BCCC – File an Online Complaint Against TV Programmes to Broadcasting Content Complaints Council

Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) is an independent self-regulatory body set up by the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF) in June 2011. BCCC ensures that the non-news general entertainment channels follow the regulations & rules to deliver television broadcasting, content, and TV programmes.

It is an independent complaint redressal mechanism for 24-hour General Entertainment Channels (GECs) and provides the channels with guiding principles by drafting ethical standards and regulations. Any viewer can lodge a complaint about the issues related to television programmes/ shows, non-news & current affairs TV channels, and other digital content broadcasters members or associate members of IBDF India.

Follow the 3-tier system for the redressal of grievances related to TV Programmes like shows, movies, serials, cartoons, children’s programmes, animated shows, etc. In tier 1, file a complaint to the grievance officer of the respective broadcaster or television channel.

If action has not been taken within 2 weeks, in tier 2, lodge a complaint to Broadcasting Content Complaints Council. In tier 3, you may approach the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB).

Citizens may also directly report to the BCCC if any Self Regulatory Content Guidelines of IBDF are breached by the Non News & Current Affairs TV Channels/Broadcasters.

Report Issues Related to:

• National interest/security or racial and religious harmony
• Regarding social values, horror, and occult content/shows
• Children and generally accessible shows & programmes
• Matters related to violence & crimes or sex and nudity in shows
• Cases of misleading information regarding drugs, smoking, tobacco, or solvents & alcohol consumption
• Regarding libel, slander & defamation, harm, and offence.
• Other matters or quality of content/shows broadcasted by TV Channels.

The complaint can be submitted in a written form/letter in English or Hindi language or by online grievance redressal form of concerned TV Channels to the respective Standard and Practices (S&P) Departments. Further, BCCC also accepts complaints in both modes as well as physically written/filled complaint forms or online submitted grievances. Let us explore more.

How to File a Complaint to Broadcasting Content Complaints Council?

As per the self-regulatory guidelines of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India, the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) of the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation has drafted Self-Regulatory Content Guidelines for the general entertainment non-news & current affairs television channels.

The TV “Programme” (television or radio broadcast) includes:

• Exhibition or films, features, dramas, news, promos, trailers, songs, music videos, and serials through broadcasting, video/audio cassette recorder or video/audio cassette players.
• Any audio/visual (video) content, audio-visual live performance, or presentation and programming service, except any matter that is wholly related to or connected with any private communication.
• Also in conjunction with Content Code & Certification Rules defined in the Self-Regulatory Content Guidelines of IBDF India.

If these codes of ethics, rules, and content guidelines are breached in any TV Programmes of Broadcasters/Channels, Citizens can approach the concerned broadcasting authorities. To report the violation of these regulations, you may use the 3-tier complaint redressal mechanism.

Complaints Registration Fee & Redressal Time:

In tier 1, You may directly file a complaint in a written letter or online mode to the designated Grievance Officers of respective TV Channels and broadcasters in India. The time limit for redressal of the grievance is a maximum of 3 weeks. If exceeds, escalate the matter to tier 2 higher authority.

In tier 2, If not satisfied with the final response or not resolved within 3 weeks, lodge an online complaint or escalate the written complaint form to the BCCC of IBDF India within 2 weeks of response or the expiry of the redressal period.

In tier 2, Finally, escalate the matter to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting regarding the matters pertaining to the I&B as mentioned in the Citizen Charter of the concerned department of the ministry.

The detailed information is mentioned below, read carefully, follow the instructions, and raise your concerns to the respective S&P Department of TV Programme Channels, Broadcasters, & non-news channels. Follow the process to approach the BCCC of IBDF India.

Write to TV Channels

Viewers must file a complaint to the Grievance Officers of the Standard and Practices (S&P) Department of the respective Television channels or broadcasters within 7 days (1 week). In this tier 1, Write a letter to the appointed head of the S&P department in Hindi or English language or lodge an online complaint by providing the following information:

• Name of the Television Channel
• Date & time of telecast of TV Programme and the offending content
• Title of the content/show and details about the alleged offence.
• Reason for non-compliance of the particular programme with content guidelines of BCCC.
• Personal communication details – Name, age, complete address with phone number, e-mail, etc.

To submit this complaint form, you can visit the official websites of television channels/ broadcasters who are registered as members or associate members of IBDF India. After the successful submission of the complaint form, an acknowledgement receipt will be sent by the head of S&P within 2 days.

