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Tag: Rajyavardhan Rathore

  • Centre considering dedicated documentary TV channel: Rathore

    Centre considering dedicated documentary TV channel: Rathore

    MUMBAI: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said his Ministry was seriously contemplating a dedicated channel for documentary, short and animation films.

     

    However, he said it was difficult to say at this stage whether it would be a new channel or an existing channel like Doordarshan’s DD Bharati.

     

    Speaking at the inauguration of the 14th edition of Mumbai International Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films – MIFF 2016 – which was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Rathore said that documentaries more than features ‘shake us’ and bring about changes in society.

     

    At the same time, he said that the Films Division, which runs the festival needs to innovate and re-invent itself if it had to remain in the public eye and ‘find a reason to exist.’ Rathore cited that the MIFF was part of that process as it gave new vitality to documentary, short and feature films, which get a strong platform here.

     

    He was particularly satisfied that the Division had taken the bold step of FD Zone, whereby documentary films are being shown in other cities at the same time as MIFF.

     

    Rathore said that the I&B Ministry would continue to make efforts to make things easier for makers of documentary, short and animation films. “The mushrooming of so many news and current affairs channels can be probed to help exhibit these films.

    Documentary filmmakers are strong storytellers who move audiences with their films. Digital technology has ushered in a new era in film making and is greatly contributing to the documentary film movement,” he said.

     

    “It is heartening to note that our film makers, despite having great financial hurdles have gone ahead and made excellent films, displaying a mature approach while dealing with social and economic issues. Such films should not remain unseen,” Rathore added.

     

    He also said that the Government was in favour of ensuring that the power and freedom of the filmmaker was not limited by archaic certification laws and referred to setting up of the Shyam Benegal Committee to examine the entire certification process.

     

    Benegal was a Guest of Honour at the inauguration, which also included MIFF brand ambassador Jackie Shroff, Indian Documentary Producers Association president Mike Pandey and Festival director Mukesh Sharma.

     

    Veteran wildlife filmmaker and conservationist Naresh Bedi, who along with his brother Rajesh has been making films for over 45 years, received the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to documentary filmmaking. Filmmaker Kiran Shantaram, who is son of the late V Shantaram, presented the award comprising a trophy, shawl and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. 

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis said that he had offered land to the central government in the Film City in Mumbai for building the long-pending Centre of Excellence in Animation and Gaming. “The state will extend all help in this process,” he said.

     

    Earlier, Benegal said it was sad that while such a prestigious festival was being held, no serious thought was being given to exhibiting and distributing these films. “Ways need to be found to ensure that filmmakers who dabble in the documentary format get their money back to be able to make more films as many are not even able to pay back the loans they took for such films. This is imperative at a time when digital cameras and even cellphones can be used to make films,” he said.

     

    A total of 385 documentaries, short and animation films will be screened during the Festival, which is held every second year in Mumbai. The Festival concludes on 3 February.

     

    The event, organised by the Films Division of the Information & Broadcasting Ministry is supported by the Maharashtra Government.

  • Crowdsourcing of ideas on social media helps Govt firm up policies: Jaitley

    Crowdsourcing of ideas on social media helps Govt firm up policies: Jaitley

    NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley today said the innovative approach to crowdsource ideas from people provided government an opportunity to understand their perspective on major flagship programmes of the government.

     

    The minister also complimented the winners of the social media contest in various categories organised by New Media Cell of his Ministry as part of 67th Republic Day celebrations for providing fresh ideas through social media platforms.

     

    Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore and Secretary Sunil Arora were also present during the occasion.

     

    The contests were held on the Ministry of I&B Social Media platforms – Facebook (www.facebook.com/inbministry), Twitter (@MIB_India) and a specially designed webpage (http://www.graffiti.inbministry.in) where Graffiti were invited from participants on various flagship programmes of the Government.

     

    The competition was open for a fortnight from, 1 – 14 January, 2016. The winners of the contest were provided a unique opportunity to witness the Republic Day Parade, 2016 at New Delhi. The travel and accommodation arrangements of all these winners were sponsored by the I&B Ministry.

