| NEW
DELHI: The government has banned, with immediate effect, the telecast of Sony
Entertainment's action chanel AXN for two months for showing "obscene programmes".
The information and broadcasting
ministry today issued directions for blocking signals of the channel into India
up to 15 March.
Sources told Indiantelevision.com
that the ministry had taken objection to the channel repeatedly telecasting such
programmes such as World's Sexiest Commercials that "are against good
taste or decency and are likely to adversely affect public morality".
The government has been issuing warnings from time to time to various channels
to desist from telecasting "obscene programmes" and software not suitable
for women and children. The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act
1995 clearly stipulates that the government has the right to block or take action
against channels which violate the broadcasting and advertising codes of the country. Multi-system
operators (MSOs) like Hathway Cable & Datacom have blacked out AXN. Incablenet
is in the process of switching off the channel, a senior executive in the company
said. | 
