TV industry likely to form a regulatory board to screen bold content

New Delhi: A self-regulatory body set up by the TV industry may soon have a say in certification of films to be shown on television if a Censor Board initiative in this regard finds favour with stakeholders. The Board is also learnt to be contemplating a late evening slot on television for movies that contain bolder content. Sources told PTI that Censor Board Chairperson Leela Samson along with another member Anjum Rajabali met officials of Broadcast Content Complaints’ Council (BCCC) earlier this week to discuss the idea of involving the body for clearing films for television screening. [caption id=“attachment_454784” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Getty Images[/caption] “The idea is that the various stakeholders like the CBFC, BCCC, the Information and Broadcasting ministry and representatives of the film industry could come together and then create a mechanism for clearing films for a more mature audience,” a source said, adding the conversion of ‘A’ rated films to ‘U’ and ‘UA’ also could fall under the purview of this newly created plan. Sources said while modalities are yet to be worked out, the I&B ministry has been largely positive about the idea. This new body can be created under the aegis of BCCC and under this option, separate late-night time slots can be created for adult-rated films with proposed watershed hours in television viewing. Officials said it was likely that a meeting among the top officials of Censor Board, BCCC, I&B ministry and film personalities would be held in the coming week to discuss the plan in greater detail. Sources said that the Censor Board was keen that such a specific mechanism be established for screening films on TV, especially after the controversy that had surrounded the telecast of Vidya Balan starrer “The Dirty Picture” on TV. It is learnt that nearly 20 films which have mature content are awaiting the Censor Board’s clearance for television screening. Filmmakers and broadcasters have to get a movie converted from ‘A’ rating to U/UA to be able to screen the movie on television. PTI