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<div class='ite_mg_banner ads__container'><div class='it_mg_bnrBox'><div class='ite_bnr_cont'><div class='ite_cont_dtl'> <h4>Subscribe to India Today Print + Digital. Your First Month Is On Us. <span class='bold_text'> ₹299/month</span> thereafter. Cancel anytime.</h4><a href='https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscriptions.intoday.in%2Findiatoday%3Futm_source%3Dtop-web-banner ' class='ite_subscribe_btn origin_conscent_url' target='_blank'>SUBSCRIBE</a></div></div></div></div>

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<div class="itg-mosimage"><amp-img src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1979November%2Ftelevision-1_022114092743.jpg" alt="" height="425" width="650" class="" layout="responsive"></amp-img>Prem Prakash: Denying all charges<p>If you are a somebody you drop names and if you are a nobody you drop bricks. The somebody in question is one with<i>savoir-faire</i>, has access to power, and is accused of landing cushy jobs "just by dropping names."<br></p><p>The accused is Prem Prakash, 48, chairman of Television News Features (Tvnf), correspondent-cum-cameraman for Visnews, and involved in a couple of media organisations in the country. The accusers are not nobodys; they are a group of freelance television producers with national and international work to their credit. </p><p>According to them the Tvnf has the dubious distinction of being the only agency in the country which produces films for Doordarshan. "We have nothing personal against him, but he is behind this monopoly and we want to diffuse it," says Rama Pandey, 29, the attractive and volatile secretary of TV Documentary Film Producers Association, formed in October 1979 with the sole aim of breaking monopoly.<br></p><p>The "monopoly" referred to is the contract between Tvnf and Doordarshan which has entitled the former to produce developmental science films for Doordarshan since 1975 for a fee. "We are not a monopoly. A monopoly is one where technical know-how is involved like Coca-Cola", says Romesh Chander, 64, editor-in-chief of Tvnf. Prem Prakash was even more bitter: "This agitating group in Delhi has done the maximum damage to the growth of independent programme producers and agencies."<br><b></b></p><p><b>Growing Monopoly:</b> It all started in April 1977, when a group of Delhi-based freelance producers submitted a memorandum to the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting. They deplored the growing monopoly of TV film production with the tacit approval of the Doordarshan authorities. They further accused the monopolists of making a 35 mm colour film for a black and white Indian TV which uses 16 mm film.<br></p><div class="itemcenter"><amp-iframe height="62" title="" width="320" sandbox="allow-forms allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-top-navigation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" allowfullscreen src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Findiatoday%2Fbanner%2Fpreferred-source-new.html%3Fv%3D1.014%5Cu0026native%3D1" class="mrBt15 preferred-source-banner"> </amp-iframe></div></p><p>The film, entitled <i>People's Mandate</i>, has had a chequered history. Members of the Association allege that it was a controversial film, made to laud the victory of Indira Gandhi. It had to be edited overnight as the election results proved to the contrary. In the meantime, Doordarshan authorities imposed a ceiling on work done by freelancers. A producer could not get a contract exceeding Rs 5,000, from all stations combined - an act which the Association members called a manipulated vendetta.<br></p><p>What brought matters to a head was a tender issued by Doordarshan, asking people to quote for a series of developmental and science films. This involved a contract for two years worth Rs 20 lakh. A contract which had been going to Tvnf from 1975 had now been thrown open. "In my opinion, calling for a tender was a very wrong thing to do," said Romesh Chander. The initial date for the submission of sample films was extended. </p><p>This gave some people a bonus of 12 days, while others had made a scramble to submit their films on time. "They were being considerate to those who had defaulted as it were," said S.N. Seth, 56, president of the Association. "The tender clearly stated that there will be an outright sale of films along with exploitation rights to be vested in Doordarshan, for India and abroad." </p><p>Said Seth: "But Tvnf wants Doordarshan to subscribe to their films so that it can rake off at both ends, within the country and outside," he added. The Association fears that if the contract goes to the Tvnf this time, it might wipe out every other freelance TV film maker in the country.<br></p><p>Jagan Nath Sharma, 46, a freelance cameraman who works for ABC news of America and the European Television Service, was driven to the brink of insanity. He had to fight for three years to get accreditation as a cameraman. They called him German Sharma, CIA Sharma and all kinds of other names to assassinate his character to stop accreditation which has been granted to people who have not produced a foot of film for the last three years. Accreditations have also been given to those who can't hold a camera. "The whole thing is rather disgusting," said a television cameraman. "It is not what you know, it is whom you know that matters," he added.<br></p><div class="itg-mosimage"><amp-img src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1979November%2Ftelevision-2_022114092743.jpg" alt="" height="425" width="650" class="" layout="responsive"></amp-img>Rama (left) and Seth: The accusers</div></p><p>Allegations about Sharma were substantiated by a former member of the Central Press Accreditation Committee. He said: "It is a fact that tremendous pressure was brought upon me and the Principal Information Officer and the Committee to stall J.N. Sharma's accreditation. It is a pity that even high officials of the External Affairs Ministry seem to have been effectively brainwashed by vested interests."<br></p><p>When confronted with these allegations, the Director General of Doordarshan G.V. Vyas, 57, said: "I am aware of all this, and I can assure you that there will be a fair play. That is why we have called for a tender." Vyas stressed the point that Doordarshan was not in the pocket of the Tvnf. "Those who are apprehensive are presuming things," he said.<br><b></b></p><p><b>Obligatory Situation: </b>For some time now the working of TV in the country has been under fire. The most common allegation is that officers who are about to retire are <i>doordarshis</i> (farsighted) for they retire with the idea of pursuing freelancing afterwards. Soon after retiring they are back selling scripts and stories. Tvnf itself has a retired Director of Doordarshan "which puts many Doordarshan officials in an obligatory situation to give them work."<br></p><p>Lack of equipment is one reason why many individual producers could get eliminated in the race. "We plan to load all our equipment into trucks and dump it in a public place, so that all concerned may see that we do have the facilities", said Ishwar Pandey, 32, an executive member of the Association, the core of which comprises eight people, who are bent upon ensuring equal opportunity to all.<br></p><p>"How can individuals make a series; there has to be some coordination," said Romesh Chander. Pramod Mathur, 32, vice-president of the Association shoots back: "This is not a series where the characters are constant. The themes grant individual producers enough freedom to create. We are not making 'Lucy' films are we?"<br></p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Feb 20, 2014</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

