NEW DELHI: The Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) has taken strong exception to double-meaning dialogues used in ?comedy shows? telecast on various general entertainment channels (GEC).

In a statement, BCCC Chairman Justice A P Shah expressed concern over this trend. The dialogues in comedy shows often border on crass, abusive, vulgar and double-meaning language with sexual overtones in the name of humour.

The BCCC feels that at times such comedy shows cross the threshold of ?generally accepted standards? in terms of language and reflect the improper attitude of participants.

 
While stressing it has no intention of curtailing artistic freedom, BCCC advised all member channels of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) to exercise discretion to make television viewing more pleasurable and not let such ?comedy shows? become platforms for making lewd remarks.

The BCCC feels these ?comedy shows? should be appropriately scheduled to have the minimal impact on diverse Indian viewers. Sometimes, the content of the so-called jokes is demeaning and smutty.

The BCCC also advised IBF member channels to use friendly banters without being derisive to any community, religion and individual.

Justice Shah said "Comedy is an intrinsic part of our life and it is only natural that TV channels produce and telecast programmes that are humorous and light-hearted. The BCCC, however, feels that the line that divides healthy comedy from vulgarity, obscenity and double-meaning language must be strictly adhered to."

"This is necessary to ensure that the social message sent across through various comedy shows to millions of viewers does not overstep this all-important threshold. We are confident that the channels which telecast comedy shows will keep this in mind," he said.

This is the seventh general advisory issued by BCCC to GECs.

The earlier advisories issues earlier were on: ?Sexualisation of Children? in TV Shows (24 Dec 2012); Health & Safety of Children Participating in TV Shows (24 Dec 2012); Depiction of Animals/Wildlife in TV Programmes (19 July 2012); Telecast of Award Functions (19 July 2012); Participation of Children in TV Reality Shows (19 July 2012); and Portrayal of Women in TV Programmes (24 Jan 2012).

NEW DELHI: The Broadcast Contents Complaints Council (BCCC) today advises all member channels of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) to refrain from featuring children below the age of 12 years in any situation that has sexual or adult overtones.

The advisory is bound to also affect serials and reality shows on television, since the BCCC says "children should not be made to dance to songs that have covert sexual overtones. They should not be allowed to imitate adult gestures with a sexual or vulgar content. And they should not be placed in situations where they wear makeup and costumes in an effort to imitate adult performers and then enact scenes, songs or dance moves with an adult content or a sexual subtext."

It said it had received many complaints about the sexualisation of children on talent and other shows on general entertainment channels. "The Council has watched some of these programmes and shares the concerns of those who have complained."

BCCC said the Advisory applied to all such situations and the BCCC did not consider it a mitigating circumstance if the channel had secured the permission of parents. "Our concern is with protecting children and in ensuring that Indian television portrays them in a manner that is devoid of sexual or vulgar overtones."

In a separate advisory, BCCC said member channels should refrain from placing children below the age of 16 years in situations that may endanger their health, safety and morale.

The content of any production and/or reality show that may cause anxiety/distress/ mental trauma to the participating children must be avoided. "The content of all shows should be sensitively handled, and the way children are projected should not harm or pose any risk to their safety and well-being, or cause any kind of health hazard."

Emphasis should be placed on the ?best interest of the child?.

The child must be consulted and heard at all times throughout by all concerned. "The participation of any child in any show, which may interfere with his/her ?right to education? in terms of effective school participation, should be avoided."

The Advisory should be read in conjunction with the Guidelines of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on ?Participation of Children in TV and Reality Shows?, BCCC said.

Justifying the advisories, BCCC Chairperson Justice (Retd.) A P Shah said: ?Children command a crucial position both as viewers and participants of television programmes. The BCCC firmly believes that their interest cannot be compromised under any circumstance. This is also the letter and the spirit of various laws and enactments relating to our children."

?The BCCC is confident that both the Advisories issued today ? ?Sexualisation of Children in TV Shows? and ?Health & Safety of Children in TV Shows? ? will be strictly followed by the various TV channels during the production and telecast of their programmes. Our intention is to make television viewing a pleasurable experience for all, particularly children.?

NEW DELHI: The Broadcast Content Complaints Council, a self-regulatory body of non-news television channels, has advised TV channels to air after 11 pm award shows which have any adult content in them including vulgar dialogues, double-entendres and smutty puns from the anchors.

After its meeting, the BCCC headed by Justice A P Shah in its advisory noted that "sometimes, the content of the so-called jokes is demeaning to women and other communities."

It noted that it had received several complaints relating to the telecast of film award functions and shows.

It said: ?It is not the BCCC?s intention to censor these shows, which are, after all, live events. But we believe that if the content is to include adult humour, then the telecast of these shows should only begin after 11 pm. Nor should any repeats be broadcast before 11 pm.

The BCCC noted that in many cases, the shows were not telecast live but aired at a later date. It, therefore, wondered why the channels were not able to remove inappropriate content from telecast during prime time.

The BCCC advised all channels to exercise discretion while telecasting award functions, to guard against the inclusion of adult content during prime time and to refrain from airing any content that is demeaning to women and other communities.

