The Indian government on Wednesday cracked down on two television reality shows, saying they had adult content and asked channels to broadcast them only after 11 pm, news reports said. Big Boss, the Indian version of the international show Big Brother, and Rakhi ki Insaaf, or Rakhi's Justice, have been criticised recently for use of vulgar language and display of intimacy by participants.
Officials of India's Ministry for Information and Broadcasting said the shows violated programming codes and ethics by airing content not fit for family viewing, the IANS news agency reported. "The decision has been taken today, and the channels have been sent a notice to shift these programmes to a later time slot," a ministry official was quoted as saying. "Such shows cannot be aired before 11 pm and after 5 am."
The channels have also been barred from sharing video footage of these shows with news channels for promotion and have been asked to use notices saying the shows were meant for restricted viewing. "The content is not good for children and so these shows should be shifted to a time when kids are asleep," the ministry official said, adding that the order was to be implemented immediately.