Carry date and timestamp on visuals of disasters, accidents: I&B Ministry to news channels

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday issued an advisory to private news channels to carry a date and timestamp on visuals of natural disasters and major accidents while reporting on such incidents.

The advisory, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, noted that television channels provide continuous coverage of natural disasters, major accidents over several days but keep showing the footage from the day the incident took place.

The ministry argued that the footage shown by television channels several days after the accident or disaster does not necessarily reflect the real-time ground situation which leads to "unnecessary confusion and potential panic among viewers".

"Therefore, to avoid any misunderstanding among viewers, all private satellite TV channels are hereby advised to ensure that visuals of disasters, natural calamity or major accidents should prominently display a 'DATE AND TIME' stamp on the top of the footage," the advisory read.

The display of date and timestamp will ensure that viewers are suitably informed about the exact date of the footage being telecast and the fact that it does not necessarily reflect the real time position at the location of the incident.

The I&B Ministry advisory also "strongly advised" private news channels to ensure adherence to the Programme Code while telecasting such incidents.

The advisory comes in the wake of extensive coverage of the landslides in Wayanad and Himachal Pradesh that claimed several lives recently.