier appellate mechanism would address consumer grievances.

To begin with, an aggrieved party can first go to the channel’s own redressal disposal authority (the content auditor) which will have to dispose the petition within a fixed time-frame of 30 days. After that, the petitioner has the option of appealing to an industry-level appellate forum comprising senior representatives of the television media. This body would be on the lines of Advertising Standards Council of India.

‘‘As the next higher authority, BRAI would come into the picture in case either side is dissatisfied. But as the ultimate authority the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal will be empowered be give the final view on any matter of dispute on content,’’ the official added.