The Hindu Business Line : Smoking off films, TV from Oct 2

THE Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has finally conceded to the Health Ministry's diktat on stubbing smoking scenes in cinema and television serials.

From October 2, all new movies and television shows would be banned from showing smoking scenes. This was decided after a one-and-a-half-hour-long meeting between the I&B Minister, Mr Jaipal Reddy, and the Health Minister, Dr A. Ramadoss.

Speaking to newspersons, Mr Reddy said, "While there will be a ban on showing such scenes in new films exceptions could be made when it comes to portraying historical personalities, periods or for social messaging. Period films showing the lifestyle of nawabs using the hookah or historical personalities such as Winston Churchill with his cigar would be exempted."

For old films, theatre owners would have to show slides carrying warning messages, as it is not feasible for running scrolling messages on old celluloid films.

Television serials, too, would be subjected to the ban and channels showing old serials with smoking scenes would be required to carry a scroll. "The responsibility would be on the broadcaster," he added.

However, the I&B Ministry has said that it would be technically difficult to mask or crop brand names or logos of tobacco products in live events. "But in the case of deferred or delayed telecast, the broadcaster would be required to warn the people through scrolls," Mr Reddy said.

The two Ministries have also reached an understanding on the need to discourage brand extensions of tobacco products. But genuine extensions that generate large revenues would be exempted. An inter-ministerial committee would give a clearance for advertising such products on a case-by-case basis.

The I&B Ministry would now have to make suitable modifications in the rules under the Cinematograph Act and Cable Television Networks Act.

Dr Ramadoss, while expressing satisfaction over today's agreement, said that there were no major differences between the two Ministries.

He said that the problems felt by the I&B Ministry have been sorted out. He had announced the ban on smoking scenes last month.

But the crucial issue of implementation of the ban remains. While the State governments would have to ensure that theatres follow the norms, the Government will have to put in place the policy soon to ensure that channels beaming into India from abroad also adhere to this decision.

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