SHRC bans reality shows on television

Special Correspondent

‘No more obscene dances by girls and women will be allowed'

HYDERABAD: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has banned reality shows featuring dances and gestures bordering on obscenity by girl children and even women on TV channels.

In an order on Saturday, SHRC Chairman B. Subhashan Reddy has asked City Police Commissioner of Hyderabad to prohibit transmission of reality show by one Telugu channel and also similar shows by any other channel. The Commissioner who is the authorised officer to see proper implementation of Cable Network Act of 1995 was asked to invoke provisions of Indecent Presentation of Women Act wherever violations of the order came to notice. The order would also apply to advertisements like the one that depicted a vulgar scene during the Indian Premier League matches on TV, Justice Reddy told The Hindu.

The reality shows had triggered a controversy recently with some parents complaining to the SHRC that they had a bad effect on young minds. Children started imitating the scenes, it was averred. On the other hand, parents of participating children informed SHRC that the shows promoted talent and helped build career.

After thoroughly studying both points of view and examining whether SHRC had jurisdiction on the issue, the commission came to the conclusion that engaging children for the shows amounted to human rights violation. The shows were not a creative and cultural activity, Justice Reddy said. He observed that the shows would not promote talent because personality development, including mental growth, was restricted in human beings up to the age of eighteen.

Open hearing

Justice Reddy asked the Commissioner to file compliance report of the order on Monday and directed representatives of all TV channels and print media to appear in an open hearing to frame guidelines on transmission of programmes on July 3.

Source: www.thehindu.com