Friday, March 25 2005 18:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma has told the Government that the channel's sting operation on some Bihar politicians caught on camera in compromising position conformed to "legal and ethical standards with all due respect to public sensibilities."

The channel, which was last week served a show-cause notice by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry for showing the tapes on the politicians, has refuted charges that what it showed bordered on obscenity and soft porn. The channel has sent its reply to the Government on the issue.

"We have been carrying sting operations to highlight the wrongs being done in public interest... The telecast on February 27, 2005, was in the same spirit following complaints against the conduct of some leaders in unethical and illegal activities paid for by mafias and contractors for quid pro quo relating to contracts, transfers and the swindling of public money," Sharma said.

Asked whether the programme was not fit for family viewing and contained some material unsuitable for public viewing, Sharma replied in the negative.

"I strongly believe pornography has no place in our society. India TV has a special department to judge the programmes in order to ensure that nothing that may hurt the sensitivities of public is put on air," he told reporters.

He said the channel had acted in public interest and "though a story may sometimes hurt one individual or the other, the visuals conform to relevant legal and ethical standards with all due respect to public sensibilities."

Irked by what it felt was "indecent telecast", the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had dashed off the notice to the channel last Thursday.

According to official sources, the "activities shown by the channel appear to have offended good taste and decency."

Also, what was shown "was obscene and not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition," they added.

Asked whether the Ministry's notice will deter the channel from carrying out such sting operations in future, Sharma said, "It is the Ministry's prerogative to ascertain the facts. We have answered all the points raised in the letter."

However, he added, "No self-respecting media organisation will stop serving the public good after taking into account public interest and all relevant ethical and legal standards with due respect to public sensibilities."