The Hindu : National : TV channels warned against offensive content

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 17, 2004

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National

TV channels warned against offensive content

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 16. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry today warned film-based television channels of strict action if they continued to show offensive content. Even as a "veiled threat" was issued to television channels, as a last resort should they not fall in line the Ministry advocated self-regulation at a meeting here with representatives of various networks.

Convened in the wake of a Mumbai High Court observation on vulgar content being beamed into cable television homes, the meeting between the Ministry officials and television channel representatives saw the Government read out the provisions under which the State could rein them in.

The channels were informed of the punitive action that could be taken under the Cable Act and uplinking guidelines. Also, they were told that the Government could well include clauses in the proposed downlinking guidelines that would deny registration to habitual offenders.

Channel representatives were reminded of the provisions that prescribe the need for certification of films and music videos. Also, the Ministry's officials and the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, Anupam Kher, sought to impress upon them the need to avoid telecasting programmes unsuitable for unrestricted public exhibition.

Today's interaction between the Ministry officials and television channels was also a fall-out of vain efforts by Mr. Kher to get the networks to fall in line.

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