I&B min recommends political advtg on private FM to EC
Posted By: RnM
Team 07 Nov 08 20:06 ISTNEW DELHI: In a development that comes as a major
revenue boost to radio, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has
recommended that they should be permitted to carry political advertisements on
the same lines as television channels.
The recommendation had been to the Election Commission on the eve of formal
notification of elections to four states including the National Capital
Territory of Delhi and a few months ahead of the next General Elections.
Confirming the move, Ministry Joint Secretary (Broadcasting) Zohra Chatterjee
said the recommendation had been made as TV had been carrying such advertising
following a Supreme Court order. She said private FM broadcasters had for some
time been urging the Government to permit them to carry the ads since TV had
been permitted.
Another senior Ministry source said ‘the ball is now in the court of the
Commission’ but expected the latter to agree on grounds of equity.
Hailing the decision, Radio Operators Association of India General Secretary
Udai Chawla said the step was long overdue. Allowing political advertisements
on radio would enhance the sector's revenue which is also shared with the
Government.
It is expected that if the recommendation is accepted, the radio and
particularly the FM radio industry may rake in revenue to the extent of Rs 1200
million between now and the General Elections, expected in May next year,
sources said.
Advertisements on radio had been banned on the Commission through a letter sent
to Chief Electoral Officers on 8 November on the ground that ‘the Code for
Commercial Advertising on the All India Radio prohibits advertisement of
political nature. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, have confirmed
that the Code for Advertising on the AIR is also applicable for advertisements
on FM Channels. Therefore, it may be seen that advertisements of political
nature are prohibited on all Radio Channels.’
The clarification was issued following some queries by broadcasters subsequent
to a Supreme Court judgment of 13 April 2004.
Earlier in February 2004, the Commission had banned election-related and
political advertisements on both radio and television. Both the Ministry and
the Commission had also said that television channels would not be allowed to
carry political ads as the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 prohibited
them from doing so. According to the provisions in the Advertisement Code, "No
advertisement shall be permitted, the objects whereof, are wholly or mainly of
a religious or political nature; advertisements must not be directed towards
any religious or political end." However, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation
(IBF) had protested, saying broadcasters should be treated at par with the
print media and should not be deprived of this advertising opportunity. It had
therefore said television channels must also not be barred from carrying
political ads, estimating revenues worth about Rs 600 million at that time.
Broadcasters had also decided to go ahead and carry political ads based on
letters issued by the Election Commission in 2002 and 2003 when it permitted
them to carry such ads after the Andhra Pradesh High Court judgment in 1999.
Sun Group had also filed a petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on this
issue around that time.
Speaking on this development, Big FM Chief operating officer Tarun Katial
said,“If the government is pondering taking a step of this nature, then this
piece of news is welcome. It is only fair that advertising should not be
stopped in any medium; be it print, television or radio. And this would
definitely give a boost to the revenue as radio can be the most effective and
biggest medium to reach out to the common man. And the best example of this
would be the recently held presidential election in USA, which further proved
that the medium of radio can do magic.”
“This is something that has been debated many a times and if the ministry is
thinking to regularise it, then it would definitely add to the benefit of
private radio players,” added Radio Today COO Anil Srivatsa.
Arti Jaiman
Project Manager: TRF Radio
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.trfindia.org
www.jaiman.org
www.pitara.com
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