I&B Ministry asks all private TV channels to display credits in regional languages along with English

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) on Friday issued an advisory to all private television channels to consider displaying the credits of Hindi and regional languages TV serials in the respective languages too. The advisory has been issued to promote the Indian languages said Union Minister of I&B Prakash Javadekar.

According to a press release, the ministry said that several Hindi and regional language television channels display the castings, credits and titles of Hindi and regional language television serials only in English. It added that the practice tends to deprive people versed with Hindi and regional languages of the valuable information about the casting of television serials and programmes.

With a view to enhancing the outreach and benefit television viewers of the country, the I&B Ministry has advised all private satellite television channels to consider displaying the castings, credits and titles of Hindi and Regional languages television serials in the respective languages also.

"It has come to the notice of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting that several Hindi and Regional Language TV channels display the castings/credits/titles of Hindi and Regional language TV serials only in English. This practice tends to deprive people versed with Hindi and Regional languages of the valuable information about the casting of TV serials/programmes. With a view to enhancing outreach and benefit TV viewers of the country, the Ministry has advised all private satellite TV channels to consider displaying the castings/credits/titles of Hindi and Regional languages TV serials in the respective languages also," said the I&B release.

Following the order, Javadekar said that in addition to Indian languages if the television channels want to give titles and credits in English as well, they are free to do so. He added that the ministry is not restricting, on the contrary, it is adding to the Indian languages. The ministry is issuing such orders for cinemas also, he added.

"Issuing an order to TV channels that whatever serials they broadcast, at end/beginning of program many times titles are given only in English, to promote Indian languages, have asked channels to give those titles in the Indian language they broadcast.......In addition to the Indian language, if they want to give titles and credits in English as well, they are free to do so. So we are not restricting anything, we are actually adding the Indian languages. We are issuing such orders for cinema also," said Javadekar.