NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Although Colors has assured the self-regulatory industry body Broadcasting Contents Complaints Council (BCCC) that the contract of Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone will be terminated if she does not stop promotion of the channel or Bigg Boss 5 on her website, the matter is far from over.

A BCCC source told indiantelevision.com that the reply of the channel would be placed before the chairperson of BCCC, Justice KL Shah, and other members to take a final view. The source did admit, however, that there was no vulgarity in the daily reality show which is to be wind up in about two weeks.

Earlier, a Colors spokesperson clarified the position following the self-regulatory body asking the channel to take Leone out of the series, which she had entered on 21 November.

The channel said that Sunny Leone had been asked in the past to not use Colors or Bigg Boss Season 5 in any form.And now we have decided to write letter to her informing that in case reference to Bigg Boss Season 5 are not removed from her website, we shall immediately terminate her contract and evict her from Bigg Boss House," it said.

The spokesperson said the channel had clarified its position to the BCCC, which "agreed with our position that content on the show is in compliance with self-regulatory guidelines."

"BCCC also appreciated that there is no evidence to suggest that there is any link between Colors and cross promotion of Bigg Boss Season 5 on Sunny Leone?s sites," Colors said.

However, the spokesperson added that "BCCC requested us to use our commercial endeavours to persuade Sunny Leone to not use Bigg Boss Season 5 or Colors on her websites, and we assured BCCC of our efforts on the same".

The BCCC set up by the Indian Broadcasters Foundation (IBF) had reacted after considering 19 complaints, asking Colors TV to stop by December 26 all cross promotion of Leone?s pornographic sites and videos - something she is reported to have done since she appeared on the show.

hile anyone was free to appear on any show, the regulator said no one could promote their business through it, particularly when it is illegal under Indian law.

National Commission for Minorities Chairman Wajahat Habibullah who represented the body on the BCCC said, "We all agreed that Sunny Leone has been using Bigg Boss on Colors to promote pornography which is classified as criminal activity in India. Therefore, she can not be allowed to use our television to promote her business. Colors has agreed to comply and report back on steps taken."

The petition on which the Council gave its ruling detailed how Leone?s adult website stated that she is on Bigg Boss and lures people to "see why the world is obsessed with her?"

Leone?s pornographic product is linked to twitter where an entire team of dummy tweeters (on her behalf) create consistent engagement and product sales of her videos even while she is on Bigg Boss. She authors a daily blog where video postings, procured from Bigg Boss 5 producers are being openly cross promoted. She has posted on her Twitter ID - which has 86,000 followers - that mobile applications of her hard porn products are available via email and has given an address.

MUMBAI: Colors, the Hindi general entertainment channel from the Viacom18 stable, has got the telecast rights of Screen Awards.

The 18th Edition of the Screen Awards, a property of The Express Group, will be aired on Colors in January 2012. One of the highest rated awards property, Screen Awards has been associated with Star Plus for the past 11 years.

Initiated in the year 1994, the Screen Awards were instilled to recognise upcoming talent and professional excellence in Indian Cinema.

Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, "The Screen Awards is one of the most popular and recognized award functions in the Indian film industry?s calendar and we are extremely proud to be associated with it."

The Screen Awards celebrate achievement and excellence in over 30 categories that cover the entire sweep of film-making in Hindi and Marathi.

"The Screen awards set the bar for excellence in Indian cinema because it embodies the fundamental principles of the Express Group: credibility and independence," said The Express Group Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta. "Cinema is bristling with talent; these awards applaud and celebrate this creative upsurge."

The awards follow a two-step screening process that includes a Screen Selection Academy. Its members send their recommendations to a select Screen Jury which is not bound by these.

Previous jury chairpersons include Ramesh Sippy, Amol Palekar, Jeetendra, Asha Parekh, Shatrughan Sinha, Waheeda Rehman among others.

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has sold the format for its magazine talk show, ?The Dr. Oz Show? to Colors.

This marks the first time a US talk show format will be produced in India and the first formatted medical show to air in the region. Details of the Indian broadcast are yet to be announced.

Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, "Acquiring the format for ?The Dr. Oz Show? is our attempt to bring to the Indian audiences a successful and useful show that creates awareness on health and wellness - something that has not been on air in India. The show will be called "All Is Well" and will connect with our audiences by showcasing the physical and emotional impact of illnesses on not only their own lives but also the lives of their family and friends."

Apart from Colors for the Indian market, SPT has also sold the rights of the show to TV Romania (TVR) for the Romanian market.

With the development, the show format reaches 10 territories around the world. Other territories to develop a series based on the talk show format include Brazil (TV Record), Colombia (RCN), Chile (Mega TV), China (Zhejiang TV), Russia (Rossiya), Armenia (Shant TV), France (TF1) and the Middle East (MBC1). Meanwhile, the print version of The Dr. Oz Show can be seen across five continents and has been sold in 112 countries.

In Romania, TV Romania (TVR) has ordered 100 episodes of the show, marking the first time the format will be produced in the territory. The announcement was made by SPT president, international distribution Keith Le Goy.

In Romania, the local version of ?The Dr. Oz Show? will begin airing next year.

?The Dr. Oz Show? is a magazine talk show full of audience participation and viewer interaction, with its highly qualified medical host and team of specialist advisers serving up daily plans and challenges for ordinary people.

NEW DELHI: The Indian Artistes and Actors Forum (IAAF) today objected to the introduction of porn star Sunny Leone in the popular television reality show ?Bigg Boss 5? on Colors.

In a complaint to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the IAAF said Minister Ambika Soni should taken stringent action against the channel for indirectly encouraging and promoting pornography in India.

IAAF Spokesperson Flynn Remedios said, "Sunny Leone has proclaimed on her website ?as seen on Bigg Boss 5?, but the website is nothing but a hard core porn site and there is no mechanism to stop minors from accessing the website. We have e-mailed the complaint to the minister as well as sent the same by registered post to her office."

The complaint said: "We are an informal body of actors and artistes (including singers, musicians, etc) all connected with the Film and Television industry. We would like to place on record through this correspondence our official complaint regarding the indirect promotion of adult content and pornography by TV Channel Colors via the introduction of adult porn star Sunny Leone in their popular TV Reality Show Bigg Boss Season 5."

"Several newspapers have reported on this trend and phenomenon and our own research has found out that thousands of youth including minors who were earlier not aware of Sunny Leone?s status or profession have been specifically searching for her photographs, biodata, etc on the internet and are exposed to hard core pornographic content including photographs and videos on the internet, the moment they type out her name on any search engine like Google.

"This is only because she is seen on the show Bigg Boss 5 and viewers would like to know more about her. Even her website which proclaims Sunny Leone "as seen on Bigg Boss 5" is a hard-core porn website offering pornographic content to users. Though it has an option asking viewer to exit if they are below 18, there is no mechanism to ensure that viewers below 18 do not view the pornographic content on sunnyleone dot com."

In its letter, the IAFF said: "It is our contention that TV channel Colors was aware of this possibility and knowingly chose to introduce an adult porn star into a TV programme which is watched by people of all age groups. By introducing Sunny Leone in their TV programme, TV Channel Colors is indirectly promoting a pornographic website www.sunnyleone dot com and is in blatant violation of Indian Television laws.

"We request you to take immediate and stringent action for this violation of the Broadcast code and ensure that other TV channels in future do not introduce porn actors in family shows."