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I
nformation
and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is by nature a democrat
and a liberal. But he feels that TV channels have disappointed him
in terms of the content shown on television lately.
 Voicing
his views on censorship on television, Prasad says, "I would
not like to thrust down things like censorship. I believe more in
self-regulation. But the TV channels have disappointed me by and
large."
He
further adds, "Because I am a liberal I would not go in for
banning of TV channels like FTV or even Trendz, which I am told
have some explicit visuals. I expect broadcasters to respect the
sensibilities of the Indian viewing public and adhere to the programming
code."
Prasad
however feels that the way things are going, "the government
would have to be stricter and see that the implementation of censorship
rules is done in a stringent fashion."
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Surrogate
liquor ad
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Prasad
further opines that it is not just programmes that are offensive.
"There are objectionable ads too. Even when a panel monitoring
such ads (including those of surrogate liquor ads) gives notice
to a channel and the company concerned, generally it has been seen
that such ads just hop over to another channel. Should the government
be blamed if strict action is taken in such cases?" he quips.
Keeping
in mind the half clad women and suggestive lyrics in remix music
videos that are increasingly doing the rounds on the idiot box lately,
Prasad says, "The need for a regulatory body for the broadcasting
sector is becoming increasingly necessary and the government is
working on a proposal. It's only that I don't want to hurry through
such issues."
Also read:
"Once
you start censoring, there is no end to it" - Shailaja Bajpai
"Censorship
in India is an eyewash" - Vinta Nanda
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