Naqvi doesn't know what he's saying. If the government draws up a policy in manner that matches its moral posturing, it will open up a Pandora's box. Most channels, both Indian and foreign, will have take several programmes off the air. Infact, many more Indian channels -rather than foreign -- will have to take off their shows first. Even the state-owned broadcaster DD will be affected. Severely, that too, as it sources most of its entertainment programming from private producers who add that extra bit of masala in their serials to attract audiences.

And what will Naqvi do about Hindi and south Indian films and their songs with buxom beauties dressed in soaked cholies revealing swollen breasts, winking navels and wildly swaying plump bottoms and wide hips.

Films and film song videos constitute a great component of programming on any entertainment channel (at least 25%) -what with all the movies, trailers, countdowns, and special compilations running through the day. These are amongst the biggest audience draws and advertising revenue generators, apart from sport. And will Naqvi also have a different censor norm for a movie which is to be shown on television and which has been passed for general viewing in a theatre by India'ssuspect censor board?

Also how will Naqvi ensure that the policy, which has been drawn up, is followed? How will he also crack down on infringements -voluntary or involuntary? Most channels are telecast from overseas and they follow the local programming code of that country -be it Hong Kong or Singapore or Thailand. Not that they will not follow the I&B ministry's guidelines.

History has shown that they are willing: Star Plus pulled the plug on the Nikki Tonite show when a furore was raised against profanities uttered by a guest against Mahatma Gandhi. ESPN earlier stopped airing a Bacardi ad when Sushma Swaraj said no to liquor ads. And even Zee TV has taken a position not air liquor ads until after prime time. But there's hardly any check on the entertainment programming that the entertainment networks shows. With no broadcasting act in place, piecemeal measures are bound not to work wonders. Sushma Swaraj and her team at the I&B had better get their acts (or should we say Broadcasting Act)together, rather than resorting to ad hoc policy moves.

Of digital dream and irate subscribers

With Star TV's channel bouquet slated to go digital, viewers can expect a gradual disruption in the transmission of the various services in the bouquet. Especially if one considers what has been happening in the case of Star News. The channel has been off the air in several cable networks all over the country. Reason: delays in dispatching of the digital decoders needed to receive a digitally encrypted service. The network switched off its analogue service off Asiasat-1 as of this Sunday, relaying Star News in the digital mode only off Asiasat-2. A message appeared on TV screens in place of Star News explaining the change in Star News' transmission mode and telling viewers to call up their local cable operators or Star's distribution team. Operators who had not received their digital decoders could do little but tell subscribers that the transmission was off and that it would be resumed in a couple ofdays. With Star Plus slated to take the same route by end this month and Channel V to be encrypted by end-July, Star TV will have to take a lot more care in the rollout of the remainder of its digital decoders. Otherwise, it could lead to a lot of irate subscribers.

Virtual billboards come of age

You have to hand it to advertisers and ad agencies. They are constantly find innovative ways to reach out to consumers. Virtual billboards are the newest medium that is coming in for closer scrutiny. An Israeli company ORAD has developed the technology and it uses digital techniques. What it basically means is that different ads can be placed behind the same finishing line and shown to different individual viewing areas. The technique can be used to air cigarette and alcohol ads to countries that allow them, while stripping them off for countries that disallow them. The technology has so alarmed the Sydney 2000 Olympics organisers that they have forced television broadcasters to agree to not to use virtualbillboards while telecasting the games. Apparently one of the networks which has the broadcasting rights for some countries has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with ORAD and is threatening to use the technology during the telecast of the games. Wonder when some enterprising businessman or advertising professional will take a similar step for the Indian market.

The writer can be reached at wanvari@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in or television@hotmail.com.