     

    For the Graffiti wall, the themes were Start Up India, Stand Up India; Digital Empowerment; Entrepreneurs of Young India; Skilled India, Powerful India; Make In India; Financial Security to All and Housing For All. The graffiti contest received as many as 419 entries across all themes.

  • Crowdsourcing of ideas on social media helps Govt firm up policies: Jaitley

    Crowdsourcing of ideas on social media helps Govt firm up policies: Jaitley

    NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley today said the innovative approach to crowdsource ideas from people provided government an opportunity to understand their perspective on major flagship programmes of the government.

     

    The minister also complimented the winners of the social media contest in various categories organised by New Media Cell of his Ministry as part of 67th Republic Day celebrations for providing fresh ideas through social media platforms.

     

    Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore and Secretary Sunil Arora were also present during the occasion.

     

    The contests were held on the Ministry of I&B Social Media platforms – Facebook (www.facebook.com/inbministry), Twitter (@MIB_India) and a specially designed webpage (http://www.graffiti.inbministry.in) where Graffiti were invited from participants on various flagship programmes of the Government.

     

    The competition was open for a fortnight from, 1 – 14 January, 2016. The winners of the contest were provided a unique opportunity to witness the Republic Day Parade, 2016 at New Delhi. The travel and accommodation arrangements of all these winners were sponsored by the I&B Ministry.

     

    For the Graffiti wall, the themes were Start Up India, Stand Up India; Digital Empowerment; Entrepreneurs of Young India; Skilled India, Powerful India; Make In India; Financial Security to All and Housing For All. The graffiti contest received as many as 419 entries across all themes.

  • Kamal Haasan, Gautam Ghose join Benegal’s committee on film certification

    Kamal Haasan, Gautam Ghose join Benegal’s committee on film certification

    NEW DELHI: Filmmaker Gautam Ghose and actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan have been added to the Committee headed by Shyam Benegal to suggest a paradigm that ensures that artistic creativity and freedom do not get stifled/curtailed even as films are certified.

     

    Benegal said it had been felt that more regions of the country should be given representation on the panel.

     

    The Committee had over the weekend held its first meeting with Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore, and Secretary Sunil Arora.

     

    The other Members of the Committee include filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, creative director Piyush Pandey, media veteran Bhawana Somayya, National Film Development Corporation MD Nina Lath Gupta and Joint Secretary (Films) Sanjay Murthy as Member Convenor. The Committee has been requested to submit its recommendations within two months.  

     

    When setting up the Committee on New Year’s Day, the Ministry had said that “in most countries of the world there is a mechanism/process of certifying feature films and documentaries,” an official release also said that the attempt should also be that “the people tasked with the work of certification understand these nuances.”

     

    The recommendations of this Committee are expected to provide a holistic framework and enable those tasked with the work of certification of films to discharge their responsibilities keeping in view this framework. 

     

    The note said Indian films have a glorious history and a whole lot of Indian films have enriched the cultural milieu of the country besides making astonishing advances in technical aspects of film making.

     

    During their deliberations, the Committee would be expected to take note of the best practices in various parts of the world, especially where the film industry is given sufficient and adequate space for creative and aesthetic expression.

     

    The Committee will recommend broad guidelines and procedures under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952, Rules for the benefit of the chairperson and other members of the Screening Committee. The staffing pattern of Central Board of Film Certification would also be looked into in an effort to recommend a framework, which would provide efficient and transparent user friendly services.

  • Print media should adapt itself to digital technologies: Jaitley

    Print media should adapt itself to digital technologies: Jaitley

    NEW DELHI: In the rapidly growing digital era, the print media needs to accept the challenges put forth by the Digital and Information age according to Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley.

    The internet revolution and fast changing technology presented a big challenge to the Print Media across the world to maintain its presence and sustained growth. However, India remained an exception wherein Print registered growth owing to an increasing demand and subscriber base for regional newspapers. 

