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The federal government of India was still awaiting response from
most state governments on setting up of state level implementation
committees for CAS.
While the state governments of the four metros had been requested
by the Centre to ensure fullest cooperation for smooth CAS implementation,
only the West Bengal government had recently constituted a state
level committee.
This was stated in the Lok Sabha (Lower House) in a written reply
by information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
On whether there were possibilities of CAS being rolled out in
some cities, the minister said as per the Cable TV (Networks) Regulation
Act, 1995 the centre may make it obligatory for every cable operator
to transmit or retransmit programmes of any channel through an addressable
system from the date specified in the notification and from different
dates as may be specified for different states, cities and towns.
Prasad also stated that the matter of regulating advertisement
on pay channels was under "consideration". He was, however,
quick to add that the matter did not fall within the purview of
the CATV Act.
On the programming front and the rules and regulations, the I&B
minister said that notices had been sent to several channels to
take off serials and programmes on the grounds that they did not
conform to the programming code.
The programmes/serials which were asked to be taken off air or
the channels that were asked not to air a particular episode include
Temptation Island (a reality show on Star World) and serials
Kavita, Kyunki Saas… and Ram Khilawan CM. Some horror
serials like Sssshh Koi Hai were asked to telecast after
10 pm, the minister said.
The decisions, Prasad said, had been taken after an inter-ministerial
committee made certain recommendations.
An advisory was also sent to the Indian Broadcasting Foundation
to direct its member channels to strictly adhere to the provisions
of the programming code. "This is a continuous process. No
repetitions of violations have been reported," the minister
stated.
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