July2008 Issue Cover Page

New TV Channel -Viacom18, Colors, Seires 'BALIKA VADHU'' promotes Child Marraige

Friends,

Currently there are promotions of the series that will be shown on
Colors, and one of them has caught my attention. A series names 'Balika Vadhu'. It comes out from the promotions that
this is about Child Marriage.

As you would be well aware, that
Child Marriage is outlawed and is illegal. It was a condemnable
practice and unfortunately still occurs in small numbers in some parts
of India. It would not do any good to the society if this series shows such a
practice as a fancy thing to happen in a child's' life.

Viacom
18 parent, Viacom undertakes well publicized Corporate Social
Responsibility programmes in USA and its subsudary should not indulge
in socially irresponsible broadcasting in India for motives of profit.
Though there are no laws to binding them from showing this series, as a
responsible citizen, one should understand that by showing child
marriage in a positive light, can give a boost to this practice in
sub-urban and rural India.

I would request you to kindly drop a mail to Viacom18 and request them to abstain from showing this series.

Public opinion is the only thing that TV Channels care for.
Below are Email Ids,

VIACOM 18:
communications@viacom18.com
Sonia.huria@viacom18.com

Ministry of Women and Child :http://wcd.nic.in/
min-wcd@nic.in,
secy.wcd@nic.in,
jscd.wcd@nic.in

Leading Child Right NGOs

Child Relief and You
website: http://www.cry.org/general/contactus.html
cryinfo.mum@crymail.org
cryinfo.del@crymail.org

Childline India
website : http://www.childlineindia.org.in/rights.htm
dial1098@childlineindia.org.in



Abhinav