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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.”
Source: Indiantelevision.com > News Headlines > Govt cracks down on Baba and 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.”
Source: Indiantelevision.com > News Headlines > Govt cracks down on Baba and Guru shows on Indian TV
