NEW DELHI India, which recently removed state shackles from satellite TV has now banned tobacco and liquor advertisements and restricted "adult shows" to clean up cable broadcasts, officials said Saturday.
A broadcasting ministry spokesman said the restrictions, introduced by India's Hindu nationalist government through an amendment in existing cable TV broadcasting laws, have been imposed with "immediate effect." A previous law that permitted broadcasts of "adult shows" between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. have also been scrapped, he said adding the amended code was more stringent on the issue.
"All programs will now have to be in conformity with the code prescribing norms of decency, morality and national security," the spokesman citing the amended law told AFP.
The government late Friday night also introduced measures to try and stamp out surrogate advertisements of items banned by the new cable TV law.
India's liquor and tobacco industry insist that less than one percent of their promotional funds are deployed in TV advertisements.
They also claim that such ads' are broadcast only at selected times to ensure adult viewership.
The new code also prohibits advertisements promoting synthetic baby food which results in the reduction of breast feeding, and bans programs or ads' which may "hurt religious sentiments," the minister said.