Pay artistes’ pending dues – MIB to TV serial producers

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has written to broadcasters and V show producers to clear the dues of artistes as well as employees at the earliest.

In its letter to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), Association of Regional Television Broadcasters of India (ARTBI) and Producers Guild of India, MIB urged broadcasters and producers of TV serials to take a compassionate view and ensure that they cleared all payments due up to March 2020.

The MIB took cognizance of the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to financial downturn for a large number of sectors of the economy, including the broadcasting industry. “The Hon’ble Minister for Information & Broadcasting few weeks back had an occasion to discuss the problems of the broadcasting sector with the major stakeholders, and the Government is seized of their concerns, Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) is working on a war footing for liquidating the pendency of advertisement bills of the media industry,” the MIB stated in its letter.

At the same time, the Ministry said that equally important is the lives livelihood of the employees and their families, who are working in this sector, “including a large number modestly paid TV artistes engaged for production of various TV serials.”

The Ministry further noted, “While services of such persons were taken, some of them may not have received their remuneration. While appreciating concerns of the broadcasting industry, the imminent need to give remuneration to them cannot be lost sight of.”

As is known, producers often keep a window of three months to clear the payments of the artistes, which has been a bone of contention between the artistes and crew and the producers.

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