Grievance on News portal

The News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA), formerly known as the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), represents major private TV news, current affairs, and digital broadcasters in India. It established the News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) as a self-regulatory body to set high standards of ethics in news broadcasting, and crucially, to entertain and decide complaints—including those related to hate speech or objectionable content aired by member broadcasters.

How to File a Complaint

• First Level: Submit your complaint directly to the individual broadcaster about their content.

• Second Level: If unsatisfied with their response, or if you do not get a reply within the stipulated time, escalate your complaint to NBDSA using their official complaint form:
  NBDSA Complaint Form.

• Help & Guidance: You can contact NBDSA for assistance at authority@nbanewdelhi.com or call their corporate office at 0120-4129712.

For more details on the complaint process and required documentation, refer to the Guide to Complaint Redressal.

Who Monitors Hate Speech on News Channels?

• The NBDA/NBDSA is the principal self-regulatory authority monitoring ethical standards—including hate speech—on member TV news channels in India.

• NBDSA administers its own Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards. If channels violate these by airing hate speech or biased content, NBDSA can issue warnings, demand retractions, and even order removal of problematic content.

• High-profile cases (e.g., communal or hate-driven programming) have been adjudicated by NBDSA with orders for removal and strong warnings to broadcasters.

Legal and Government Oversight

• For content outside member broadcasters, or for persistent issues, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting can also take regulatory measures. The Supreme Court has frequently called on the government to address hate speech in news media and underscored the lack of a government regulatory body like the Press Council for television news.

• However, Indian TV news channels primarily operate under self-regulation, with NBDA/NBDSA leading the redressal.

Contact Details (NBDA/NBDSA)

• Corporate Office: Mantec House, C-56/5, 2nd Floor, Sector 62, Noida - 201301.

• Phone: 0120-4129712

• Emails: nba@nbanewdelhi.com, authority@nbanewdelhi.com

If you experience or witness hate speech in TV news, submit your complaint following the NBDSA process for a formal investigation by the ethical standards authority.

Summary Table

Aspect

Authority/Mechanism

Contact/Process

Primary monitoring

NBDA/NBDSA (Self-regulation)

Complaint Form

Escalation/Legal oversight

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting; Supreme Court

MIB Contacts

Key contact point

NBDA/NBDSA

nba@nbanewdelhi.com, authority@nbanewdelhi.com, 0120-4129712

References:

• NBDA and NBDSA official site and complaint process.

• Explainer on who monitors hate speech on Indian TV news.

• Notable rulings by NBDSA and context on hate speech monitoring.

• Public and judicial statements underscoring government and court roles on hate speech

The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA), under the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA), has recently imposed fines and penalties on several major Indian news channels for broadcasting content that was found to spread hate, communal disharmony, or violate ethical standards:

• News18 India: Fined ₹50,000 for multiple shows in 2022 hosted by Aman Chopra and Amish Devgan, which communalized the Shraddha Walker murder case by linking it to “love jihad.” On other occasions, News18 India was cumulatively fined ₹95,000 for broadcasting programmes that gave communal colouring to news reports, with individual episodes attracting fines of ₹50,000, ₹20,000, and ₹25,000.

• Times Now Navbharat: Fined ₹1,00,000 for a show found to be in violation of ethical codes regarding the portrayal of “love jihad” and furthering communal narratives.

• Aaj Tak: Fined ₹75,000 for a show where the anchor used terms such as "Tukde Tukde Gang," "Khalistani in Punjab," and "Pakistani supporters" in a manner considered inflammatory and contrary to objectivity and neutrality standards. They were also warned and directed to remove certain videos from their online platforms.

• Zee News: Directed to remove programmes violating the Code of Ethics from their online platforms, though the focus of recent fines centered on News18 India, Times Now Navbharat, and Aaj Tak.

Nature of NBDSA Penalties

• Penalties range from warnings and removal orders for offensive content to fines for breaching the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards.

• As per updated regulations, fines can go up to 1% of a channel's annual turnover, capped at ₹25 lakhs, for repeated or serious violations, though typical recent fines have been ₹50,000–₹1,00,000 per incident.

• The NBDSA is empowered to order removal or editing of problematic shows and issue warnings or censure in addition to financial penalties.

Supreme Court and Regulatory Tightening

• The Supreme Court has criticized the current fine limits (noting ₹1 lakh was set in 2008 and is not a significant deterrent given current channel revenues), urging the NBDA and government to make penalties proportionate to the profits earned by the shows in question, and to strengthen the overall self-regulatory framework for TV news.

In summary, NBDA/NBDSA continues to fine prominent news channels for programming that violates ethical standards, with fines and content removal being the principal forms of penalty, and regulatory bodies recognizing the need for stronger deterrents as the media landscape evolves.