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MUMBAI:
The TV industry stalemate is going to another level. The FWICE
and producers have been summoned by the Labour Commissioner
to get their views. The Commissioner has called the workers
and four producers' bodies for a hearing at 3 pm on 19 November.
"The
labour commissioner had sent a notice to the workers and the
four producers associations to meet at 3 pm tomorrow,"
says a representative of Federation of Western India Cine
Employees (FWICE).
However,
the chairperson of the producers core committee Mukesh Bhatt
said, "We have not been informed about the meeting, nor
did we get any such notice."
He
said that the producers' association and workers federation
will sit for a meeting on 20 November.
Certain
TV broadcasting CEOs and TV producers are slated to meet tomorrow
morning before the hearing.
What's
complicating the matter, it is alleged, is that the FWICE
has done some number crunching which has resulted in a figure
of Rs 5 billion coming up as dues owed by producers to workers
as arrears. Producers, say sources, have offered a 10-12 per
cent hike in wages, but the FWICE is adamant in sticking to
its 15 per cent increment demand.
Broadcasters
in the meanwhile are reported to be under pressure to start
airing fresh programming with the Advertising Agencies Association
of India 10-day repeat-programming time limit drawing to a
close on 19 November.
The
Hindi GEC genre attracts close to Rs 24 billion in advertising
annually and the segment has seen the launch of at least four
new channels in the past 18 months.
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