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<div class="itg-mosimage"><div class="itgimage"><img  title=""  class="" alt="" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1979November%2Ftelevision-1_022114092743.jpg" loading="lazy" /></div>Prem Prakash: Denying all charges<p>If you are a somebody you drop names and if you are a nobody you drop bricks. The somebody in question is one with<i>savoir-faire</i>, has access to power, and is accused of landing cushy jobs "just by dropping names."<br></p><p>The accused is Prem Prakash, 48, chairman of Television News Features (Tvnf), correspondent-cum-cameraman for Visnews, and involved in a couple of media organisations in the country. The accusers are not nobodys; they are a group of freelance television producers with national and international work to their credit. </p><p>According to them the Tvnf has the dubious distinction of being the only agency in the country which produces films for Doordarshan. "We have nothing personal against him, but he is behind this monopoly and we want to diffuse it," says Rama Pandey, 29, the attractive and volatile secretary of TV Documentary Film Producers Association, formed in October 1979 with the sole aim of breaking monopoly.<br></p><p>The "monopoly" referred to is the contract between Tvnf and Doordarshan which has entitled the former to produce developmental science films for Doordarshan since 1975 for a fee. "We are not a monopoly. A monopoly is one where technical know-how is involved like Coca-Cola", says Romesh Chander, 64, editor-in-chief of Tvnf. Prem Prakash was even more bitter: "This agitating group in Delhi has done the maximum damage to the growth of independent programme producers and agencies."<br><b></b></p><p><b>Growing Monopoly:</b> It all started in April 1977, when a group of Delhi-based freelance producers submitted a memorandum to the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting. They deplored the growing monopoly of TV film production with the tacit approval of the Doordarshan authorities. They further accused the monopolists of making a 35 mm colour film for a black and white Indian TV which uses 16 mm film.<br></p><div class="itemcenter"><iframe scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="62" awidth="320" aheight="62" amplayout="fixed" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Findiatoday%2Fbanner%2Fpreferred-source-new.html%3Fv%3D1.014" class="preferred-source-banner" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><style>.preferred-source-banner{  margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}</style></p><p>The film, entitled <i>People's Mandate</i>, has had a chequered history. Members of the Association allege that it was a controversial film, made to laud the victory of Indira Gandhi. It had to be edited overnight as the election results proved to the contrary. In the meantime, Doordarshan authorities imposed a ceiling on work done by freelancers. A producer could not get a contract exceeding Rs 5,000, from all stations combined - an act which the Association members called a manipulated vendetta.<br></p><p>What brought matters to a head was a tender issued by Doordarshan, asking people to quote for a series of developmental and science films. This involved a contract for two years worth Rs 20 lakh. A contract which had been going to Tvnf from 1975 had now been thrown open. "In my opinion, calling for a tender was a very wrong thing to do," said Romesh Chander. The initial date for the submission of sample films was extended. </p><p>This gave some people a bonus of 12 days, while others had made a scramble to submit their films on time. "They were being considerate to those who had defaulted as it were," said S.N. Seth, 56, president of the Association. "The tender clearly stated that there will be an outright sale of films along with exploitation rights to be vested in Doordarshan, for India and abroad." </p><p>Said Seth: "But Tvnf wants Doordarshan to subscribe to their films so that it can rake off at both ends, within the country and outside," he added. The Association fears that if the contract goes to the Tvnf this time, it might wipe out every other freelance TV film maker in the country.