Big brother’s watching over television channels like never before.

 Sample this: The information and broadcasting ministry’s notices to channels for airing contents that violated the government’s code has risen to 65 since March 2005 from only three in 2005.

The ministry had issued 23 notices or bans last year and 39 warnings in 2006. Most of these channels were asked to carry a ‘roll of warning’ for airing programmes or advertisements for violating the code.

However, some channels also had to face a temporary ban like AXN for airing a programme called World’s Sexiest Advertisements and FTV for Mid Night Hot. Janmat also faced a ban for showing a sting operation on a teacher Uma Khurana.

The government’s list of “objectionable” programmes included song remixes, adult films, programmes on private activities of MLAs and MPs, telecast of self-immolation by Gopalkrishna Kashyap, programmes promoting superstition, an episode of the teleserial Kyonki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and news channels that showed wrong maps of India in their bulletins.

Many prominent FMCG companies were asked to apologise through a scroll on the TV screen for ‘objectionable’ advertisements promoting products ranging from fairness creams, innerwear and liquor brands to contraceptives. Some channels were also issued notices for telecasting political ads.

Source : Dna