Showcause notices to 31 channels for surrogate ads

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) Taking note of the electronic media using surrogate ads to shore their revenues, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has issued showcause notices to 31 satellite TV channels for telecasting surrogate advertisements on 13 categories of liquor and tobacco products in violation of the Advertising Code.

The Code prescribed under Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and rules framed thereunder says, ''No advertisement shall be permitted which promotes directly or indirectly production, sale or consumption of cigarette, tobacco production, wine, alcohol, liquor or other intoxicant''.

The Ministry has also issued a warning to seven music TV channels -- ETC, Channel V, B4U Music, Balle Balle Music, MTV Music, iTV Music and MH1 -- for telecasting objectionable remix Hindi film songs in violation of programme code prescribed under the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

The Ministry has directed these music TV channels not to telecast these songs henceforth and to run a scroll on their TV channels round the clock for a period of 3 days that they have violated Programme Code and they will be more careful in future.

UNI SKS RL KN1944