(a) whether the Government is aware that the TV telecast of obscene advertisements and horror serials is taking place despite stringent regulations being in place to check it;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has identified such advertisements displaying obscene content; and
(d) if so, the corrective measures taken/being taken by the Government to check such advertisements?
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE; MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) to (d): The Programme and Advertising Codes as prescribed in the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the Rules framed thereunder inter alia states that
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(i) no advertisement shall be permitted which tends to incite people to crime, cause disorder or violence or breach of law or glorifies violence or obscenity in any way; and (ii) no programme shall be carried in the cable service which encourages superstition or blind belief.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), set-up by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, looks into complaints regarding violation of Programme and Advertising Codes and recommends action against the TV Channels. Appropriate action is taken against TV channels in case violation of the aforesaid Programme & Advertising Codes, including obscene content, is established. Action against TV channels may extend from issue of warnings or advisories to comply with the Programme/Advertising Codes or directing channels to run apology scrolls on their channels and can extend up to taking the channels off air temporarily for varying period depending on the gravity of the violation.
States have set-up District level and State level Monitoring Committees to monitor content telecast on cable TV channels.
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