TV STRIKE TO CONTINUE

In a fillip to TV channels during the ongoing impasse between producers and cine workers, which has resulted in broadcasters airing re-runs of soap operas, advertisers' apex body has asked its members not to ask for a tariff cut immediately.

"We have written to our members and asked them to support the broadcasters. We are hopeful of arriving at a solution before November 20 the and if not then we will sit down then and think of something," Advertising Agencies Association of India President Madhukar Kamath told news agencies.

General entertainment channels (GECs) have been airing re-runs of popular daily soaps as the spat between the apex body of cine workers, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and the producers of the shows on wage hikes continues. The producers had passed on the demand to the broadcasters, who turned down the request.

With TRPs falling, there has been speculation that advertisers would ask the broadcasters to cut tariffs.

Advertisers, who pay between Rs 20,000 and Rs 2 lakh for 10 seconds of commercial air-time on Hindi GECs, might also begin looking at sports and news channels as alternate options if the spat continues.

"The all repeat schedule will naturally impact the audience measurement numbers. We would not like any of you to react in haste and pull out or cancel any current bookings, nor seek any price reductions for the first ten days starting from November 10," the letter by AAAI to its members said.

Broadcasters had steadfastly refused to producers' demand of hiking charges for the content they provide following strike by cine workers who were asking for raise in their wages.

This has resulted in a deadlock between the three parties adding to the woes of the audiences who are not getting their daily dose of the soaps.

"We were never a party to the dispute that relates to the terms and conditions on which producers engage cine workers for the shows they produce for various broadcasters," broadcasters had said in a joint letter to the producers.

The television channels are hoping that the matter is resolved at the earliest.

"We are reviewing the situation everyday and are in constant touch with both the advertisers and the producers. We are actively working for finding a solution but a hike is not in the offering," Sony Entertainment Television Executive Vice-President and Business Head Albert Almeida said.

Producers on the other hand, while empathising with the demand of FWICE, said the timing was not right.

"Some of the demands may be right but the timing is not, keeping in mind the ongoing economic meltdown across sectors. We are after all a part of the services sector," Creative Eye Chief Executive Officer Dheeraj Kumar said.

Kumar was of the view that a mutually agreed hike can be worked at "but not to the extent of a wage tariff hike".

With no solutions in sight immediately, viewers will be have to do with repeat telecasts for at least the month-end.

PTI