Govt bans FTV for 10 days, says it showed nudity

New Delhi: The government has banned fashion TV channel FTV for 10 days from March 12, accusing it of broadcasting images of “semi-nude women”.

The ban will be effective from 7 pm, March 12, till 7 pm on March 21. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry alleged FTV showed “women with nude upper body” and this was offending against good taste and decency.

According to a statement, a programme on FTV channel telecast on September 4, 2009, showed "women with nude upper body which was offending against good taste and decency."

"The visuals were found to be obscene, denigrating women and were not suitable for children and unrestricted public exhibition," the statement said.

The ministry said that the channel had violated the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.

This is the not the first time that the government has taken such a decision against the channel.

The ministry had prohibited its transmission from April 1 to May 30, 2007 on grounds of "telecasting programmes such as 'Midnight Hot' wherein skimpily dressed and semi-naked models were shown".

The prohibition was revoked May 25, 2007 after FTV.com India channel regretted its error and assured that such a thing will not be repeated in future, the statement said.

The ministry said it was prohibiting transmission of the FTV Channel from 7 p.m. on March 12 to the same time March 21 "through cable television networks and any other platforms throughout the country".