'I&B ministry playing God and blocking channels'

NEW DELHI: There has been talk for some time now of a Broadcast Bill that would define content. Recently, this aspect has been delinked from the Bill and a separate Content Code is under discussion. But little has been done about this. ‘‘Instead, the I&B ministry is seeking to play God and blank out this or that channel to show its muscle,’’ said the head of a TV channel who did not wish to be identified.

TV analyst Anil Wanvari, however, doesn’t feel so. He said, ‘‘I don’t believe the government is becoming a censor, just baring its teeth and making its position clear. By imposing a ban in lieu of the rules that were flouted in 2006, the government is telling the industry that it means business.’’

Currently, television content is governed by the Cable Act which uses terms to define content that can be open to interpretation, and hence, personal biases — like disallowing what ‘‘denigrades women’’, or what affects ‘‘public morality’’ or permitting only what is in ‘‘good taste and morality.’’

The Content Code is expected to spell out what is allowed and what is not much more clearly. This apart, the Code is expected to allow adult content during ‘‘watershed timing’’ which, going as per current discussions, could be between 11 pm and 4 am.

Media experts draw attention to the fact that the ‘offending’ programmes on AXN or FTV were at midnight and blocking them might be going against the spirit of what is viewed as the way forward in a modern society.

Coming to the FTV case, ministry officials said that the channel was sent a showcause notice over explicit content in August, 2006. FTV had responded in October, saying that a more subdued product was now available for India called FTV.com India.

FTV’s argument that it should not be penalised for cable operators illegally picking the international version was rejected by I&B ministry as it continued to receive complaints about ‘‘objectionable’’ content. The ministry claimed that it had received information that the ‘Midnight Hot’ programme was still being telecast.