The UPA government, bless its fascist little heart, is planning to introduce legislation to set up a content regulator for television. The Hindustan Times report I’ve linked to mentions, among other things:
- that Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, the I&B minister said that it was the uniform view of viewers that there was a need for content regulation and comprehensive legislation. Which viewers? How many of them? Have they asked the man?
- that the government wants a clampdown on sensationalization of news, especially crime news. So I guess the next time there’s a riot in Gujarat, or anywhere else for that matter, the government can stop NDTV from broadcasting images as they’re too sensational. Public awareness? What public awareness?
- Ooh, and here’s the good stuff: channels can be temporarily suspended for a short term if they default the code (which code? It doesn’t say). After Fernandesgate, all the government could do was drag Tehelka’s promoters to court. With this new and improved legislation, you can shut down that pesky news channel straight away. Why waste time at the courts?
Enjoy your TV news while you can.
Even I am of the view that content regulation is required. But the direction needed is a little different. They should:
1. Shut down all the shitty soap operas and ban ekta kapoor
2. Remove shitty programmes on news channels (there was one called ‘sansani’ on star news that i found to be intolerable)
3. Issue warning to all news channels who are not prioritizing the news content (eg. focus on colour of shorts salman khan was wearing in jail rather than on the meerut fire)
Reminds one of V for Vendetta? It’s time for someone to get himself a Guy Fawkes mask.
[…] So now the government has decided to go ahead and censor TV directly, without even bothering with a regulator. […]
definately there should b a censorship which should keep a check on ekta kapoor especially!!!!!!!!!!!!
we watch tv fr entertainment n not for brain torture or punishment……..