Draft Broadcast Bill: ‘Any fool can tell what the government aims at doing vide this Bill’

e4m had recently conducted an online poll where readers were asked to give their opinion on the draft Broadcast Bill. The results are in and an overwhelming 86 per cent of the respondents have given the thumbs down to the Bill. “This seems like an attempt to throttle the media,” was the strong feeling that emerged.

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Jul 31, 2006 7:44 AM  | 5 min read
Draft Broadcast Bill: ‘Any fool can tell what the government aims at doing vide this Bill’

To be honest, nothing could be worse than this. When the news and details first came out early this month that the Government was planning to bring in a Broadcast Bill, the media was dumbfounded by its intent and ramifications. There was deep concern cutting across the industry – print and television – that the Government was bent upon muzzling the country’s free press.

What comes as a bigger surprise is that the current UPA Government is led by a respected and enlightened academician-politician. And the political machinery is led by, ostensibly, a liberal with a European cosmopolitan mind. Yet, one after the other, Dr Manmohan Singh’s government has bumbled and sullied its hands with policies too archaic for a 21st century emerging economic goliath.

First came the controversial 27 per cent reservation policy. When the State has not been able to ensure access to school education to all children in the multitude of villages in rural India after almost six decades of Independence, one of its senior ministers had the gumption to foist a crippling reservation policy. Whatever happened to meritocracy? Without universal schooling, how will reservation help?

And now, another senior minister in Dr Singh’s Cabinet has pulled out a totally uncalled for Bill that is draconian, to say the least. How does one justify the fact that we pride ourselves as being the largest functioning democracy on this planet? What a contradiction – a democracy that tries to gag its media!

Sensing the outrage in the media, exchange4media had carried out a poll in three parts a week ago. The groundswell of emotion against the proposed Broadcast Bill is something that the Hon’ble I&B Minister and his boss, Dr Singh, can ignore at their own peril. The Congress took a long time to overcome the taint of Emergency. They would be better advised not to tread that path again in any form.

e4m poll findings

The first mailer in exchange4media's 'Speak Out on Proposed Broadcast Bill' poll had asked: Is the ghost of Emergency coming back to haunt Indian democracy by way of muzzling the Media? A preponderant 86 per cent of the respondents said "Yes", 7 per cent said "No", while another 7 per cent was not "Sure".

The second mailer in the poll had asked: Is the Government attempting to arrogate draconian powers to muzzle the Media in order to put an end to stings and corruption scandals being aired freely on TV channels? Once again a majority of the respondents - 86 per cent - said "Yes". The remaining 14 per cent thought otherwise.

The third mailer in the poll had asked: Is it right to penalise successful TV channels, through legislation, for garnering more than 15 per cent of the country's total viewership? Ninety per cent of the respondents said it is not right to do so, while the remaining 10 per cent found nothing wrong in this objective.

Some comments from respondents:

It would not be fair to identify the respondents, but some of the comments are an eye-opener. Here are a few comments from the first poll. Said Ajay: "… It seems that the powers that be want to bring back the days of Emergency." Another comment: "Any fool can tell what the government aims at doing vide this Bill. It basically means that politicians and their chelas, and also the bureaucracy, are scared of the media."

Commented Prasun: "This seems like an attempt to throttle the media so that they do not expose the wrong-doings of politicians/bureaucrats…they should look at ways of cleansing the system…" Ashwin observed: "This government is so full of itself. They have lost touch with ground realities…"

The second poll also brought out similar sentiments from the readership, which is convinced that the Bill is aimed at muzzling the media. Among the comments were: "The government cannot monopolise the Right to Investigation", and "The present rules are sufficient and the Indian media is an example the world over of its fairness in reporting." Some comments were very harsh on the leadership too.

Respondents to the third poll overwhelmingly protested against any move to curtail a viewer's right. "How can the government control my viewing?" asked Mary Ann. Said Richa: "There is no need to monitor channels. DD is boring… it makes one feel like a 'dehati'". Said another respondent: "It is against the will of viewers because it (15 per cent cap on a channel's viewership) will restrict us from watching our favourite channels."

Heed the message

Somewhere in these comments and percentages is a potent message to the Government: Let the four pillars of a good democracy thrive. The media being one of the pillars, do not shackle it and thus weaken the system. And the people of this country rightly feel that the media in India - print or broadcast - has always been fair and responsible.

Mr Dasmunshi, please pay heed and be pragmatic. You have grown up and thrived in this system. India is not Pakistan, so eschew authoritarianism. Respect the democracy that has given you a calling, otherwise you may be undone by it.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Tags e4m

E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
Test

With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Tags e4m

Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
test

Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Tags e4m

Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
Test

e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Tags e4m

Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
test

Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Tags e4m

test

test

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

test

test

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
khugfu

KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Tags e4m