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IBF sets norms on surrogate advertising
NEW DELHI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), an apex body of broadcasting companies operating in India, is of the opinion that all advertisers of brand extension products (especially where it concerned alcohol companies) should be asked to provide a certificate to the broadcasters stating that the products were genuine and were being sold through established marketing networks in India in sufficient quantities to warrant advertising on television.
The IBF sub-committee, which went into the issue of surrogate ads related to tobacco and alcohol, also felt that any real product or services (non alcoholic/non tobacco), which have wide distribution in the market through established distribution networks “should not be denied speech even if the product or service shares a brand name with a liquor or tobacco product or a company.”
Still, in the same vein, the IBF has said that where there is a TV ad which mentions a liquor/tobacco brand or a company without promoting a real (non-alcoholic, non-tobacco) product or service, it will be deemed to be “indirect advertising for liquor/tobacco and will not be permissible.”
In a document that has been prepared by the IBF to act as a guideline, as part of self-regulation where advertisements regarding alcoholic beverages were concerned, it has been stated that the “Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverages Companies (CIABC) has already drafted a certificate and given it to all its members.”
The IBF has also decided that the organisation’s secretariat would study the self-regulatory practises relating to tobacco around the world, specifically the self-regulatory code of the American tobacco giant Phillip Morris.
The sub-committee, under Zee group broadcasting chief executive Sandeep Goyal, which went into the issue of surrogate advertising relating to alcohol, has also decided that there was no justification available for radico Khaitan 8 pm Apple juice ad and it should not be carried. An official IBF document, a copy of which is available with indiantelevision.com, also states, “It was also decided that the ACP Black Apple juice ad (where the punchline is “kuch bhi ho sakta hai”) was in bad taste and should not be broadcast by the members of the IBF in its current form.”
However, indiantelevision.com learns that the ad concerned is still being aired on some channels where cricket and fashion rule supreme.
The members of the IBF have also suggested that every time there is a rejection of any ad by a member broadcaster of the IBF, the secretariat should be informed about the development.
“This will assist in coordinating the activities relating to surrogate advertising or brand extension. Similarly the ads that are selected for broadcasting relating to brand extension should be listed and the IBF secretariat should be informed of the same,” the IBF paper states.
The IBF’s moves come in the wake of show cause notices which had been issued by a government panel, headed by Anil Baijal, additional secretary (broadcasting) in the information and broadcasting ministry, to several TV channels over the past two months over surrogate liquor and tobacco ads.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
