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TV channel content

This refers to ‘“I&B Min urges TV channels to shun ‘distasteful’ images” (January 10). In their bid to increase their viewership and TRPs, private TV channels, both news and entertainment, have been highly indiscreet in airing content that could potentially alter or damage the psyche of the viewers, especially children. Earlier, gory scenes of accidents used to be blurred/masked. But in the current age of “breaking news”, everything is being directly telecast, throwing caution to the winds, with the sole aim of scoring over the rival channels. This disease of showing objectionable images/content is not confined to news channels only. Even TV serials are full of double entendres, negativity, violence, and what not. The news and entertainment channels need to show some social responsibility and exercise due caution and restraint while telecasting news or serials and avoid any images/content that could have a deleterious effect on the normal social behaviour of people.

Kosaraju Chandramouli

Hyderabad

The right move

In the bid to garner TRPs, television channels often go overboard by presenting news in a fashion which does not take note of the sensitivity of those who are watching the channels. The I&B Ministry has done well to caution the channels on this count, but it is doubtful if the channels are going to heed it. While the ministry is fully justified in this matter, why is it silent on the number of toxic debates that run on television?

Anthony Henriques

Mumbai

Skill-building

This is with reference to ‘Umbrella for the self-employed’ (January 10). In many countries, self-employed workers, including own-account workers and assisting family workers, make up the majority of the workforce. Seven out of ten workers are self-employed or work in small businesses. Social security legislation has traditionally focused on covering employees. However, further progress is still needed to ensure effective protection for self-employed workers.

Entrepreneurship training and skill-building programmes can promote productivity among self-employed workers and help them transition to the formal economy.

P Sundara Pandian

Virudhunagar, TN

Change of guard at Amul

This refers to ‘Amul MD RS Sodhi asked to step down’ (January 10). The decision to replace Sodhi appears to be a ‘management decision’.

Sodhi has followed the footsteps of Verghese Kurien and taken brand Amul to greater heights during the last decade. Sodhi’s tenure as Amul chief also saw the milk-conglomerate striving through the production and sales hurdles during the two-year long pandemic with ease, taking advantage of the grassroots level networking of procurement and distribution chains, which is perhaps unique to Amul.

MG Warrier

Mumbai

Rare-earth supplies

Apropos ‘A rare-earth shock could kneecap economies’ (January 10), indeed rare-earth elements, with unusual magnetic and electrical properties, have augmented use in contemporary society.

For the production of EVs and clean energy there must be unhindered supply of rare-earths. Any arm-twisting by China, the major supplier of rare-earths, will certainly create global shocks.

NR Nagarajan

Sivakasi, TN

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