Apology scroll for running liquor ad: Delhi HC rejects TV Today's plea against MIB order
The Delhi High Court has reportedly rejected a plea filed by TV Today Network (which runs news channels Aaj Tak and India Today) against a Central government order directing the media network to run apology scrolls for displaying advertisements of liquor brands on its news channels. e4m reached out to TV Today for an official statement on the matter, but is yet to get a response.
According to media reports, Justice Subramonium Prasad rejected the plea on noting that TV Today had violated Rule 7 (Advertising Code) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 by displaying the logo of ‘100 Pipers' while displaying an advertisement for 100 Pipers Music CDs.
“The display of the logo of '100 Pipers' would thus appear to be in contravention of that Rule. Since the provisions of Rule 7 has not been complied with, the contention of the learned Counsel for the Petitioner that they had proceeded in good faith on the basis of the CBFC [Central Board of Film Certification] certificate which was submitted by the advertiser cannot be accepted as the Rules do not permit the broadcaster to independently ascertain the veracity of the clip that is provided by the advertiser,” the Court reportedly observed.
On the issue of running the ‘All Seasons Club Soda’ advertisement, the Court found that the said advertisement was not even certified by the CBFC.
The court passed the order after TV Today approached the High Court challenging a June 14, 2022 order of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
The MIB had directed TV Today to run an apology scroll in bold, legible font at the bottom of the screen four times a day for three consecutive days between 9 AM and 9 PM for broadcasting the advertisements of 100 Pipers Music CDs and All Seasons Club Soda on its news channels.
TV Today argued that as far as the broadcast pertaining to ‘100 Pipers’ was concerned, the clip was broadcast based on the certificate issued by the CBFC, which was provided by the advertiser.
With regards to the ‘All Seasons Club Soda’ broadcast, it was stated that the brand name ‘All Seasons’ is commonly used by various kinds of products and not merely by a liquor brand.
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