AWA - Issue 1

Anal of Issue

In some countries TV and radio are carefully censored for offensive language and behaviour.In other countries, there is little or no censroship.

In your view, to what extent should govt. or any other group be able to censor TV or radio programs? Explain , giving relevant reasons and/or examples to support your position.

In the current day Tv , radio and other media have become integral part of our lives.
We watch TV at our dinner tables. We listen to radio on our drive to work. We look at them to know what is happening around us.With such a considerable period of a day spent with the media , it is impossible not to have their mark left on us. As a result any idea repeated or removed from the media may in turn will root into or erase out of our minds and morals. With this understood I believe that excessive presence or absolute absence of censorship should be avoided and an ideal balance of censorship should be followed.

Let's take an example. Suppose the Iranian censor board decided to cut the scenes,that hail the feminist ideas, from the movie 'The Color Purple'. The whole point of the movie would then be lost. Without its feminist ideas this particular movie is very less meaningful. And by censoring the movie this way the Iranina Censor Board is stopping the florishment of feminism in Iran. Does that sound right to you? It doesn't to me.

If that doesn't convince you, let's take another example. If the govt. of India decides to air national Telivison programs promoting Conservative Christianity and criticizing Protestants , isn't it equivalent to controlling the religious beliefs of its citizens? Yes it is and it should not be allowed in a democracy.

Inspite of the criticism of the censor board I've carried so far, I still understand its importance in today's world. After all I can't go to a War movie like 'Behind Enemy Lines' with my kids without being informed that it was censored for the violent content. Neither can I let my children watch True TV without the removal of swearing from the various every day incidents shown in its programs.


We have just seen a couple of examples each telling us that censorship by government or any authority is wrong at times and right at others. Hence I feel that just as any other resource, it should be subject to limited use driven by a need for it.