Reality check: Star Plus in the dock over Sach Ka Saamna

In what may come as a setback to broadcaster STAR Plus, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) today served a show-cause notice to the TV channel over the continued telecast of its reality show Sach Ka Saamna. This comes hours after the furore in the Rajya Sabha today.

A section of senior Parliamentarians in the Upper House belonging to Opposition parties took serious objection to the telecast of the reality show, citing objectionable content that goes against the morality of Indian society.

The matter was raised during the Question Hour today in the Rajya Sabha. The ministry has given STAR TV India, the company that owns STAR Plus, time till July 27 to respond to its notice.

According to senior I&B officials, the broadcaster has been asked to clarify its position on the various objections raised by the members of Parliament. STAR TV CEO Uday Shankar did not respond to a text message query sent in the matter. However, speaking to Business Standard a few days back, he had said: “It is an experimental show that is doing well.”

Sach Ka Saamna, that was aired on July 15 on STAR Plus, has emerged as the most watched reality show among the various new reality programmes on television. According to the TAM data, the average rating of the first three episodes of the show on STAR Plus stood at 4.3, higher than even Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, currently aired on NDTV Imagine.

Based on the reply given by STAR TV India in the matter, the I&B ministry will take the next action in the matter. “As the matter was raised in Parliament today, the ministry had to serve the show cause notice. That is the first step,” explained a senior I&B official requesting anonymity.