Govt bans uncensored films, music videos through cable TV

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) In a major decision to check obscenity and violence on TV, the Government today banned telecast of uncensored films, songs, film trailer, music video or album, including foreign productions, through cable service.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting this evening issued a notification that these productions shall not be carried through cable service unless they have been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as suitable for universal viewing.

''No film or film song or film promo or film trailer or music video or music albums or their promos, whether produced in India or abroad, shall be carried through cable service unless it has been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as suitable for unrestricted public exhibition in India,'' the notification said.

The step has been necessitated on the ground of a growing demand from the public to regulate airing of programmes containing obscenity, violence and cruelty, through cable TV network, the Ministry said.

It pointed out the Bombay High Court had also passed a judgement in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) matter directing the cable operators not to carry any programme, which was unsuitable for unrestricted public exhibition.

Another Rule has been amended to provide that no advertisement, which violates the code for self-regulation in advertising, as adopted by the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI), Mumbai, for public exhibition in India, from time to time, shall be carried in the cable service.

The new proviso have been inserted as an amendment to the Cable Television (Network) Rules 1994.

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