Channels Must Refrain From Airing Ads of Miracle Products

[M.J.Sadiq]

Telecast of advertorials which promise miraculous products or self proclaimed babas and gurus who offer super natural solutions on TV has not gone down well with the I&B ministry which has told channels to refrain from showing such content.

Sources told PTI that after noticing that many TV channels were telecasting programmes which appeared to encourage superstition, the Information and Broadcasting ministry had issued an advisory to broadcasters last week.

In its advisory, the ministry said that were advertisements in which unsubstantiated claims were made about products which the general audience could easily believe as truth.

"Such advertisements or advertorials are, therefore, not only misleading, they also appear to encourage superstition and blind belief among the viewers," the ministry's advisory said.

The advisory also says that "most advertorials relating to astrology, vastu, so called discourses by gurus and self proclaimed healers are being shown for hours together in such a way that it might lead viewers to believe they are watching a programme even though they are actually watching advertisements."

The I&B ministry further added that the telecast of such content on TV amounted to gross violation of the Advertising Code contained in the Cable TV Networks Rules, 1994.

It said that as per rules advertisements should not contain any references which are likely to make the audiences believe that the product or any of its ingredients have some miraculous or super natural property which it is difficult to prove.

The ministry has also asked all TV channels including news and current affairs channels, to telecast programmes, advertisements, features or reports with due care and maturity particularly with a way not to encourage superstition and blind belief and mislead viewers.

"It is also brought to the notice of all TV channels that any violation of the programme code or advertising code would attract penal provisions detailed in section 20 of the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and the terms and conditions of uplinking and downlinking guidelines," it said.

Officials said that while the ministry had sternly sounded the channels against telecast of misleading ads, it has also asked its Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) to keep an eye on the commercials being telecast on TV channels and report in case of violations.

The ministry has also asked all channels to submit a compliance report with regard to the telecast of such advertisements, officials said.


'Channels Must Refrain From Airing Ads of Miracle Products' | news.outlookindia.com



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[Yuvi2Yuvi]

Why TV Related thread here?

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

Mods. By mistake this has been created here. Please move it.

4 Beta

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

Government warns channels against encouraging superstition

The ministry of information and broadcasting has sent an advisory to all news and entertainment television channels on content that encourages superstition and blind belief.
The advisory was sent last week to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and the Advertising Standards Council of India. A copy of the note was also sent to the Electronic Media Monitoring Centre, or EMMC, a unit of the government that monitors television and radio content.
The note, circulated among broadcasting companies, said some channels have been showing such programmes.
“Miraculous solutions of all problems are offered by the self-proclaimed babas and gurus in these programmes,” the advisory said.
It also raised questions about misleading advertisements that make unsubstantiated claims about the impact of certain products. It said the ads should not dwell on a product’s seemingly miraculous properties that cannot be proven.
Hours of content on astrology and vaastu as well as discourses by gurus and healers are shown in a way that may push the viewers to think they are watching a programme rather than an advertisement. The practice is in violation of the Advertising Code of the Cable Television Network Regulation Act, the advisory said.
The ministry said that the channels and their representative bodies have been warned about such content from time to time. However, this time, the ministry has asked all channels to file a compliance report by the end of this week.
It has said that channels telecast all such programmes, news items, special features and advertisements with “due care” and “maturity” and not in a way that encourages superstition and blind belief. Any violation of the programming and advertising code will attract penal action, the note stated.
News and entertainment channels that show such content mostly in the early morning say they need to consider the points that have been raised.
“It is early to comment on the notice. The fact is that these shows get a lot of viewership. Sure, we do not wish to encourage superstition but we cannot paint all such programmes in the same colour. IBF will approach the ministry on this issue,” said Shailesh Shah, secretary general, IBF.
Although the notice is an advisory, the ministry has the power to ban such content, said NBA president K.V.L. Narayan Rao. “The channels have to decide and take a collective decision.”
He said that although such programmes are not logical, they are quite popular and earn some revenue for the channels. For instance, advertisers of products with miraculous or healing powers that usually run late at night pay Rs.5,000-15,000 for an average 20 minutes slot, depending on the reach of the channel. The “gurus” pay between Rs.15,000 and Rs.1 lakh for 20-25 minute slots, depending on the time band they choose.


Government warns channels against encouraging superstition - Livemint

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[M.J.Sadiq]

Govt cracks down on Baba & Guru shows on Indian TV

No more self proclaimed Babas and Gurus shows on channels. India's TV broadcasters have been given a rap on their knuckles by the ministry of information & broadcasting asking them to pull back shows and advertorials with superstitious content. Over the weekend, it issued channels which orders them to do so.