TV Channels Members of IBDF India :

Get the contact details of the Head of S&P of listed TV Channel members of the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation or respective Broadcasters against whom TV Programmes you want to file a complaint.

Note – Not found the contact details? Don’t worry! directly lodge a complaint to the BCCC in online or written complaint form mode. If submitted to the concerned Grievance Officer of the television channels, but not resolved within 3 weeks or if dissatisfied, surely you may approach the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council within 2 weeks.

Matters Related to News? File a Complaint to News Broadcasters & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA)

BCCC: File an Online Complaint

The apex self-regulatory body to report the breach of codes of ethics and self-regulatory content guidelines is the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC). If in tier 1, the submitted complaints are not resolved within 3 weeks or if dissatisfied with a final response of the Head of S&P of concerned TV Channels and broadcasters, escalate the matter to the authority of BCCC in tier 2.

Viewers may also directly report to BCCC about the violation of ethical & regulatory rules regarding delivered or broadcasted content or TV programmes. For this, you must have to file a complaint within 14 days after the telecast of the offending programme on television channels.

The complaint must be filed within 2 weeks after final responses are received from S&P or the case is not resolved or no action has been taken within 3 weeks. Citizens can submit the complaint form in online mode as well as a written letter either in Hindi or English language to the designated members of BCCC.

Details to Lodge an Online Complaint to BCCC & Download Form:

Provide the Following Information to BCCC in the Form:

• Name, age, and complete communication address of the complaint
• Name of the TV Channel/Broadcaster and the title of the TV Programme
• Date & time of broadcast
• A short summary of a matter or issue pertaining to the telecasted content or television programme
• Copies of relevant documents or evidence regarding breach of regulatory guidelines.
• Also, attach a copy of the response of the head of S&P (if any)
• Attach acknowledgement receipt of the submitted complaint to the TV Channel (if any)

For a written complaint, send a scanned copy of the filled complaint letter/form by e-mail and a hard copy of the complete complaint form with enclosures should also be sent by speed post to the Secretary, BCCC at the official address as mentioned.

• Address: Secretary General, Broadcasting Content Complaints Council, C/o. Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation, B-304, 3rd Floor, Ansal Plaza, Khelgaon Marg, New Delhi.
• Phone No: +911143794400
• Fax No: 01143794455
• E-mail: ibdf@ibdf.com, bccc@IBDFindia.com

The final orders on the submitted case will be passed by the authorities of BCCC within 3 weeks of receipt of the complaint. If the given timeline for the disposal of a complaint exceeds or no action has been taken by the designated members of the council, you may escalate the matter to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) to investigate the reason for negligence.

In tier 3, the complainant may escalate the unsatisfactory or unredressed complaints to the Ministry of I&B by lodging an online grievance at the CPGRAMS portal of the Government of India. For more details about proceedings & cases that come under the MIB, read the latest citizen charter.

Regulatory Guidelines

The list of issues regarding the telecasted content or TV programmes of television channels and broadcasters breach the standards of ethical codes & regulatory guidelines of the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF) against which viewers can file a complaint to BCCC, IBDF India.

1. Crime & Violence:

• Includes content regarding inducing, inciting, encouraging, justifying, reinforcing or glorifying violence or terror or its perpetrators or containing anything against the maintenance of law and order or promoting anti-national attitudes.
• Present violence as glamorous or an acceptable solution to human conflict.
• Incite violence against specific groups identified by race, national or ethnic origin, colour, class, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or mental or physical disabilities.
• Issues regarding criminality as desirable or glamorous in the telecasted show.
• Concerns of endangering human lives or prejudice the success of attempts to deal with a hijack/ hostage/ kidnapping crisis, a law & order situation. Complaints regarding any other security-related or criminal investigation in the programme.
• Have a traumatic, desensitizing or dehumanizing effect that could lead to psychological disorders/ unsocial attitudes/behaviour, or particularly among minors.
• If encourages criminal/violent behaviour or possession of wildlife as trophies. Report, if provides opportunities to copy the modus operandi of criminals and thereby encourage the commission of any offences or crimes.

2. Sex, Obscenity & Nudity:

• Contents include inciting or encouraging induce viewers to obscene or indecent behavior or breach of law.
• Report, if present sex, nudity, kissing or offensive behaviour or language so as to glorify, encourage or justify induce or incite indecent or obscene behaviour in programmes.
• Any matters regarding presenting the figure of a woman, her form or body or any part thereof in such a way as to have the effect of being indecent degrading or derogatory to the woman or depict women as mere objects or symbols of sexual desires or behaviour.