    Releasing the 59th Annual Report on Print Media – “Press in India 2014-15” – prepared and compiled by Registrar of Newspapers for India here today, Jaitley said that Print Media had to contend with the information flow disseminating from electronic media which weakened the dividing line between news and opinion. 

    The emerging viewpoint had brought certain shrillness in the debates and discussions. Print Media, thus, had a role to play in maintaining objectivity and preserving the sacred nature of news. It was important to also understand that emerging viewpoints surfaced due to the vastness of the media universe where different perspectives were put forth on a given issue.

    Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore was also present during the event.  

    The Minister said that it was time for magazine journalism to reinvent itself since the options for the readers were expanding due to alternatives such as digital and social media. Jaitley said the worldwide trends show that many popular magazines had shifted to the online digital edition, since it’s time for instantaneous news with fast changing world, news and technology. Hence, the shelf life for news being collated in magazines was considered outdated.

    Special Secretary J S Mathur gave an overview of the publication and highlighted the journey of Press through history. He also touched upon the changes being brought forth in the media space, especially the Print Media.

    The Annual Report “Press in India- 2014-15” was prepared on the basis of analysis of annual statements filed by the registered publications. The report provided broad analysis of the general trend of the Indian Press based on the claimed circulation.

    The print media registered a growth of 5.80 per cent over the previous year as a total of 5,817 new publications were registered during 2014-15 and 34 publications ceased their operation. Out of the total 1,05,443 publications registered as on 31 March, 2015, the largest number of newspapers and periodicals registered in any Indian language was in Hindi with a figure of 42,493 publications followed by English with 13,661 registered publications. Out of 1,05,443 registered publications, 14,984 were dailies and bi-tri weeklies and remaining 90,459 were of other periodicities. 

    State-wise analysis shows that Uttar Pradesh with 16,130 publications was at top position at the end of 2014-15. Maharashtra with 14,394 publications and Delhi with 12,177 publications were at second and third position respectively.

    The total claimed circulation of publications stood at 51,05,21,445 in 2014-15 as against 45,05,86,212 copies per publishing day in 2013-14. The number of Annual statements received in RNI for the year 2014-15 was 23,394 against 19,755 in 2013-14 registering an increase of 18.42 per cent. As per report, circulation-wise, Hindi Publications continued to lead with 25,77,61,985 copies per publishing day followed by English with 6,26,62,670 copies and Urdu with 4,12,73,949 copies per publishing day.

    The report also carried different Chapters viz. ownership of newspapers, analysis of daily newspapers, language wise study of the press and analysis of registered newspapers.

    Main highlights of the Indian Press in 2014-15 are as follows:-

  • No reduction in Govt advertising: Rathore

    No reduction in Govt advertising: Rathore

    NEW DELHI: The government has denied that there has been  any reduction in advertisements to the print or electronic media.

     

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said in the Parliament that the quantum of advertisements is based on the requirements of the individual ministries and departments.

     

    He said Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) is a nodal multimedia advertising agency of the Government for advertising on behalf of various ministries and departments and organisations of the Government of India including Public Sector Undertakings and Autonomous bodies.

     

    The DAVP therefore publicises various policies, schemes and programmes on behalf of the client ministries and departments in accordance with their requirements, budget provisions and creatives.

     

    Replying to another question, he said the DAVP empanels newspapers/journals as stipulated in the Advertisement Policy of the Government with effect from 2 October, 2007.

     

    He said that no case of any newspaper is pending for more than six months, which fulfils all requisite norms as laid down in the Advertisement Policy.  

  • Government’s e-calendar 2016 gives link to AIR, DD News

    Government’s e-calendar 2016 gives link to AIR, DD News

    NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley said conventional technology did not lose its importance despite the latest trends in technology.

     

    He was speaking after releasing the Government Calendar 2016, which he said would take forward the developmental agenda of the government highlighting one developmental theme or focus area each month. Each calendar sheet emphasised a particular goal and priority area, which concerned the people at large.