Expecting maturity and responsibility in the content being aired, the ministry has given a 15 day notice to the channels to submit a compliance report.

“This is just a blanket statement. The answer to the advisory is not simple. The industry is working on the solution and we shall be able to come out with a solution by Monday,” said IBF secretary general Shailesh Shah.

While the ministry is clear on

the stand taken on the superstitious content being aired, industry experts are trying to find a balance.

“Not everything that caters to shows involving numerology, astrology and the likes should be considered bad. Only certain programming which overtly misleads the consumers should be looked at. Broadly, broadcasters can consider putting up a disclaimer on such shows stating that they do not endorse or subscribe to these views.” opined News Broadcasters Association president K.V.L. Narayan Rao.

The advisory has stressed that every channel has to strictly adhere to Rule 6(1) (j) of the Programme Code and Rule 7(5) of the Advertising Code of the Cable TV Networks (Regulations) Act 1995.

The I& B Ministry has also noted that ‘most advertorials relating to Astrology, Vastu, so called discourses by Gurus and self-proclaimed healers are being shown for hours together in such a way that might lead viewers to believe they are watching a programme even though they are actually watching advertisements.

One of the many such shows being aired on several channels like Sahara, ABP News, Firangi, Zee Classic, Zee Premier, B4U Movies, Shraddha, Sadhna, is the one run by astrologer GD Vashist, according to his website. “We are in talks with the channels which air our show. We will figure out a way, if this advisory is implemented. We will cancel our contract with channels who do not want to air our show,” said GD Vashist manager Sanjay Sharma. “We go on air from 7.00 am in the morning and have bought the time slot of 30 minutes. Our show is aired throughout the day,” he added.

This format which has become popular in the recent times is a complete violation of the Advertising Code, particularly rule 7(5), contained in the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.

Sources indicate that Indian TV channels are earning an estimated Rs 100 crore-120 crore per annum across the spectrum of languages and channel genres nationally by giving away time slots to advertisers who put their programming on air. A sizeable sum of this amount comes courtesy show which offer astrolgoy, unverified medical treatment products etc.

The astrologers, product and service sellers earn money through callers who are charged a premium for the calls they make, apart from the fees they charge from clientele for private consultations.

While the industry is thinking of a response to the advisory, The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) president Arvind Sharma suggests, “There is a fine line between looking after people’s interest and curbing creative freedom. Though there needs to be creative freedom, but if the product being advertised cannot be substantiated, then broadcasters need to take the responsibility of regulating the content.”

“The I&B Ministry is right in issuing the advisory. The Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) should be given the responsibility to monitor such contents being aired,” he said.

There are also channels who are in support of the advisory. “We have always opposed airing of programmes which lead to superstition. It is against the ethics of channels to endorse such products which are misleading and lack sanctity. There are no clinical trials of products being advertised on channels. We are happy that such an advisory has been issued,” said Care World managing director Ajit Gupta.

Welcoming the advisory is also Aastha channel senior executive media sales Pooja Singh, “We are strictly opposed to fooling people by airing any such show which promotes superstition or blind faith. We do not air any such programmes, so the advisory doesn’t affect us.”


http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k13/jun/jun94.php


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[shawl_who]

RE: Govt cracks down on Baba & Guru shows on Indian TV

I quite like Nirmal Baba and his remedies. :hehe
"Golgappe kha lo beta, kripa aani shuru ho jayegi" :damn
" Cinema hall ja k movie dekh aao, kripa aani shuru ho jayegi"

 

[sagarkr]

RE: Govt cracks down on Baba & Guru shows on Indian TV

I quite like Nirmal Baba and his remedies. :hehe
"Golgappe kha lo beta, kripa aani shuru ho jayegi" :damn
" Cinema hall ja k movie dekh aao, kripa aani shuru ho jayegi"

AUr Amaavas mein Aadhi Raat ko Kaale Kutte ko Roti Khilao...
Kripa AAni shuru ho Jaayegi....D

 

[Omi]

RE: Govt cracks down on Baba & Guru shows on Indian TV

He is full of crap.

 

[mmadhankumar]

RE: Govt cracks down on Baba & Guru shows on Indian TV

is this same as these threads or a different one huh:huh

Link Removed

Channels Must Refrain From Airing Ads of Miracle Products

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

RE: Govt cracks down on Baba & Guru shows on Indian TV

Very sorry, I duplicated my self