Prasar Bharati, parent of Indian Doordarshan and All India Radio, has unveiled the new advertising and programming code for the two pubcasters with the content norms borrowing a little from the do’s and don’ts listed in the Cable TV Networks Regulation Act.

The programme code of Prasar Bharati envisages “broad guidelines for the production of programmes and content in the complex, dynamic and evolving media”, the pubcaster said in a notification last week. Ditto for the advertising code too.

However, both the programming and advertising codes for DD and digital platforms operated by DD come into effect immediately, while a final decision on AIR’s compliance would be taken after consulting the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).

Well, while programmes that cannot be aired on DD or AIR, include content that offends good taste or decency or is defamatory in nature or is critical of friendly countries or “attack(s)” any particular religions or community or encourage or incites violence or “promotes anti-national attitude”.

Apart from such guidelines, programmes that would not be encouraged on DD and AIR that denigrate women through “depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman, her form or body or any part thereof in such a way as to have the effect of being indecent, or derogatory to women, or is likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals”.

Violence against children, women and senior citizens, including physical and emotional maltreatment without concern for their health and safety, privacy and dignity, is also a no-go area. Ditto for “ecological spoliation” or content that has been produced by “causing cruelty to animals and destruction of the environment” or shows that encourage superstition and dogmas or “hinder development of scientific temper and spirit of inquiry”.

Advertising Code Details: The code of Prasar Bharati is basic guidelines to regulate advertised product, services and content in the “best interest of the consumer and applies to advertisers and advertising agencies”.

Advertising carried in the AlR, DD and digital services of Prasar Bharati, according to the pubcaster, shall be so designed as to conform to the laws of the country and should not offend morality, decency and religious susceptibilities of the people. Some of the red zones where ads would not be allowed are the following:

(i)           derides any race, caste, colour, creed and nationality

(ii)         is against any provision of the Constitution of lndia

(iii)       ends to incite people to crime, cause disorder or violence, or breach of law

(iv)       glorifies violence or obscenity in any way

(v)         presents criminality as desirable

(vi)       exploits the national emblem, or any part of the Constitution or a national leader or a State dignitary

(vii)     in its depiction of women violates the constitutional guarantees to all citizens.

(viii)   promotes directly or indirectly production, sale or consumption of-

(ix)       cigarettes, tobacco products, wine, alcohol, liquor or other intoxicants.

“Women must not be portrayed in a manner that emphasizes passive, submissive qualities and encourages them to play a subordinate, secondary role in the family and society. The AlR, DD and Digital services of Prasar Bharati shall ensure that the portrayal of the female form, in the programmes carried, is tasteful and aesthetic, and is within the well- established norms of good taste and decency,” the ad code says.

No advertisement, which violates the code for self-regulation in advertising as adopted by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), shall be carried in the AlR, DD and digital Services of Prasar Bharati.

All advertisements should be clearly distinguishable from the programme and should not in any manner interfere with the programme like using the lower part of screen to carry captions, static or moving, alongside the programme.

Interestingly, Prasar Bharati’s ad code gives importance to limiting commercial time per hour and clearly states no programme shall “carry advertisements exceeding 12 minutes per hour”, which may include up to 10 minutes per hour of commercial advertisements and up to two minutes per hour of a channel’s self-promotion of programmes.