<br></p><p>Jagan Nath Sharma, 46, a freelance cameraman who works for ABC news of America and the European Television Service, was driven to the brink of insanity. He had to fight for three years to get accreditation as a cameraman. They called him German Sharma, CIA Sharma and all kinds of other names to assassinate his character to stop accreditation which has been granted to people who have not produced a foot of film for the last three years. Accreditations have also been given to those who can't hold a camera. "The whole thing is rather disgusting," said a television cameraman. "It is not what you know, it is whom you know that matters," he added.<br></p><div class="itg-mosimage"><div class="itgimage"><img  title=""  class="" alt="" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1979November%2Ftelevision-2_022114092743.jpg" loading="lazy" /></div>Rama (left) and Seth: The accusers</div></p><p>Allegations about Sharma were substantiated by a former member of the Central Press Accreditation Committee. He said: "It is a fact that tremendous pressure was brought upon me and the Principal Information Officer and the Committee to stall J.N. Sharma's accreditation. It is a pity that even high officials of the External Affairs Ministry seem to have been effectively brainwashed by vested interests."<br></p><p>When confronted with these allegations, the Director General of Doordarshan G.V. Vyas, 57, said: "I am aware of all this, and I can assure you that there will be a fair play. That is why we have called for a tender." Vyas stressed the point that Doordarshan was not in the pocket of the Tvnf. "Those who are apprehensive are presuming things," he said.<br><b></b></p><p><b>Obligatory Situation: </b>For some time now the working of TV in the country has been under fire. The most common allegation is that officers who are about to retire are <i>doordarshis</i> (farsighted) for they retire with the idea of pursuing freelancing afterwards. Soon after retiring they are back selling scripts and stories. Tvnf itself has a retired Director of Doordarshan "which puts many Doordarshan officials in an obligatory situation to give them work."<br></p><p>Lack of equipment is one reason why many individual producers could get eliminated in the race. "We plan to load all our equipment into trucks and dump it in a public place, so that all concerned may see that we do have the facilities", said Ishwar Pandey, 32, an executive member of the Association, the core of which comprises eight people, who are bent upon ensuring equal opportunity to all.<br></p><p>"How can individuals make a series; there has to be some coordination," said Romesh Chander. Pramod Mathur, 32, vice-president of the Association shoots back: "This is not a series where the characters are constant. The themes grant individual producers enough freedom to create. We are not making 'Lucy' films are we?"<br></p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Feb 20, 2014</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

If you are a somebody you drop names and if you are a nobody you drop bricks. The somebody in question is one with&nbsp;<i>savoir-faire</i>, has access to power, and is accused of landing cushy jobs "just by dropping names."

India Today

The accused is Prem Prakash, 48, chairman of Television News Features (Tvnf), correspondent cum cameraman for Visnews, and involved in a couple of media organisations in the country.

Television: Monopoly charges - India Today

Freelance TV producers accuse Television News Features of monopolising Doordarshan

Television: Monopoly charges

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Freelance TV producers accuse Television News Features of monopolising Doordarshan

If you are a somebody you drop names and if you are a nobody you drop bricks. The somebody in question is one with savoir-faire, has access to power, and is accused of landing cushy jobs "just by dropping names."

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