After stirring
the hornet’s nest on the contentious issue of restricting condom ads to only
water-shedding hours, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has
clarified that such ads can be aired on TV during daytime--- provided the
content is not explicit.
In a press release, reportedly, the ministry has quoted that,
"Advertisements that do not sexually objectify women and are aimed at
informing citizens regarding devices/products/medical interventions to ensure
safe sex are not covered under the said advisory."
Pooja Bedi
Pooja
Bedi welcomes the move. "I think it's fair. The daytime may be used to
have ads in educative style. Nothing wrong with that. The night slots could
hinge around the intimacy quotient. The very fact that the ads are being
allowed now in daytime is that people who matter have realised the need to
spread information and want to go about it earnestly."
But the upright
inspector of FIR, Kavita Kaushik, feels that the 'intimacy quotient' need not
be a deterrent for a condom ad to be telecast in daytime on TV.
Kavita Kaushik
Talking to SpotboyE.com, Kavita says, "The more we bury our heads in the
sand to hide from reality, the more it’s going to come and kick us on our
backside! We need to educate everyone about safe sex to control this already
bursting population of our country and the diseases spread by unsafe sex."
Adds Kavita, "Also, I think the explicit and vulgar reality TV show
content poses more threat to the minds of our men and children than the steamy
lovemaking scenes."
Kamya Punjabi
Popular TV
actress Kamya Punjabi too feels that, day/night, it does not matter. "When
my 5-year-old daughter visits me on the set, no one can touch her without her
permission. I have taught her the difference between a friendly peck, and an
unwanted touch." She adds, "When the time is right, I will educate
her about sex." She also feels that the time slot of these ads on TV
doesn't matter. "Why shy away?" she concludes. 
Riya Sen
Riya Sen,
however, endorses Pooja's viewpoint. "I guess they are right and know what
they are talking about. They are being tactful out of concern. There is a vast
majority of people in India who could look at these ads in a wrong manner,
which is unfortunate because it is only about spreading awareness."
Stay tuned to
SpotboyE.com for more viewpoints on the subject of 'Condom ads on TV'. It's a
Talking Point!
Image Source: twitter/ri_flect, instagram/poojabedi/panjabikamya/ikavitakaushik