NEW DELHI: The Broadcast Content Complaints Council, a self-regulatory body of non-news television channels, has advised TV channels to strictly adhere to and comply with the guidelines to ?Regulate child participation in TV serials, reality shows and advertisements 2010-2011? issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

In its 15th meeting on 13 July, the BCCC headed by Justice A P Shah had held wide-ranging discussions on the issue of participation of children in television reality shows and similar programmes.

In its guidelines in October-November last year, NCPCR had among other things said reality shows on television featuring children should not be competition based and no child should be exposed to ridicule, insult or discouragement, harsh comments or any behaviour that could affect his/her emotional health.

In the case of TV shows with abuse, violence, death etc. as the subject matter, where a child can come under stress or there are child actors, producers should ensure that a child psychologist/counselor should be available on call.

In extensive guidelines to regulate child participation in TV serials, reality shows and advertisements issued by the NCPCR and sent to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, it has been stated that no child should be cast in a role or situation that is inappropriate to the child or that may distress him/her or put him/her in embarrassing situations. Consideration has to be given to the child?s age, maturity, emotional or psychological development and sensitivity.

The guidelines say no child should be shown to be imbibing alcohol, smoking or any other substance use or shown to be indulging in any sort of antisocial activity and delinquent behaviour. No child should be engaged in any situation involving nudity (either of the child or another person). No child should be put in distressing situations to obtain a more realistic depiction of an emotional reaction. In programmes based on victims of child abuse, the content should be sensitively handled and the way children are projected should not harm or risk their welfare.

The NCPCR which functions under the Women and Child Development ministry says no child should be made to perform or enact scenes or mouth dialogues that are inappropriate for his/her age or those that may cause him/her distress.

The Child Welfare Committee may monitor production conditions; programme content and other such provisions recommended by NCPCR and keep the Women and Child Development Ministry as well as the Information and Broadcasting Ministry informed on issues related to violation.

Participation of children in scenes depicting violence whether verbal or physical should be avoided.

NEW DELHI: The Broadcast Content Complaints Council has advised member television channels of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) to exercise due care while framing plotlines that "focus excessively on mistreatment of women".

An advisory issued by BCCC chairman Justice A P Shah says: "Often such mistreatment is portrayed in terms of assault, abuse and commodification of women. Sometimes such portrayals are sought to be justified on the grounds that the serials actually take a stand against the mistreatment of women even though the scenes are shot in a manner designed to appeal to salacious instincts and to demean women".

The BCCC has no desire to needlessly curtail artistic freedom or to deny that women face injustice in our society. Nevertheless, the Council is concerned that such portrayals reinforce negative stereotypes and is worried about the graphic portrayal of the assaults and abuse shown on TV.

Shah adds: "If violence against women is to be portrayed, then it should be suggested rather than graphically depicted. Channels should think carefully before telecasting shows in which women are portrayed as commodities, subjected to excessive violence and abused on screen."

The BCCC asked for "sensitivity and restraint" and expressed the hope that members will take care to use the power and reach of television for constructive rather than salacious purposes.

NEW DELHI: The Indian government will be punitive on those television channels who tend to flirt with the content norms.

The licence of TV channels who violate the Programme and Advertisement Code on five occasions or more will not be renewed. The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the stricter norms that included the net worth criteria for media companies.

According to the Programme and Advertising Code, programming should not be obscene, vulgar or denigrating to women and children, offensive to a particular community, against national interest or against friendly relations with countries.

The government gives permission to channels to operate in the country for a period of ten years, after which it is renewed.

The decision of the government not to renew licences of television channels found guilty of having violated the Programme and Advertisement Code five or more times came in for severe criticism from several television bodies.

The new guidelines say the period of permission/registration for uplinking/downlinking of channels will be uniform at 10 years, but subject to the condition of violation of five or more times.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has also made various amendments in the existing policy to reflect the fast evolving electronic media landscape in the country.

The Broadcast Editors‘ Association (BEA), the apex body of editors of television news channels, strongly criticized the new decision of the government.

BEA President Shazi Zaman and General Secretary N K Singh said in a statement that governments had no role in issues pertaining to content in all democratic nations. The Indian Constitution clearly restricts the government from assuming any such role, the BEA said.

With new norms, government is trying to control an otherwise independent electronic media by sending a subtle message that their permission to uplink can be withdrawn should they not ?behave‘.

"Can content be left to the wisdom of the bureaucrats in a democracy," the BEA asked.

The net result of the new norms would be that an officer of the Government can question an individual channel on content for four times on one pretext or the other, and finally, threaten that channel of non-renewal, should it not fall in line.

The BEA said this move is an attempt to undermine the landmark steps that electronic media has taken towards self-regulation.

The BEA demands that proposed norms be immediately withdrawn otherwise media will be forced to take up this issue on other forums.

Reacting to this stipulation, Indian Broadcasting Foundation Director (Finance) Naresh Chahal said that the directive about violations of the Programme Code did not hold ground when the government has itself recognised the regulatory body of the News Broadcasters Association and the IBF‘s Broadcast Content Complaints Council.
 
Chahal told indiantelevision.com that the BCCC was hearing complaints not only from the general public but also from the government, and was meeting every fortnight for this purpose. The step to deny renewal of licences to channels who had violated five or more times did not therefore hold any meaning since the regulatory bodies would take action against them.

Furthermore, Justice A P Shah who heads BCCC had earlier told indiantelevision.com that he had the powers to recommend cancellation of licence of an offending channel if it continued to violate the Content Code.