No notice from MIB to Hindi channels on use of Urdu in broadcasts: PIB

The government on Sunday termed as “misleading” reports in a section of the media that “notices” have been sent to Hindi news channels for excessive use of Urdu words in their broadcasts.

In a post on X, the PIB Fact Check Unit said that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has forwarded a viewer’s complaint to the channels concerned under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act.

According to the Act, a certain percentage of public grievances are forwarded to the persons concerned against whom a complaint has been received, an official said.

“It is not a directive from the ministry, but merely a forwarding of a complaint received against the concerned channels,” the official said.

“The channels have been instructed to inform the complainant of the action taken and keep the Ministry duly informed, in accordance with the relevant regulations,” the Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in the post.

Reports in a section of the media claimed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued notices to Hindi news channels for using excessive Urdu words in their broadcasts, and has directed them to appoint language experts.