New Delhi, Jul 20: Noting that several TV programmes were exploiting animals, birds and insects for the sake of entertainment, the Broadcasting Complaints Content Council has asked the channels not to air such content that was creating wrong impression among the viewers.
In an advisory issued today the BCCC, which is the self-regulatory body for Non-News Channels headed by former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice A P Shah, said that many entertainment channels especially those airing reality shows, were exhibiting content extremely harmful to animals.
“For instance, live insects are eaten to show courage in a manner that is distasteful and not conducive to health. A few channels have a reality show in which animals are killed week after week and animal parts such as sheep eyeballs and worms eaten in order to show bravery,” the BCCC said.
The BCCC said that it was disturbing that “some channels rope in popular movie stars in serials in which animals are depicted, and project their being stalked, teased, tails being pulled at, food being pulled away, etc, i.e. veritable torture of animals as an act of bravery.”
Not only are animals hurt and killed before, during and post filming, in many cases animals, especially reptilian and wild mammalian, are depicted as cruel and fearful, when in fact they are placed in unnatural environments, and their natural behaviour is repressed, the BCCC advisory said.
It added that such incorrect depiction led to wrong impressions being created and unfortunate myths spread.
“Animals must not continue to be exploited for human entertainment especially when we live in an enlightened age that recognises the value of all species in a universal ecosystem,” the BCCC advisory which was prepared in consultation with MP Maneka Gandhi said.
Stating that such content was not suitable for public viewing, the BCCC advised TV channels not to produce, purchase or broadcast content that is in any way harmful to the health and well being, or depiction, of any species.
The BCCC also said that content where animals were treated cruelly was violative of the rules and guidelines that the Indian Broadcasting Federation had laid for channels.
Such content, is not suitable for public viewing because it is at variance with: Point 10 of Theme 6, contained in Chapter 3 of the IBF's Content Code & Certification Rules, 2011, the Council said.
It added that this rule stipulates that, the subject matter, treatment of any program under all categories shall not in any manner - glamorise, promote, encourage such activities and sports, which encourage ecological imbalance and hurt animals.
The BCCC said the rules also suggested that the content should be such that it does not encourage the possession of wildlife as trophies or cause trauma to any species.
“We also suggest that the code of conduct for advertising agencies and film production prescribed by the Animal Welfare Board of India pertaining to the use of performing animals is also applicable to broadcast media,” the advisory said.
“These rules govern the manner in which performing animals should be treated during training, during the actual shoot, and during retirement. These rules also require special permissions to be obtained, and or furnished as evidence, before using animals, and apply to imported content and foreign locations as well,” it added.
