Fashion TV taken off the air in India for displaying model’s naked breast

A television channel that showed footage of a model’s naked breast as part of its coverage of a fashion show by the late British designer Alexander McQueen is to be taken off the air in India, according to government officials.

Fashion TV, which broadcasts internationally via satellite and cable systems, has been suspended for nine days, India’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry said.



The offending programme, shown last September, depicted “women with nude upper body which was offending [sic] against good taste and decency”, a ministry statement said. “The visuals were found to be obscene, denigrating women and were not suitable for children and unrestricted public exhibition,” it added.

India, the most populous democracy in the world, remains a conservative society — much to the chagrin of media businesses that distribute risqué content. Last year the adult entertainment publisher and broadcaster Playboy said that it regarded the subcontinent as a potentially huge market but feared government restrictions.