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I
think
the very concept of censorship on television is a contradiction
in itself.
 One
must understand that where there is a remote in the hands of the
viewer, there is a choice to be made. The censor is the person holding
the remote and who decides whether he/she or even his or her family
should see a programme or not. The market that backs or sponsors
programmes - soaps, music videos or movies and which targets its
viewers with a particular kind of programming is also the censor.
Demand
creates supply on television, not vice versa. Television is not
a medium which can afford huge risks. Therefore, investment is calculated.
The
number of channels in India determine the diverse viewership patterns
we have and then they are coincided with the existing market shares.
Someone is willing to pay for a programme only if someone is willing
to see it. Therefore, the current nature of soaps, movies and music
videos that are being shown on television is only because there
is a huge demand for such. And above all, one must understand that
the people making programmes are also emerging out of various segments
of society which in turn comprise viewership.
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Surrogate
advertising
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Censorship
in India, according to me is an eyewash. It is a method of a system
to prove to its people that it has an eye on what’s going on.
Nothing other than that! Else, why would a system ban advertising
of tobacco or alcohol on television and not ban it from being manufactured
or sold in the market? Why would a system shut its eye to surrogate
advertising of the much banned products through other media like
events, sports etc?
Expression
can never be controlled. It cannot be limited within parameters.
It will find some outlet or the other. Expression banned is expression
unleashed. People find loopholes in law, seek outlets or else go
about their business illegally and the very system perpetrating
warped values and morality is left with no alternative but to turn
a blind eye to it.
It’s
high time we realise that the more we try to cloak the definition
of morality, the more naked it gets.
The
need now is to redefine morality as the masses see it or else everyone
will do as they please and the failing system and its laws will
become completely redundant. Technology is growing too fast for
the system to catch up with it and if reality is not confronted
very soon, the system which has lost its hold on censorship to people
in the form of a remote control will soon be stared in the face
by children from small towns and villages who will capture the real
on their personal cameras and broadcast on local channels completely
in control of neighborhoods.
The
champions of good values must act. They must realise that morality
stands for good performance at work and disciplined human behaviour.
Not about what people wear, eat, and drink or what they don’t
wear, don’t eat and don’t drink. And above all not what
caste, creed or religion they belong to.
Therefore,
everything is permissible in television which has a viewership,
in effect finds subscription/sponsorship. Censorship cannot become
the carpet that an attitude of one segment of society against the
demand of another can be swept beneath.
Guidelines
cannot be the same for each and every channel. Therefore a system
has to be put in place whereby viewership segments are segregated,
masses are sensitised to what children can see and cannot see and
broadcasters disciplined about the timings of adult programmes.
Mr
Kher’s appointment as the censor board chief is welcome. He
is a mature person who has spent a substantial part of his career
participating in the creation of software for television and films.
If he says that it is embarrassing to watch a recent music video
on television with family members and that it has adverse effects
on children, he is right. I am sure that he does not in effect intend
to ban such music videos. I am convinced his solution to the problem
will be to ensure that systems are put in place whereby all viewership
segments are satisfied and broadcasters are alerted to plan their
programming sensibly.
(The
views expressed here are those of the author and indiantelevision.com
need not necessarily subscribe to the same).
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