FYI channels explain serial blackout/strike updat

TV channels explain serial blackout

India's TV channels, and their viewers, have begun paying for a war over wages between producers of serials and their workers.

Eclipsing their individual channel rivalry and displaying a sense of solidarirty, the channels got together to say that they were operating under a contract with the makers of serials and could not raise their payout to them in the middle of the contract.

"This situation leading to the blackout has been forced on us," said the heads of the TV channels, "we have spoken to our advertisers and they are fine with our decision. We have warned all production houses and we gave them this deadline to resolve their issues but this did not happen. And that is why the re-runs of all shows across all channels this week."

No fresh episodes of any serial are being shown on TV all of this week. The CEOs who spoke to the media included Uday Shankar of Star, Punit Goenka of Zee, Rajesh Kamath of Colors, Samir Nair of NDTV and Albert Almeida of Sony.

The producers, who are facing a demand of increased wages from technicians and junior artistes, have insisted that the TV channels foot the increase in their costs.

'We tried to resolve it but it is just impossible to have uniform increments for all shows," the CEOs said, "we have offered them an increment for prime time slots and as all of us know it is always a different package of payment for different channels."

The differences, the CEOs said, had not resulted in hostility. "Our relations were always cordial with producers, but this situation is bad and we want to sort out the issue as quickly as possible.'

' Sonali Joshi, Hill Road Media ' Tuesday, November 11, 2008

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/November/News_20081111_55

TV producers want meeting with broadcasters and workers

Indiantelevision.com Team

(11 November 2008 11:50 pm)

MUMBAI: The impasse between the broadcasters, TV content producers and workers continued as viewers were denied for the second day fresh programming of their entertainment content on Hindi general entertainment channels.

A day after the broadcasters expressed their united stance, producers today said the way out was for the three stakeholders to sit together and arrive at a solution that would overhaul the system that has developed flaws.

"Broadcasters, producers and workers have to meet together and clean up the system," said Mukesh Bhatt, chairperson of the producers core committee, while addressing the press here today.

The working conditions need to be streamlined and there should be a different wage structure for the film and the TV industry as the requirements are different.

"The rules need to be different for the film and the TV industry. The broadcasters, workers and us need to meet in a common platform and try to resolve the issue at the earliest," said Bhatt.

"The need is to draw a fresh set of guidelines for the smooth functioning of the industry. Equally important is that all the three bodies must come forward with a positive mind for change," Bhatt added.

On Monday, broadcasters had sent strong signals to the TV content producers and workers that they would not absorb any rate hike at a time when the global economy is on a tailspin.

http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k8/nov/nov122.php

Hindi GECs stay firm; impasse continues

Indiantelevision.com Team

(10 November 2008 11:58 pm)

MUMBAI \ NEW DELHI: Facing the first day of "zero fresh content" on their Hindi general entertainment channels, broadcasters have sent strong signals to the TV content producers and workers that they would not absorb any rate hike at a time when the global economy is on a tailspin.

"We had to take such an extreme and drastic step of denying our viewers of their evening dose of Hindi entertainment content because any additional cost liability is unsustainable. We are the unfortunate victims in this crossfire between the TV producers and workers," said Star India CEO Uday Shankar while addressing the press here today.

Conceding to the demands would have meant a 15 per cent jump in programming costs for fiction shows, something the broadcasters said was "illogical" when "everybody was tightening their belts."

Stressing on the gravity of the situation that had forced the broadcasters to take a united stance, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd CEO Punit Goenka said: "Such an unilateral increase is not acceptable. And we have decided that none of us will use this period tactically for our ratings."

Broadcasters will, as part of their common agreement, not premiere movies or even increase their filmed entertainment content. Zee TV, thus, will not go ahead to show Taare Zameen Par this Sunday (16 November) despite heavily marketing the movie. Similarly, Colors, which is allowed to air Bigg Boss, can't promote its other shows during the screening of the reality show.

Broadcasters of the Hindi GECs clarified that advertisers were aware of the cost structure and were "sympathetic" to them. Said Sony Entertainment Television business head Albert Almeida, 'We have informed AAAI and ASCI and they have been supportive of their stance. There have been no ad pull-outs or new negotiations on rates so far."

The row between TV producers and workers ranges over a whole range of complex issues. "This is not just a case of wage hikes but also stretches to working conditions," said Colors CEO Rajesh Kamat.

NDTV Imagine CEO Sameer Nair emphasised on the amicable relationship that all the stakeholders shared historically. "We hope that the disputes will be resolved quickly," he said.

Though it is too early to assess the financial impact the impasse would have on the TV sector, advertisers fear an overhang of re-run shows would lure viewers away from GECs to movie, news and regional channels.

http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k8/nov/nov105.php

Viewers ditch TV shows as strike brings on reruns

Priyanka Mehra

New Delhi: A labour dispute that has forced the country's much-watched entertainment channels to air reruns rather than new episodes of popular programmes has had a major impact on audiences for television channels.

According to the viewership data from television audience measurement agency, Audience Measurement and Analytics Pvt. Ltd (A-Map), the prime time gross rating points (GRPs) of most Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) have declined between 35% and 55% in the three days since 10 November compared with the prior week.

GRPs are the sum total of the television rating points (TRPs) of a particular programme, or a channel over a specific period of time.

TRPs, in turn, refer to the percentage of people watching a particular programme at a given point in time. It essentially reflects a channel's or a programme's viewership share during that time slot. Prime time refers to 7-11pm.

The ratings are vital for television channels in terms of what they can charge advertisers as well as minimum audiences that some channels promise advertisers in clinching ad deals.

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) called for a walkout alleging stagnant wages since 2007. The strike began on 2 October.

As a result, content producers have not been able to supply fresh content to television broadcasters, forcing the channels to rerun shows.

A-Map data indicates that the viewership share of the top-rated shows, such as Bidaai, Kis Desh Mei Hai Mera Dil and Kasamh Se, declined by 91%, 89% and 70%, respectively, in the first three days. These shows are aired by Star India Pvt. Ltd's Star Plus channel and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd's Zee TV, respectively.

(cont'd)

http://www.livemint.com/2008/11/13235354/Viewers-ditch-TV-shows-as-stri.html?h=B

Entertainment
What's the soap tonight? TV audience in a fix

Strike to hit TV channels' revenue

Ashish Sinha / New Delhi November 16, 2008, 0:31 IST

An additional demand of Rs 12.3 lakh per shift to the 35,000 workers of the Mumbai-based television industry or Rs 35.50 per worker (per shift) has put the weekly advertising revenue of Rs 35-40 crore generated by the 11-odd general entertainment channels under pressure as the imbroglio between the broadcasters and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) continues.

According to the claims made by FWICE, if the pay is raised, its 35,000 members will resume work immediately. Of course, there are several other related demands such as a timebound payment of the shift wage, restricting shifts to 8 hours rather than the current 10-12 hours among others, says a senior FWICE executive.

The strike, that has been in effect from November 9 in Mumbai, has stopped the shooting and editing work of about 60 shows and serials of a dozen entertainment channels, forcing them to re-run old shows.

Re-runs of such shows have now resulted in up to 55 per cent drop in their prime-time viewership ratings, a key parameter for advertisers to put their money for buying ad spots. According to online rating agency aMap, the first four days of the current week has seen Star Plus, Zee TV, Colors and NDTV Imagine lose the maximum viewership rating.

(cont'd)

http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=340302

TV soaps imbroglio continues

11/16/2008 11:17:33 AM

http://www.timesnow.tv/Newsdtls.aspx?NewsID=21048