[cr-india] Punjab encourages CR stations

Tue Jun 5 13:57:25 CEST 2007

The problem with censorship is it doesn't know where
to stop. In this case, it doesn't know where to start
either.

The government is unable to fathom how to handle
television broadcasting standards. It has taken around
fifteen years to try and settle whether broadcasters
need to watch what they say, or TV watchers to learn
when to change the channel. The latest attempt to
decide where the line will be drawn is that
'educational channels' (I assume they will specifiy
that this includes educational material put on other
channels, since we don't have any educational
channels) can show 'adult' material - it would be
interesting to see how genetics will be taught without
mentioning sex, and sex is a no-no for many of our
Important People, who apparently procreate without
this nuisance. 

It is our continued advocacy that finally got the
policy put in place, flawed and incomplete as it is.
It may not be out of place to point out that not a
single member of this Forum has been invited to take a
seat on any body or forum set up by the government in
connection with community radio. Does that seem like a
policy of enthusiasm and participation?

So Suman's suggestion that the Forum evolve a code is
not out of place for more than one reason, but I argue
rather that a code is not needed. We already have
sound laws in place to control libel, slander,
rabble-rousing etc. Attempts to impose a stupid,
unenforceable (and therefore liable to be selectively
misused) rule will founder in the courts. Except for
members of genuine community stations, who will be
hauled into court and probably into jail or made to
pay humungous fines and lose the right to broadcast. 

Did anyone read through the entire bodycopy of the
original article that started the thread? This was
written by some enthusiastic journalist, who clearly
hasn't the background to know what the issues or
history are. Why assume that government functionaries
are any more aware than that, or will continue to be?
The Punjab government officers who briefed the
journalist clearly weren't.

In fact, since I'm on a roll, let's look at another
statutory body set up to protect our delicate
sensibilities - the Film Censor Board. It has behaved
throughout in a bewilderingly inconsistent manner,
clearing violence and foul language and women's bodies
displayed through wet muslin joyfully, while rejecting
or putting under the dreaded A certificate, films of
social injustice and even gentle love tales. And the
Board - 56 years old now - is peopled by educated
persons from different sectors of society. Why imagine
that the Forum or any other well-meaning body can do
better?

--- Suman Basnet <suman at wlink.com.np> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> following Vickram's comment, may I add that it is
> probably better for the
> CR-Forum if India to come up with the code of
> conduct/broadcast code for
> community radios rather than having the ministry to
> do that. I feel that
> even the ministry will be more comfortable this way
> as it will work as a
> confidence building measure. We want the community
> radios to own teh codes
> and the way to do that is by involving them in the
> formulation of the codes.
> I remember that there was a discussion in this forum
> in the past about
> formalising a CR code of conduct. It may have been
> done so please forgive my
> ignorance. In case there is a need, I will be very
> happy to gather support
> material for formulating a set of codes.
> 
> Warmest regards, Suman
> 
> 
> On 05/06/07, Vickram Crishna <v1clist at yahoo.co.uk>
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > --- sajan venniyoor <venniyoor at rediffmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Punjab to encourage community radio stations
> >
> > Maybe Rajasthan should be looking at this too.
> >
> > > the state
> > > government has decided to encourage
> entrepreneurs in
> > > launching the service.
> > >
> >
> > So the centre's refusal to support community radio
> > through any direct measures is getting states to
> take
> > it up themselves. What bet they won't stop there,
> and
> > will start demanding some amount of regulatory
> power
> > in return for their budgetary support?
> >
> > > The preferred language will be Punjabi. Those
> > > running the new service for religious programmes
> > > will have to ensure that religious sensibilities
> of
> > > people from other religions are not hurt by the
> > > content of their programmes.
> >
> > I can't help but recall somewhere in the back of
> my
> > fading memory that the Broadcast Code was supposed
> to
> > eliminate programmes promoting religious
> interests?
> > Can we see some action from I&B on this, or will
> they
> > be sitting on their hands when positive action is
> > needed and only firefighting is possible, and that
> too
> > by some other authority?
> >
> > Vickram
> >
> >
> >     
>
___________________________________________________________
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> >
>
http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/evt=44106/*http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail/winter07.html
> >
> > YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India)
> BY JOINING AND TAKING AN
> > ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS
> >
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness 
> (Awareness building)
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk
> (Offering help)
> >
>
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy
> (Policy advocacy)
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions
> (Technical options)
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > cr-india mailing list
> > cr-india at sarai.net
> > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
> >
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> 
>
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
> For the latest from the community radio sector of
> Asia Pacific, please join
> the AMARC email list by following the link
>
http://lists.amarc.org/mailman/listinfo/asiapacific-general
> OR just email me
> and I will add your name to the subscribers' list.
> 
> ____________________
> Suman Basnet
> Regional Coordinator
> AMARC Asia Pacific
> Kathmandu, Nepal
> 
> http://asiapacific.amarc.org
> 
> Phone: +977 1 5554811
> Fax: +977 1 5521714
> > 
> YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY
> JOINING AND TAKING AN ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE
> NETWORKS
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness 
> (Awareness building)
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk
> (Offering help)
>
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy
> (Policy advocacy)
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions
> (Technical options)
> 
> _______________________________________________
> cr-india mailing list
> cr-india at sarai.net
> https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
> 

Vickram

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