Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC)

About Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC):

• It is an independent self-regulatory body set up by the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) in June 2011.
• The primary role of the BCCC is to implement self-regulatory guidelines for non-news channels, including general entertainment channels, kid’s channels, and special interest channels.
• The guidelines have been formulated after deliberations from the industry and the Government of India around areas such as national interest, racial and religious harmony, ill treatment of children, social values, sex and nudity, violence and crime, gambling, drugs, smoking, tobacco consumption, alcohol, defamation, harm, and offence.
• Any viewer can lodge a complaint about issues related to television programmes/ shows, non-news & current affairs TV channels, and other digital content broadcaster members or associate members of IBDF India.
• Composition: BCCC is composed of 13 members.
  • One chairperson
  • Four non-broadcast members
  • Four members from the national-level statutory commissions
  • Four members from the broadcast industry
• How does BCCC work?
  • In the case of a valid complaint, the respective channel is asked to provide their view on the offending content within one working week of receipt of a letter from BCCC.
  • Post evaluation of the channel’s response, if the BCCC committee is not satisfied, it has the power to pass a directive asking for necessary modifications or withdrawal of such content; failing which, the BCCC sends out a detailed report to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting within 24 hours.

Key Facts about Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF):

• The Indian Broadcasting Foundation was established in 1999 as the apex body of broadcasters.
• The organization has recently been rechristened the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), as it expands its purview to cover digital platforms to bring all digital over-the-top streaming firms under one roof.
• The organisation is credited as the spokesman of the Indian broadcasting industry.
• IBDF’s members comprise both news and non-news channels (GEC, sports, music, movies, infotainment, etc).
• IBDF provides research-based legislative inputs to the Government and carries out advocacy on various fiscal, regulatory, and other business issues to facilitate the drafting of conducive policies, resolution of issues, and introduction of necessary changes in the overall system.

Q1) What is Broadcasting?

Broadcasting is the distribution of content, either audio or video, to a large dispersed audience by means of any medium of electronic mass communications. Typically, the mass communications medium is one that uses the electromagnetic spectrum, i.e. radio waves, in a one-to-many model.

Source: Exercise extreme caution on portrayal of SCs, STs: BCCC advisory to entertainment channels