Channels... chalo, say sorry for airing ‘raunchy’ videos

So what if the gyrations of Deepal Shaw and Sanobar Kabir have been declared to be in bad taste — just apologise for three days and carry on. That’s the ‘punishment’ given out to music channels for showing ‘raunchy’ videos by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.   The Ministry issued a notice to music channels directing them to carry a ticker from June 16 to June 19 saying: “Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issues a warning to (the channel) for violating programming code. (The channel) assures to be more careful in future.”

According to the order, all music channels were to carry the ticker for airing music videos like ‘Chadti Jawaani’, Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar’, ‘Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar’ and ‘Meri Beri Ke Ber’. Interestingly, none of Rakhi Sawant’s videos are included in the ‘uncensored’ list handed out. But one musical channel said it would continue to air the videos, never mind the apology.

The other channels are upset with the notice and point out that that censoring music videos is not their job. Sources at ETC say that the censorship of music videos should be with the producers and not with the channel. However, the channel also claims that they “exercise self-censorship”. Most channels are demanding that such censorship rules should be applicable across the broadcasting industry and not just target music channels.

Official ‘offensive’ music video list

• ‘Bin Tere Sanam’ 
• ‘Chadti Jawaani’ 
• ‘Kabhi Aar Kabhi..’ 
• ‘Leke Pehla Pehla...’  
• Meri Beri Ke Ber’

nuzhat@dnaindia.net