MUMBAI: Content was the buzzword at the inaugural session of FRAMES 2003 as film luminaries as well as government bigwigs stressed on the need for good content creation in the film as well as television industry.

FICCI entertainment committee chairperson Yash Chopra set the ball rolling by admitting that in the year gone by, the industry neglected content in a struggle for productivity. Infrastructure constraints however need to be eased if the industry is to flourish in the days ahead, he said.

Filmmaker Bobby Bedi, who doubles up as FRAMES convenor, said that although it has been a good year for television in India, the 'aesthetic of content is narrowing down'. Increased exposure to films, domestic and international have resulted in audiences being more aware of better camerawork, technology, and scripts. "They are no longer ready to accept inferior work", he said, ending his speech with an appeal to 'try and make great content'.

Information and broadcasting ministry's secretary Pawan Chopra who followed him also stressed on the content aspect, but wondered why software makers had to be dependent on foreign investment for content creation when domestic financial institutions and corporates could be interested in investment.

UK secretary of state, department of culture, media and sports Tessa Jowell who could not be present at the convention, mentioned in a speech that was read out on the occasion that Britain was game for a co-production treaty with India that would give a fillip to shooting of Indian films on UK soil.

I&B minister R S Prasad in his address also said that a friendlier regime was being put into place for increasing the possibilities of shooting foreign films in India, and that a single window system would be put into place.

Regarding piracy, an issue that has gained prominence in the last one year, Prasad said that a comprehensive policy needed to be worked out. The government was willing to lend the airwaves for educating people about the menace of piracy, but the initiative has to come from the industry.

Prasad said later in his press conference that addressability is designed to bring in transparency in the cable trade and that it has to be enforced as the industry left on its own failed to do it on its own.