     

    Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore said that the Calendar 2016 enabled people to give feedback to the government. It also gave them access to PIB press releases, tweets and news from All India Radio and Doordarshan news. 

     

    The calendar is on the theme of ‘Vikas ki Nayi Udaan’. I&B secretary Sunil Arora was also present on the occasion.

     

    Releasing the digital version of the calendar, Rathore said it had several features to reach the target audience especially the youth and citizens who sought information on programmes and policies. He further stated that success of the schemes of the Government depended largely on the awareness levels of citizens.

     

    The digital version of the calendar will facilitate the information flow to the youth who were quite aware of new techniques and methods. The Minister also highlighted the initiatives being taken by DAVP to facilitate online functioning including enhancing outreach and promoting transparency. There was also an idea within DAVP to come up with advertisements targeted at specific audiences.

     

    The calendar has been designed and printed by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP). It is printed in 11 languages apart from Hindi. It is distributed to all Panchayat zilla parishads, centrally aided schools; all missions abroad apart from all elected representatives Central Government Gazetted officers. 

     

    With the theme ‘Vikas ki Nayi Udaan’ the calendar highlights various developmental schemes launched by Government of India. It centers on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Mudra Yojna, smart cities, PMKYV, Jan Dhan Yojna, Digital India, Health, Power and Employment for all, farmers’ welfare and port-led development. The Calendar 2016 ends with Ashtalakshmi that lays stress on development in the North East. The Department of Posts is responsible for distribution of the Calendar across the country.

  • MIB to set up Film Facilitation Offices to aid foreign filmmakers in India

    MIB to set up Film Facilitation Offices to aid foreign filmmakers in India

    NEW DELHI: The Government has cleared proposals for setting up Film Facilitation Office (FFO) in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata for foreign film producers in assisting them to procure requisite permissions to shoot in India.

     

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told Parliament today that the FFO would be set up with the help of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

     

    It would also disseminate information on shooting locations and the facilities available with the Indian film industry for production and post production. 

     

    A total number of 33 requests from foreign filmmakers for shooting in India have been received till date during the current year, Rathore said. The requests include shooting of feature films and television shows.

     

    The Government has already taken several steps to promote India as a filming destination and to promote Indian film industry.

     

    The Ministry has also taken up with Home and External Affairs Ministries, the issues relating to easing of visa norms as well as simplification of procedures for according permission, duly taking into consideration the security concerns and other related issues.

  • Animation & Gaming Centre will be close to industry venue: Rathore

    Animation & Gaming Centre will be close to industry venue: Rathore

    NEW DELHI: While declining to give the exact venue for the proposed National Centre for Animation, Gaming and Visual Effects (NCOE), the Parliament was told today that it would be located in a place closer to the animation and gaming industry.

     

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said in reply to a question that the Centre would be set up with participation from the industry and with the help of Media & Entertainment Skill Council (MESC).

     

    The objective of NCOE is to build a national centre of excellence to impart world class education at affordable fee structure in animation, gaming and visual effects.

     

    This would help create a world class talent pool in India to cater to the Indian and global players, the Minister said.

  • I&B Ministry took action on 91 complaints against TV channels since 2012

    I&B Ministry took action on 91 complaints against TV channels since 2012

    NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry took action on 91 complaints between 2012 and August 2015 against various private television channels, the Parliament was told today.

     

    This included warnings, advisories, apology scrolls, and prohibiting transmissions of channels for a fixed period, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said.

     

    A budget of Rs 22.41 crore has been set aside in the budget estimates for the Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC), which is mandated to look at all private satellite television channels uplinked from and downlinked into India.

     

    The fund allocation for the same in 2014-15 was Rs 27.46 crore, while in 2013-14 was Rs 20.54 crore.

     

    The Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) set up to look into the violations suo-motu or whenever violation of the Programme and Advertising Codes took action on 91 complaints against various TV channels since 2012.

     

    The IMC has representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Defence, External Affairs, Law, Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, Consumer Affairs and a representative from the industry in Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). IMC meets periodically and recommends action in respect of violations.