ITV

Tag: R. R. Shah

  • Industry grouping nixes Prasar Bharati DTH TV proposal

    Industry grouping nixes Prasar Bharati DTH TV proposal

    The Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) has said nyet to state-owned broadcaster DD’s DTH proposal. DD had proposed that it would own 20 per cent in a DTH venture with the remainder being given to non-broadcasters. Broadcasters would be called to partner it as content providers.

    DD chief R. R. Shah met up with private broacasters who are members of the IBF on 13 November. The members apparently did not evince much interest in the proposal and instead asked that the government issue a clarification on the issue of the cap on equity for broadcasters and cable TV operators in a DTH operation.

    Private broadcasters have not been happy with information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj’s statement that the limit on total broadcasting investment in a DTH project’s equity is 20 per cent. They have been pushing for this to be an individual broadcaster’s investment so that two or three of them can get together to form a DTH coalition.

  • Cinevista take DD to court for knocking out Knock Out!!

    Cinevista take DD to court for knocking out Knock Out!!

    What a Knock Out it was! Cinevista promoters Sunil Mehta and Prem Krishen got the shock of their lives after they were told by Prasar Bharati chief R.R. Shah that the game show Knock-Out that the production company was going to produce for DD had been called off. This week they announced that they were taking the state-owned broadcaster to Court and that they had filed a writ petition against its decision to garbage it.

    In early December Cinevista had had a high profile announcement that they would be doing the show and veteran cinema actor Kabir Bedi had been signed on to host it. Reams of media coverage had been given to Kabir Bedi and Knock-Out for almost a fortnight. Then there was total silence followed by Shah’s announcement.

    The reason given by DD for dumping the show: its holding company, Prasar Bharati, thought that Knock-Out was all about chance and that meant it was akin to gambling, which was something DD should not be encouraging. The show carried a maximum prize of Rs 10.2 million and had been for one hour every Sunday at 21:00 hrs.

    Cinevista says the show was not a commissioned one but belonged in the sponsored category and any losses incurred on it would be its responsibility. Hence DD should not have taken the course of action it has. Mehta and Krishen say they have tried to convince DD to take back its decision with not luck; hence they are taking legal recourse now.