There is an on-going issue happening in Telugu Film industry that is splitting the industry, wide open, but none is making a hue and cry over it, as of now. If you are not aware, here is it – all the Telugu FM stations have stopped playing the songs from newly released and upcoming films.
The reason for the FM stations to take the stand is the rigid attitude of a conglomerate of big producers or an LLP formed by them. The latter is trying to flex its muscle over the FM stations concerning the ad rates. The LLP wants them to get cheaply whereas the FM Stations are not ready to budge. The tussle has ensured that there is no fresh Telugu content airing on these FM channels.
The problem here originates on a different platform. The LLP’s are getting their way with Telugu News channels. The terms between them are entirely skewed towards the LLP whereby the latter pays dead cheap prices to buy or get an ad slot. The same slot costs a bomb for other commercial product advertisements. It is this logic that is missed by the LLP.
While TV News Channels can charge significant price from others, and get the benefit of airing movie content for free, the FM Stations have to pay a royalty for playing the music to Indian Music Industry (IMI). Getting a premium price for ads related to movies is one of their sources to generate money and pay those charges for keeping the music flow continuously.
The big producers conglomerate feels that FM Stations are surviving on their content. They don’t want to agree to the FM Stations terms. While the lack of airing of their stuff isn’t hurting LLP, it is the small films and productions that are getting the raw deal. The smaller movies need the help of all the resources they can to promote. They are the collateral damage of this standstill.
Instead of having a rigid attitude on this front, the LLP’s could do many other things on their end, like reducing the cost of production, cutting down on exorbitant star prices, to give what the FM Stations justifiably demand. Let us see who blinks the first their war of ad prices.
