The streaming platforms are mandated to show anti-tobacco warnings under the amended Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act-2022.
Statutory anti tobacco warnings. (Supplied)
Remember the “Mukesh Ad Campaign” that is displayed before movies are screened in cinemas? Or, did you not because of its disturbing images?
Well, this decade-old ad is still being used, amongst a few others, to depict the harmful effects of tobacco and tobacco-related products.
When such is the effect, audiences generally neglect, and with it, the sole purpose of displaying anti-tobacco ads has little impact on the young minds who are the intended targets.
Now, the Union government has passed mandatory regulations, making similar displays of anti-tobacco ads on Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms.
South First talks to the experts about how effective the new regulations can be or whether there should be a change in its approach.
Before we discuss the effectiveness, let’s look into what the new regulation passed by the Union government is all about.
As per the amended rules under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act-2022, it is mandatory for OTT platforms to show anti-tobacco warnings. Further, they must show anti-tobacco health spots, each of a minimum of 30 seconds, at the beginning and middle of the programme.
In addition, they should exhibit an anti-tobacco health warning as a prominent static message at the bottom of the screen when tobacco products or their use are displayed during the programme.
Mukesh anti-tobacco ad campaign. (Supplied)
Supreme Court advocate KV Dhananjay, based in Bengaluru, shares that a majority of movie audiences rarely pay attention to the anti-tobacco warning advertisement when displayed in cinemas/theatres.
“The main reason is the presentation of these ads. It makes them annoying to the audience to watch — so much that the message gets lost,” he tells South First.
On the new regulations, the advocate feels that the government is good at stopping something but not good at creating something.
When asked why, he explains that the present ads, which are decades old, don’t have the right effect.
“The government should think of engaging professional ad agencies to generate better ads. If creative agencies are appointed to make nice advertisements for the Prime Minister and chief ministers, then why not for anti-tobacco warnings,” Dhananjay questions.
Prof Sapna MS. (Supplied)
Professor Sapna MS — head of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Mysore — opines that the anti-tobacco warnings in the beginning or during the film are just an eyewash.
“The intensity of the message is rarely taken into account by the audience. This is why, over the past few years, these warning ads/messages in the films hardly made any difference,” she points out.
Given the fact that today’s youths shifted their focus to social media platforms and OTT space, Sapna feels that the anti-tobacco warnings in theatres have little effect.
“In my academic career spanning over 19 years, there have been several studies/research taken up over issues like consumption of alcohol, road safety measures, saving water, and environmental issues. But rarely have I come across extensive research being carried out concerning the effectiveness of such ads in theatres, which are now pushed into OTT platforms,” the professor explains.
“Well, it’s time to assess the actual impact and whether the approach needs to change for a more positive outcome,” she tells South First.
SC Advocate KV Dhananjay. (Supplied)
Advocate Dhananjay argued before courts in several public health matters, including the 85 percent pictorial warning on tobacco packs.
He quotes a 2016-17 survey, conducted through agencies by the government, which claims that nearly 81 lakh tobacco consumers took serious note of the pictorial warning and quit tobacco products.
Having said that, the advocate feels that there are a few factors that need attention in the case of OTT regulations.
For Instance, in the recent Kannada film Kousalya Supraja Rama (2023), the protagonist is seen smoking in several scenes which, in a way, influences the young minds.
“We do not know whether the actor smokes tobacco in real life and how his health is. All we know is that he puts on make-up and acts in front of the camera,” he adds.
The government works based on empirical data; and if the data are not convincing and are positive, then the government would look for other options and may eventually change its stance.
However, according to medical practitioners and health experts, the mandatory regulations for OTT are the need of the hour, especially since a majority of the young generation moved on from traditional forms of entertainment platforms to digital platforms.
But it needs a fresh and positive approach for better impact.
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