No more adult stuff on TV

Small screens cannot sizzle with adult content any more. Settling once and for all what can or can’t be shown on TV, the Central government quietly banned telecast of all films, film songs, music videos or their promos which have not been given a ‘U’ certificate for unrestricted public exhibition by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

The ministry of information and broadcasting issued the notification on August 2, by which the Cable Television Network Rules have been amended. Two new clauses clearly spell out what can be telecast from now on. The new rules will apply throughout the country. For now, however, only Mumbai faces a cable TV blackout following an order of Bombay High Court put into effect on Monday.

The August 2 notification amending the programming code for cable television content has put an end to the controversy surrounding the telecast of adult content on TV. It states, ‘‘No film, or film song or film promo or film trailer or music video or music albums or their promos, whether produced in India or abroad, shall be carried through cable service unless it has been certified by the CBFC as suitable for unrestricted public exhibition in India.’’

However, it’s still not clear whether the new rules will apply to DTH connections where the signals are beamed directly from satellites to homes, said advocate Mukesh Vashi who had argued against adult films on TV last year in Bombay High Court on behalf of his client, a college lecturer in Mumbai, who had filed a PIL on the issue.

Before the amendment, Rule 6 of the Cable TV Rules of 1994 that dealt with the programming code laid down that ‘‘programmes unsuitable for unrestricted public exhibition can’t be carried on cable TV’’.

The rule had led to a hot debate in the Bombay High Court when the public interest litigation was being heard. The TV channels argued that the rules did not specify what qualified as ‘unrestricted public exhibition’. Restrictions on TV ads too

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has held that Cable TV rules should be read in conjunction with the Cinematograph Act, which specifies how the censor board certifies films. By reading both laws together, the court said, it was clear that only those films with a ‘U’ certificate by the censor board could be shown on television. However, the court left it open to the government to review the programming and advertising code under the Cable TV Act as well as the guidelines for certification of films under the Cinematograph Act.

The I&B ministry appointed a 30-member committee to revise and harmonise the CBFC guidelines and the Cable TV Programming Code ‘‘in accordance with the contemporary community standards in force’’. The HC had said that once the committee’s report was accepted by the government, it would be open to the Centre to inform the court about any modifications it may have chosen to make.

The August 2 notice also places restrictions on advertisements on TV. It notes that ‘‘no advertisement which violates the code for self-regulation in advertising, as adopted by the Advertising Standards Council of India for public exhiition in India, shall be carried in the cable service.’’

 

[gaurav200x]

Do u think that Govt's this move is justified? Would it be fair to restrict the content shown by the small screen?

 

[rahul_parab2006]

Do u think that Govt's this move is justified? Would it be fair to restrict the content shown by the small screen?

ya, govt. is doing rite things in this subject, fortunately.

Residents were relieved on Tuesday night as cable operators restored their daily TV staple.

The operators, who had gone off the air late on Monday to protest against police raids meant to curtail the airing of adult content, ended their action after meeting Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil on Tuesday.

The operators have decided to air all channels except those beaming movies till the Bombay high court returns a judgment on their petition. The operators argue in their petition, which is likely to be heard tomorrow, that as distributors, they are not accountable for the nature of content.

For now, it is still uncertain when these nine channels will resume airing.

The cable operators, however, seem to have won some assurance on the issue of raids. “Patil told that police will investigate eight operators whose transmission equipment was seized on Monday,” said Ganesh Naidu, president of the Cable Operators and Distributors Association. “If they are found guilty action would be initiated. But the seized equipment would be returned to those found innocent.”

 

[gaurav200x]

ya, govt. is doing rite things in this subject, fortunately.

but dun u think it is better to telecast the content of fied restricted channels, instead of banning them altogether?

There are such systems in the US. Moreover, when given on certain channels only, these channels can be locked and hence kept under parental supervision

what do u think?

 

[rahul_parab2006]

but dun u think it is better to telecast the content of fied restricted channels, instead of banning them altogether?

There are such systems in the US. Moreover, when given on certain channels only, these channels can be locked and hence kept under parental supervision

what do u think?

ysrday none of the channels hav telecasted.
it's wrong. i think channels like news (NDTV / IBN / CNN/ BBC / AAJ TAK / STAR NEWS / ZEE NEWS) should be telecasted
moreover, regional channels like marathi, punjabi, gujarathi channels also should be telecasted
i think, the latenight adult movies shuld be discarded by govt. not to telecast,
Childrens could get wrong implication from these types of shows...

To reply ur question, i would like to say that these channels should be warned firstly, if they aftr also, telecaste the adult-oriented scenes, etc. in the hours 6.00 a.m. to 12. 00 p.m., then they should be banned for lifetime.

