The ministry of rural development plans to rope in independent TV and radio producers to promote its schemes in the interior of the country.

The ministry has invited applications from TV and radio producers for undertaking production of audiovisual software to create awareness about its schemes in the rural parts of the country. The ministry is planning to commission several films, spots, serials, jingles and other motivational, instructional and promotional material in Hindi, English and regional languages.

For television software producers, the ministry expects a minimum five years of experience of handling TV programmes, both with pubcaster Prasar Bharati and satellite channels. Producers vying for the job should boast a minimum annual production turnover of Rs 50 million, have dealt with similar social content of other ministries and should have the capacity to create multi-media programming with in house infrastructure.

Radio software producers have to cough up proof of a minimum annual turnover of Rs 4 million, a fully digital audio studio with digital recording and mixing facilities.

The last date for submitting applications to the DDO, ministry of rural development, New Delhi is 3 May, while the last date for collecting the application forms is 26 April. The ministry will select the producers from a conceptual bid of shortlisted firms.

The momentum certainly seems to be building. For direct to home (DTH) telecast in India that is. The latest news emanating from the capital indicates that Star India has made a presentation before the Planning Commission seeking an easing on the key stumbling block to DTH take-off in India - the 20 per cent foreign direct investment equity cap in Indian DTH ventures.
The broadcasting industry has long been demanding that the FDI bar be raised to at least 49 per cent.

The as yet unconfirmed news follows close on the heels of reports that the government is weighing a proposal to remove the entry fee and bank guarantee totaling Rs 500 million as well as scaling down the 10 per cent revenue share agreement in its Ku band DTH policy. Presently, companies seeking a DTH licence have to pay an entry fee of Rs 100 million and provide a bank guarantee of Rs 400 million for a 10-year licence period.