MUMBAI: Fashion Television has adopted the adage if you can’t beat them join them and agreed to “change its programming to suit Indian sensibilities”.
FTV director-general Francois Thiellet, who was in New Delhi on a two-day trip till Tuesday, had an extended meeting with information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj. The meeting ended with an assurance from Thiellet that the contents of the channel would be suitably changed.
Thiellet also had discussions with other Indian broadcasters to work on how FTV could be “Indianised”. ‘Financial Express’, quoting sources, said FTV may get into a strategic alliance with an Indian broadcaster for an India-specific fashion channel.
It was earlier reported that FTV Director Michel Adam would be coming down but it was Thiellet who landed up instead.
Accompanying Thiellet as part of a high-powered FTV delegation were Manivel Malone, managing director for Asia, and Marie-Paule Jensen, executive producer. The team met senior government officials on Monday and discussed the cassette prepared by the “monitoring cell” set up by Swaraj.
Thiellet’s visit came after a parliamentary panel led Swaraj decided last Thursday to convey to the FTV bosses that they drop some of their “objectionable” programmes.
