MUMBAI: A health channel named CVR Health had telecast a show named ‘healthy nights’ in 2016 that was considered unsuitable for the television audience for which it was asked to go off air for three days with effect from 8-11 September 2018.

In a bid to attract audiences, the channel aired various films songs abundant with scenes that objectified women as well as movie clips that contained lovemaking scenes that were highly obscene and found unsuitable for telecast.

A Show Cause Notice (SCN) dated 30 March 2017 was issued to the channel for telecasting the objectionable content on 29 December 2016 and 30 December 2016 in the 11.25 pm time slot.

In response to the Ministry’s SCN, CVR Health channel commented that the reason the show was aired in the 11.25 pm time slot was that majority of children are sleeping. The program ‘healthy night’ was meant only for adult audiences.

Furthermore, it stated that the channel wasn’t aware that telecasting a programme for adults in a late night time slot would amount to a violation of provisions of Cable Television Network Rules. The channel said its act was unintentional and was carried away by the view of leading newspapers that said that several men and women in Mumbai want to view adult content.

It went on to say that the decision to air was taken considering Article 19A of the Indian Constitution that gives freedom of expression.

IMC concluded that the channel had committed a clear violation of the prescribed programme code as its content bordered on pornography and indecency and hence, it needed to be given exemplary punishment for this lapse.