Exclusive: Give flexibility to news channels on ad duration, NBA counsel
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14-11-2013, 09:18 AM
Post: #1
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Give flexibility to news channels on ad duration, NBA counsel
MUMBAI: The implementation of 12 minute ad cap regulation will have adverse impact on the financial health of news broadcasters, which is already under strain due to fragmentation and lack of addressability of cable TV networks. Appearing for the NBA, senior counsel Anup J Bhambhani argued that the ad regulation will lead to deterioration of content on news channels since the broadcasters won’t be able to invest more in programming due to diminishing ad revenue arising from cut in commercial air time.
The fall in the quality of content will have further repercussions for news channels as they will find it difficult to attract adequate viewership and, hence, impact their ad revenues. The revenue loss will in turn lead to layoffs at news channels, he argued. Since the viewership pattern of news channels is different from entertainment channels, Bhambhani urged that the news channels be given the flexibility to decide the ad duration during a clock hour rather than restricting it to 12 minutes. He also stated that there was a huge difference between the rates that the advertisers pay for the two genres, with the entertainment channels getting 10 times the ad rates of a news channel. To prove his point, Bhambhani gave the example of Prime Minister’s speech which is broadcast for an hour without any ads. Going by the current ad regulation, the news channels will lose 12 minutes which cannot be carried forward. He further argued that the TRAI’s ad regulation was a violation of the fundamental right of the news channels under Article 19(1) (a) of the constitution as advertisements are part of free speech. The restriction of ad duration tantamount to unreasonable restriction which is also violative of Article 19 (1) (g). He referred to the Sakal Press Pvt Ltd versus Union of India wherein the Supreme Court had ruled that the government cannot make laws that will impact the circulation of a newspaper and held it as a violation of freedom of speech. He also highlighted Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s argument that TRAI does not have the power to regulate ad duration on television as the same was under the purview of central government. He also stated that regulation of ad duration was akin to content regulation, which is again outside the purview of the sector regulator. The arguments, which began on 11 November, will continue tomorrow. Apart from NBA, the other petitioners in the case are Sun TV Network, Raj TV Network, Eenadu Television, 9X Media, B4U Broadband, TV Vision, E24 Glamour, Reliance Broadcast Network and Sarthak Entertainment. Read more at: http://www.televisionpost.com/trai-tdsat...a-counsel/ | TelevisionPost.com |
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14-11-2013, 09:23 AM
Post: #2
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RE: Give flexibility to news channels on ad duration, NBA counsel
Good news.Because a programme watching time full time ads.
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