3. Horror & Occult:

• Report to authorities, if justify, encourage or glamorize such practices of superstition & occultism.
• Contents or shows that instil fear or revulsion about the consequences of not following such practices or encourage blind belief or superstitions in the efficacy of such practices.
• Issues regarding the matters that enable the viewer to emulate such practices or learn their details/sources or depict women as witches in programs on the occult.

4. Drugs, Smoking, Tobacco, Solvents & Alcohol:

• Complaints related to the programmes that justify, promote, encourage or glamorize the use or misuse of such drug, smoking, or alcohol products.
• Report the broadcasts that enable the viewers to learn and emulate various ways of their abuse or misuse.
• If omit to highlight their ill effects on personal health or social behaviour or criminal tendencies.

5. Religion & Community:

• Matters regarding defaming religions or communities or being contemptuous of religious groups or promoting communal attitudes or being likely to incite religious strife or communal or caste violence.
• Report the telecast that incites disharmony, animosity, conflict, hatred or ill will between different religious, racial, and linguistic groups, castes or communities.
• The content consists of counsel, plead, advise, appeal or provoke any person to destroy, damage or defile any place of worship or any object held sacred by any religious group or class of persons.
• Report to BCCC, if proselytize any particular religion as the `only’ or `true’ religion or faith or provoke, appeal, advise, implore or counsel any person to change
  his religion or faith.
• Play on fear of explicit or implicit adverse consequences of not being religious or not subscribing to a particular faith or belief.
• Complaints regarding telecasts that promote any dangerous, retrogressive, or gender-discriminatory practices in the name of religion or faith, or ideology.

6. Harm & Offence:

• Report the telecasted contents that create public panic or unnecessary alarm, which is likely to encourage or incite the public to crime or lead to disorder or be offensive to public feeling.
• Report if TV broadcasts include contents that ridicule, mock or scorn physically or mentally challenged persons.
• Complaints regarding the programmes that encourage superstition about the causes of mental illness or stigmatize the mentally sick as violent or dangerous.
• Stereotype mental health practitioners as unethical or exploitative. Report if disclose the location of a person’s home or family without permission, unless it is warranted in the television programme.
• Question minors about private matters without the consent of a parent or legal guardian unless it is warranted to proceed without such consent for an identifiable larger public interest.
• Stereotype women as passive or submissive so as to promote or glorify their subordinate or secondary role in the family or society.
• Report the telecasts that portray women as primarily driven by sexual impulses or the female body or form as an object of sexual exploitation.
• Complaints regarding the TV programmes that promote, glorify or justify social evils such as child marriage, dowry, bigamy, son preference, etc.
• Matters regarding the broadcasted content include glamorising, promoting, and encouraging such activities & sports, which encourage ecological imbalance and hurt animals.

7. General Restrictions:

• Report to BCCC if the broadcasted programme includes contents that contravene the Constitution of India or the applicable Indian laws or cast aspersions against the integrity of the Nation.
• Complaints against any TV channels that involve defamation or contempt of court or adversely affect the judicial process of the country.
• Report the telecasted programme consisting of contents that affect the integrity of the country or jeopardize or endanger the security of the State.
• Directly complain to BCCC regarding matters that cast aspersions against the integrity of the President or the Judiciary or exploit the national emblem.

Frequently Asked Questions about BCCC, IBDF India

Q. Where can I register a complaint about TV Programmes to Television Channels?

A. If the self-regulatory guidelines are violated in any telecasted TV show or programme, you can file a complaint in writing or online mode to the head of the Standard and Practices (S&P) Department of the concerned TV Channel or Broadcaster within 7 days after the broadcasting of programme/show.

Q. Where can I complain against TV Channels or Broadcasters?

A. You can file an online complaint or write a letter (in Hindi or English) to the secretary of the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), IBDF India within 14 days of telecasted content, mentioning the breach of guidelines within the TV Programme of the concerned TV Channels or Broadcasters.

Reference

• Viewers & Complaint Guide – IBDF India
• IBDF’s Self Regulatory Guidelines – BCCC
• Broadcasting Content Complaints Council  – IBDF India
• Citizen Charter – Ministry of I&B