The disgust over the ban on FTV was expected. What is also expected is the fact that for each, the exact reason for the disgust might be different. Let's have a look at what some had to say.
Something from the Times of India (Late-night TV: Too hot for govt to handle?; April 3, 2007)
"I am genuinely against censorship," asserts fashion photographer Atul Kasbekar, who has many swimsuit calendars to his credit. "Shooting fashion calendars is an art and they have no business to look down upon it. These programmes are not voyeuristic, they are just fashion. Anyway, perverts can look at other means, including internet, to satiate themselves. Will the government ban them too?"
We could have arguments about his art, but then...
More from fashion designers in Daily News & Analysis (Moral policing has to be imposed by every individual on himself; April 3, 2007):
Says designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, “Channels like FTV help a lot of professionals in product enhancement and there is more to them than the skinny-clad models the government deems as offensive. Internationally, governments have no right to inflict their opinion on viewers; if at all there is any moral policing done, it has to be imposed by every individual on himself.”
More:
Adds censor board chief Sharmila Tagore, “While I believe that the government has every right to regulate content they think is unfit for telecast, we are a democratic nation and anyone who is against it can come out and protest. Something like this can be very subjective.”
Valid point there. Only, if Tagore were to remember these comments about subjectivity when it came to granting/blocking censorship certificates.
Still more:
Nevertheless, many feel that taking the entire channel off air is no solution to discipline media content. “If there was a particular obscene show, the show must be taken off-air and not the entire channel. It is an impulsive move,” sums up fashion designer Malini Ramani.
Maybe not the right person to quote when it comes to freedom of expression.
Even the Economic Times had something (Rising ire over TV channels ban; April 1, 2007):
Adds media expert Santosh Desai, ‘‘There’s an element of randomness in these actions. While FTV going off air is no real loss to mankind, on grounds of principle, the move is disquieting. We do need to regulate the programming allowed on Indian TV but that must be through a transparent, consistent procedure.’’
