Chinese President and General Secretary of Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping (Xinhua_Ju Peng_IANS) - Copy
The TV drama industry needs to strengthen employee training and ideological and political guidance and clarify the red line and bottom line…reports Asian Lite News
China has imposed fresh curbs on the domestic TV industry, regulating that performers’ total payment must not exceed 40 per cent of a show’s production cost while the principal performers’ payment shall not exceed 70 per cent of the performers’ total pay, reported Global Times.
China’s State Administration of Radio and Television on Friday issued the requirements for the development plan of TV dramas, opposing sky-high remuneration, yin-yang contracts (contract that conceals the real payment of stars), tax evasion, vicious competition and market monopoly, and preventing the disorderly expansion of capital; and requiring TV dramas to serve diplomatic and foreign propaganda work and strengthen overseas influence.
The plan mentioned that it is necessary to strengthen the cost management and accounting of TV dramas, and standardize the order of income distribution including actors’ remuneration. The total remuneration of all actors of each TV series shall not exceed 40 per cent of the total production cost and the remuneration of the main actors shall not exceed 70 per cent of the total actor’s remuneration.
The plan emphasizes that illegal and immoral artists are prohibited from appearing in TV dramas and it is necessary to regulate the brokers and brokerage companies in the TV drama industry and implement industry-wide punishments for those who violate the laws and regulations.
The TV drama industry needs to strengthen employee training and ideological and political guidance and clarify the red line and bottom line.
The plan pointed out that the development goal of Chinese TV dramas is to focus on the vision of building China into a cultural power by 2035.
The creation of TV dramas should be guided by Xi Jinping thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era. The key point is to launch works that praise the motherland and heroes and use TV series to tell the story of the Chinese Communist Party’s governance of the country.
At the same time, all localities are encouraged to explore themes with local characteristics such as border frontiers and rural areas. It clearly requires that the Chinese TV drama industry should serve the diplomatic and publicity work, deepen international cooperation and exchanges, establish a cultural exchange mechanism with foreign countries. (ANI)
IndiaCast UK ropes in 5 channel partners for the launch of COLORS Gujarati in the UK … reports Asian Lite News
The channel which launched in June on Sky TV and Virgin TV is the only premium Gujarati Entertainment channel available for the sizeable Gujarati speaking population in UK.
Since the launch, the channel has been performing well on the ratings chart. This has drawn some exceptional brands in the UK to partner with COLORS Gujarati. These brands include Skrill Money Transfer, Sunrise Radio, Vasu Healthcare (TRICHUP Haircare), East African Foods (Wots Kenyan Chevdo) and Sumeet’s Step2Step Dance Academy, along with a few notable show sponsors as well.
Elaborating on the development, Govind Shahi, Executive Vice President, IndiaCast UK said, “The fact that we have 5 channel partners on-board during the launch phase itself speaks volumes about the trust our partners and advertisers have in us and on the channel. Colors Gujarati is a perfect platform to reach a targeted audience base; especially in today’s times, when one does not have the luxury to go all out with mass media campaigns. The initial viewership numbers for Colors Gujarati UK are encouraging and we are sure that all our partners can work on building a regular engagement with our loyal audience base.”
Jitesh Malde, MD – JDM Distributors, said, “We are proud to support the launch of Colors Gujarati, the only Gujarati language entertainment channel in the UK. Our loyal customer base includes diaspora especially East African Gujaratis who are proud of their culture much like our Kenyan Chevdo, which celebrates our unique heritage. HAKUNA MATATA, enjoy our delicious Chevdo.”
Tony Lit MBE Managing Director of Sunrise Radio mentioned “We are delighted to be working with Colors Gujarati on this launch. I think a quality focussed channel for the British Gujarati community will be very well received and has been long overdue – entertainment choice and quality content are so important. Congratulations Colors Gujarati.”
Adding to this, M Vala, Head of International Business, Vasu Healthcare – India said: “TRICHUP is a renowned Hair care brand in 50+ countries which we have recently launched in the UK with the help of Colours Gujarati and we have started getting fabulous response from the market. Thank you team Colours Gujarati UK.”
Wishing the team on the launch of the channel, Sumeet’s Step2Step Bollywood Dance Academy, said “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success. Wishing all the very best to Colors Gujarati UK for their channel launch and keep inspiring.”
Ritu Soni, VP Product – Skrill Money Transfer, signed off by saying “We are excited to support Colors Gujarati channel launch in the UK and keep helping Indian diaspora send money to their loved ones quickly and safely.”
This channel’s marketing campaign revolves around the theme of “Dil Thi Gujarati” literally conveying that the channel will resonate with each and every Gujarati speaking in the UK. With a perfect mix of family dramas, comedy, movies, mythological & food shows; the channel surely lives up to the colourful and variety seeking Gujarati audience expectations. The channel is also running a small contest for all viewers currently and has planned a couple of interesting viewer engagement activities in the near future. Stay tuned in and do not miss out on the fun!
Colors Gujarati UK is available on Sky TV No. 794 & Virgin Media No. 825
The government’s clarification came as the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) had recently written to the I&B ministry urging it to “exempt and exclude” the traditional television news media…reports Asian Lite News
All mainstream media, including print and electronic, will have to comply the provisions of IT Rules, 2021 with immediate effect without exemption as the government has refused to exempt them from the ambit of the new digital media rules.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has said that the rationale for bringing the websites of the organisations under the ambit of the law is “well-reasoned”.
“Making any exception of the nature proposed will be discriminatory to the digital news publishers who do not have a traditional TV/print platform,” the ministry said in a clarification to digital news publishers, publishers of online curated content or OTT platforms and associations of digital media publishers.