 

[gaurav200x]

ysrday none of the channels hav telecasted.
it's wrong. i think channels like news (NDTV / IBN / CNN/ BBC / AAJ TAK / STAR NEWS / ZEE NEWS) should be telecasted
moreover, regional channels like marathi, punjabi, gujarathi channels also should be telecasted
i think, the latenight adult movies shuld be discarded by govt. not to telecast,
Childrens could get wrong implication from these types of shows...

To reply ur question, i would like to say that these channels should be warned firstly, if they aftr also, telecaste the adult-oriented scenes, etc. in the hours 6.00 a.m. to 12. 00 p.m., then they should be banned for lifetime.

i think u dint understand my point. What i said was, why should they be banned? If someone likes to watch adult content, who is the govt. to interfere in someone's pvt. life.

I agree with screening of offensive ads during days and on family channels. However, i think it would be better if such content is restricted to certain channels and the same can be blocked by adults, so that children do not have access to it.

 

[rahul_parab2006]

Ban on adult movies unjustified: Sharmila

New Delhi - Veteran actor and censor board chief Sharmila Tagore says she is opposed to a blanket ban on the screening of adult movies on television, and instead favours a specified time slot when such films can be telecast.

‘Nowhere in the world does this (a ban) happen. There’s a time for adult films…a specified time is necessary for adult viewing…that would be a practical and reasonable solution. After all, there are many adult films that are relevant and adults would like to see them in the comfort of their own homes…I feel that’s a reasonable compromise. I’m in favour of it,’ said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) head.

Such films ‘could safely be shown’ between 11.00 p.m. and 4.00 a.m. ‘because during those hours, parents should assume the responsibility of ensuring their children are not watching television’ she told CNN-IBN Devil’s Advocate show, to be broadcast Sunday.

Tagore said she is seeking an ‘X’ category rating to permit adult films in their entirety without censoring or deleting.

She also termed as ‘a very bad precedent’, the statements of Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi on the controversial film ‘The Da Vinci Code’, saying she had raised the matter with the minister, who had assured her ‘it will not be repeated’. Dasmunsi had directed the CBFC not to clear the Ron Howard-directed film till the ministry had seen it in view of objections raised by a section of the Christian clergy.

According to Tagore, under her the CBFC has no problems with clearing scenes of kissing on screen but opposed proposals by her predecessor to clear pornographic films.

She also called upon the people - particularly organisations who protest on behalf of their communities - to be more tolerant and understanding and to learn to laugh at themselves rather than take offence quickly.

Elaborating on her arguments for a specific TV time slot for adult fare, Tagore mentioned Hindi film ‘Omkara’, in which her son Saif Ali Khan has acted.

‘Obviously adult material should not be shown to children. That’s the main thing. And I don’t think children should be exposed to films like ‘Omkara’ for instance. We’ve certified it as ‘A’ and it’s going to be exhibited in halls where we can restrict the audience to an adult audience for an adult film, whereas on television if a film like this is shown, children will be able to see it and we don’t want that.’

Speaking about her decision to refer Aamir Khan starrer ‘Rang De Basanti’ to the Indian Air Force (IAF) before clearing the film and whether this undermined the autonomy and the authority of the CBFC, Tagore described this as a matter of strategy.

‘My objective is to achieve my goal. How I do it is my own strategy… I’ve seen a film is released and then it runs into problems like ‘Rising’ did. Somebody brings a PIL (public suit), somebody brings a protest and the film is withdrawn from the theatres. That causes a producer far more anxiety and problems because the film then doesn’t pick up….

‘It was very positive and we took them (the IAF) along with us,’ she maintained.

On the issue of adult films with explicit language or explicit scenes, Tagore was very clear that these could be released in their entirety without censoring or deleting - under certain circumstances.

‘There are more and more adult subjects with explicit language or explicit scenes … Yes, I feel there should be a category for such films so that instead of cutting it, censoring it or deleting a few scenes we can show it in its entirety.’

Tagore maintained that whilst the CBFC under her had no qualms about clearing kissing, provided it was aesthetically pleasing, she would not endorse predecessor Vijay Anand’s proposal to permit pornographic films.

‘Coming from our point of view, we’ve allowed a kiss if you feel it’s aesthetically pleasing, relevant to the subject and not just a titillating scene … It now depends on the producers and actors how awkward they are or how free they are. But kissing is allowed.’

As for Anand’s proposal, she put her foot down: ‘No. I wouldn’t endorse that. I don’t think society or the Indian people are ready for it. There’s a cultural difference between India and the rest of the world.’