Crackdown on TV vulgarity: Bigg Boss and Rakhi shows pushed to 11 p.m slot

Cracking down on vulgarity on prime-time television, the Union government on Wednesday, directed TV channels airing the shows Bigg Boss and Rakhi Ka Insaaf to shift their telecast to the time slot between 11pm and 5am, citing abusive" language, "objectionable" content, and divulging of "intimate" details on the shows.

The Information and Broadcasting ministry also banned the Telugu SS Music channel for a period of seven days for allegedly showing nudity.

Both Bigg Boss and Rakhi Ka Insaaf are not for unrestricted viewing and can be aired only in the scheduled time slot, the ministry told the channels in separate written orders, giving the shows a virtual Adults Only certificate. While Bigg Boss is being aired on Colors, Rakhi Ka Insaaf is aired on NDTV Imagine. The shows cannot also be repeated in any other time slot or shown on news programmes, the government order said.

On Bigg Boss, the directive issued to the channel said, "It has been brought to the notice of this ministry that the content of the reality show 'Bigg 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." Actor Salman Khan hosts Bigg Boss. In recent weeks the show had shocked viewersby massaging of men by girls, kissing and intimate bedroom scenes, couples under single blanket, foul-mouthed expletives etc.

While on Rakhi ka Insaaf, it said 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. "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. Rakhi’s abuse of a man calling him “impotent” allegedly resulted in his suicide, though denied by the channel.

I&B officials said this was the first time the ministry had compulsorily changed time slots of popular TV shows. But the move sparked a debate on media censoring and if government was the right authority to enforce such ban.

Excitement builds up for Pamela entry

Clad in a white sequined saree, Hollywood celebrity and former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson made her much-awaited entry into the house of Bigg Boss, TV reality show.

But Salman Khan, the host for the fourth edition of the show, is in for a disappointment since the 43-year-old sex siren says she is not aware of the Bollywood star. Pamela made her grand entry into the Bigg Boss 4 house at Lonavala, a hill station about 125 kms from Mumbai, last night. She is expected to spend three days as a guest on the show.

Bollywood stars are looking forward to watching Pamela on the Indian TV screen from tonight and guessing as to what will be her equation with other contestants on the show, who include WWE wrestler Khali, actors Sameer Soni, Dolly Bindra and Shweta Tiwari.

Pamela admitted she was clueless about the show's host Salman Khan as well as the other contestants. Salman will be meeting her for the first time on Friday, the day she leaves the 'Bigg Boss' house.

Anderson, who is reportedly being paid Rs2.5 crores for her three-day stay, said she is not an ardent fan of such programmes. "I am not a fan of reality shows. I love traditional shows like Baywatch," she said. "I am going unscripted on the show," she said, adding that she is ready to do all the house-hold chores. "I like doing household work. I do it at my place so I have no issues with it." She will be locked in the sprawling house under round-the-clock surveillance of multiple cameras for three days with nine other contestants. "I will miss my two kids when I will be locked in the house. I can't stay without them," she added.

During her brief stay, Pamela will demonstrate ways of purifying water to her co-contestants. An active spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Pamela has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to stop usage of leather products.

- Asian Tribune -