Minister of state for information and broadcasting Anand Sharma said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha that the request by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) in a representation to the ministry dated March 31, 2008 to withdraw the notification prohibiting surrogate advertising of alcoholic and tobacco products, has not been acceded to.
The notification was issued by the ministry after it had received reports about widespread violation of the advertising code. It is generally known that barring a couple of stray incidents of ads, the wine industry has ventured into the surrogate advertisement arena.
"Keeping in the mind the sensitivity involved, especially the impression that such advertisements create on minors, the government issued the notification dated February 25, 2008," the minister said.
The notification said that "no advertisement shall be permitted which promotes directly or indirectly production, sale or consumption of cigarettes, tobacco products, wine, alcohol or other intoxicants".
The government still continues to lump wine with alcohol and other intoxicants category.
He also added that the government had set up a committee to review existing programme and advertisement codes prescribed under the Cable and Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. It had also formulated a draft code on programmes and advertisement to contain adverse impact of television content on viewers. |