The government’s clarification came as the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) had recently written to the I&B ministry urging it to “exempt and exclude” the traditional television news media and its extended presence on digital news platforms from the ambit of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, saying they are already “sufficiently regulated” by various statutes, laws, guidelines, codes and regulations.
Noting that code of ethics requires such digital platforms to follow the exiting norms or content regulations, which are in vogue for the traditional print and TV media, the Ministry said, there is no additional regulatory burden for such entities.
Accordingly, it said, the request for exempting the digital news content of such organisations from the ambit of digital media rules 2021 cannot be acceded to.
“It does recognise that entities having traditional TV and print media are already registered with the government either under the Press and Registration Books Act or the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines of 2011.
“The digital version/digital publication of the organisations having traditional news platforms (TV and print) may be following internal guidelines of the self-regulatory bodies. Accordingly, if the organisations so desire, they can request the same self-regulatory bodies to serve as the Level II of the self-regulatory mechanism, after ensuring consistency with the Digital Media Rules, 2021,” said the Ministry.
The Ministry also clarified that when any news and current affairs content of a digital news publisher is transmitted on an OTT platform, such content would be outside the regulatory responsibility of that platform.
“However, if any OTT platform receives a grievance related to such news and current affairs, it may transfer the same to the publisher concerned of that content. Accordingly, there should not be any apprehension on this count either to the digital news publishers or to the OTT platforms,” it said. The ministry noted that the television news channels already have a self-regulatory mechanism in place to adjudicate grievances relating to the violation of the programme code under the Cable Television Network Act, 1995 and their internal codes or guidelines.
“The requirement of Level II under the Digital Media Rules, 2021 is only an extension of an existing institutional practice. Further, the composition of the self-regulating body would be decided entirely by the publishers and the government has no role to play,” the ministry said. “It is neither stipulated nor intended for the government to either interfere or obstruct the formation of the self-regulating body including its composition,” it added.
The ministry also dismissed the concerns that the oversight mechanism stipulated under the digital media rules would lead to excessive government control over the functioning of the digital news publishers and the OTT platforms.
“In this regard, it may be mentioned that even at present, in respect of the traditional TV channels, there is an oversight mechanism in the government by way of an inter-ministerial committee (IMC), which looks at certain grievances relating to the violation of the Programme Code, a mechanism which is in existence since 2005,” said the Ministry.
Over the last 15 years, the IMC has given recommendations by way of advisories, warnings etc in respect of a large number of cases involving the content of both news and non-news channels in relation to the Programme Code and in almost every such case, the TV channels have accepted the recommendations of the panel, the Ministry said.
“The IMC mechanism has stood the test of time. The concept of an inter-departmental committee (IDC) is similar.”
“Further, Level III is visualised as a residual level, in so far as the grievances which do not get addressed at the first and second levels would go to the IDC. Accordingly, the apprehension of excessive government control through these mechanisms is misplaced,” said the Ministry.
In the overall context, the Digital Media Rules, 2021 may be complied with by the digital news publishers and the OTT platforms without any misapprehensions, it added.
The Ministry further said that the publishers may furnish the requisite information in the prescribed format immediately, take urgent steps for appointing a grievance officer, if not done, and place all relevant details in the public domain, constitute self-regulatory bodies through mutual consultation so that the grievances are addressed at the level of publishers or the self-regulating bodies themselves.
It further added that over 500 publishers have already submitted their details in the requisite format.
Radhika will also be seen in two OTT original films. She says that she is open to the probability of the web some day overpowering films…writes Yashika Mathur
Actress Radhika Madan has made a mark as a Bollywood actress with her roles in “Angrezi Medium”, “Pataakha” and “Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota”. However, before her film debut in 2018, she was a well-known television star.
Talking about her transition from television to films, the actress said it was important to shed the ego that comes with television stardom.
Radhika Madan
“In television, fame comes really quickly, so you get the ego boost really quickly. Once the ego is high up there and you want to start with films, I don’t think a lot of people are ready to bring their ego down and start as a student,” she told.
Was it easy for her to leave her ego behind? “I wouldn’t have survived otherwise. It’s a different medium. The dialogues are different, the delivery scenes are different. Now you are sitting a dark room in front of a huge screen in front of you without distraction. Whereas in television, people watch it — especially the saas-bahu sagas — while taking care of their kids or cutting vegetable or doing household chores. The actors’ performance needs to be up by a notch to get the attention but in movies even if you blink an eye, you miss the scene,” she said.
For Radhika, who played the lead in television show “Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi” between 2014 and 2016, taking the leap wasn’t difficult because she was ready to evolve in accordance to her new medium.
“It (change of medium) was not difficult in my head. I understood both the mediums and I think people see you as you see yourself. Because it wasn’t a hindrance in my head, I don’t think people saw it as hindrance as well. I was aware that television is a different medium and movies are different and I needed to change my acting style. I needed to unlearn whatever I have learnt,” said the actress.
Radhika, who will soon be seen in the film “Shiddat”, added: “The problem comes when you want to approach movies with the same attitude, with same acting style as TV and you expect them to take you. It is about understanding the medium. Unlearning happens with every project.”
Radhika will also be seen in two OTT original films. She says that she is open to the probability of the web some day overpowering films.
“Earlier, there used to be a certain taboo connected with OTT. If you are coming on digital platform then it was a step down. Now if you are digital star, then people are in awe and they also want to be one. A time may come when digital stars are bigger than films stars. I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Radhika.
