I am tempted to comment (so here it is) that if clarity and moving forward was the purpose, the rules would have been framed unambiguously.
The EC's announcement (which only makes it clear that radio is an acceptable medium for pre-election paid political announcements, from its point of view, and not an instruction to the government) does not appear to be intended to differentiate between commercial and non-commercial stations. Since advertising per se is already allowed on commercial stations, it is up to the government to frame rules accordingly for non-commercial stations. Perhaps NIC needs to understand its mandate better, e-nabling e-governance, so that it becomes easier for the government to induct public response and demand through online rapid data collection mechanisms. As it stands today, TRAI is limited to its occasional physical Open Houses, held in Delhi, naturally, since that is where the greatest number of Indians live (the HC in Mumbai in a judgment yesterday has absolved regional political leaders from the effects of their anti-national, seditious and divisive public pronouncements, so clearly real Indians only live in the capital), and perhaps that is for the good, since NIC can't ensure that the TRAI site is even accesible, much less interactive. The ministries, on the other hand, make no effort at all to gauge public sentiment. I don't include the sentiments delivered lovingly in plain suitcases. Vickram http://communicall.wordpress.com http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com ________________________________ From: Arti Jaiman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: CR India <[email protected]>; sajan venniyoor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, 18 November, 2008 13:57:57 Subject: Re: [cr-india] "Election panel allows ads on FM channels" I thought CR stations could only look for funding from multi-lateral agencies. Wouldn't "donations" from individuals be under the scanner? This is, of course, in addition to the 5 minutes per hour of advertising that we'd be allowed to sell. How do sponsors get factored into this limitation? Arti Arti Jaiman Project Manager: TRF Radio [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.trfindia.org www.jaiman.org www.pitara.com --- On Tue, 18/11/08, sajan venniyoor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: sajan venniyoor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [cr-india] "Election panel allows ads on FM channels" > To: "CR India" <[email protected]> > Date: Tuesday, 18 November, 2008, 9:54 AM > **Arti wrote; > > > What if one party or candidate flooded a CR station > with his or her ads - > > it would almost seem as if the station was > "owned" by that party. > > > > Sure it would, unless the station was allowed to provide a > context of > impartial news coverage and analysis which, of course, they > are not allowed > to do. In its 1995 judgment, the Supreme Court had warned > of the > manipulation of news and views by powerful commercial and > political > interests. They were practically writing the narrative for > radio. > > Vickram writes: > > > I propose a via media: each station may establish an > independent support > > fund, whose principal, and eventually earnings, be > earmarked to run the > > station. In return, the station may read out the list > of donors on regular > > broadcasts. > > > That may well be construed as sponsorship, which is > forbidden. (Concepts > like 'sponsorship' and 'advertisement' are > poorly defined. In Australia, > where sponsorship is permitted but advertisements are not, > a CR station came > within a whisker of being > fined<http://bowral.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/no-fine-for-radio-station-ad-breach/1358282.aspx>for > not including the word 'sponsor' in their > sponsorship announcement. In > India, you'd lose your license if you mentioned > 'sponsor'. I wonder if we > could get away with 'donor', as in "This > programme was supported by the > following donors..." H'm). > > Sajan > > > On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 9:27 AM, Vickram Crishna > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > > > It will be very hard for any fledgling CR station to > avoid being tainted by > > advertising money - whether there's fire behind > the smoke or not. > > > > I propose a via media: each station may establish an > independent support > > fund, whose principal, and eventually earnings, be > earmarked to run the > > station. In return, the station may read out the list > of donors on regular > > broadcasts. Each station can decide for itself when to > do this, and how > > often to repeat donor names. > > > > Vickram > > http://communicall.wordpress.com > > http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com > > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* Arti Jaiman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > *To:* CR India <[email protected]>; sajan > venniyoor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > *Sent:* Monday, 17 November, 2008 9:14:37 > > *Subject:* Re: [cr-india] "Election panel allows > ads on FM channels" > > > > Assuming the same conditions are applicable to CR > stations, isn't it about > > time the forum arrived at agreed upon norms for > accepting advertising on CR > > stations. > > > > What if one party or candidate flooded a CR station > with his or her ads - > > it would almost seem as if the station was > "owned" by that party. > > > > > > Arti > > > > Arti Jaiman Project Manager: TRF Radio > [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.trfindia.org > > www.jaiman.org www.pitara.com > > > > > > --- On Mon, 17/11/08, sajan venniyoor > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > Date: Monday, 17 November, 2008, 8:47 AM > > > *Election panel allows ads on FM channels* > > > > > > > > YOU COULD soon hear the election campaign on your > favourite > > > FM channel. > > > > > > The Election Commission has decided to allow > political ads > > > on private radio > channels and asked the > Information and Broadcasting > > > Ministry to amend the > relevant laws to > facilitate the move. > > > > > > The decision came on a request from the I&B > Ministry, > which had wanted > > the > > > EC to allow political ads on radio like private > TV > channels. > > > > > > With the EC's green signal, the ministry > will have to > amend the AIR > > code > > > (Code for Commercial Advertising on All India > Radio) to > allow political > > > campaign slots with the condition being that the > ads cannot > malign > > rival > > > parties. > > > > > > Radio operators are looking forward to the > development as > their > > revenues are > > > likely to shoot if they carry political ads. > > > > > > The EC agreed with the view of the I&B > ministry that > since TV channels > > are > > > allowed to carry campaign ads following a Supreme > Court > order, FM > > channels > > > too should be allowed to do so. > > > > > > The EC stopped political ads on radio and TV in > February > 2004. It had > > cited > > > the AIR code and the Cable TV Networks > (Regulation) Act, > 1995, which > > > prohibited political ads. > > > > > > Later, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) > challenged > the decision > > in > > > the Supreme Court, arguing broadcasters should be > treated > on a par with > > the > > > print media. The apex court delivered a verdict > in support > of the TV > > > channels. The radio was not covered. > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > cr-india mailing list > [email protected] > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india _______________________________________________ cr-india mailing list [email protected] https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
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