Viewers force govt to do reality check

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has also banned Telegu SS Music channel for a period of seven days for allegedly showing nudity.

While “Bigg Boss” is being aired on “Colours,” “Rakhi ka Insaaf” is aired on “NDTV Imagine”. The shows cannot also be repeated at any other time slot or shown on news programmes, they said.

On “Bigg Boss”, the I&B directive said: “It has been brought to the notice of this Ministry that the content of the reality show ‘Big Boss Season-IV’ being aired on Colors TV channel offends against good taste and decency.

“It was also brought to the notice of the Ministry that the content of the show is objectionable and not suitable for children and unrestricted public exhibition. The participants are often shown quarrelling in the programme and using abusive language.” While on “Rakhi ka Insaaf” it said that the anchor/host of the programme uses vulgar and abusive language.

“Preview of the content telecast in this reality show has revealed that the anchor/host poses certain questions to the participants relating to their personal lives which are not found suitable for unrestricted public exhibition.

Intimate details

“It has also been noted that participants often reveal intimate details of their relationships, resulting in great embarrassment to the viewers watching the programme along with their families and also to the participants in the show,” the directive said.
I&B officials claimed this is the first time that the ministry has compulsorily changed time slots of popular TV shows.

The decisions were taken at an inter-ministerial meeting attended by additional secretaries from the Ministries of Home, Women and Child Development, External Affairs and Information and Broadcasting on Monday.

Two evicted

Meanwhile, shortly after being issued the notice, “Bigg Boss” evicted two participants, actors Dolly Bindra and Sameer Soni, for violent behaviour.

The two “inmates” were evicted after they got into a fist fight, breaking the show’s rules which prohibit physical violence, said sources in “Colors”.

The eviction comes the same day as “Bay Watch” bombshell Pamela Anderson entered the “Bigg Boss” house as a special guest. Asked for their reaction, a “Colors” spokesperson said: “We still haven’t received the order, so it is not possible for us to comment”.

“NDTV Imagine” CEO Sameer Nair said: “We are awaiting details on this. We have only just heard of this. Once we get more details, we will be in a position to comment.”