Assam electronic media body seeks hike in govt advertisement rates

Guwahati: The Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA) today urged the state government to enhance government sponsored advertisement contributions to the Assam based satellite news channels. EMFA also appreciated state government’s decision to hike government sponsored advertisement rates for newspapers by 60 percent over the existing rate, a statement by the EMFA said. [caption id=“attachment_1326925” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] NewsLive logo. Image courtesy NewsLive[/caption] Assam’s news channels are registered as ‘free to air’ channel being more dependent on advertisements for their survival and as such the government must consider improved rate of advertisements for news channels too. News channel managements should use the enhanced fund for the benefit of their employees with structured salaries, other allowances, PF and ESI benefits, the release said. A meeting was held on 3 January between representatives of the state government and newspaper owners’ association in which the government decided to hike advertisement rates with effect from 1 January 2014. Earlier, most newspaper owners of Assam under the banner of Northeast Newspapers Society had launched a protest against the government’s failure to hike its advertisement rates, blacking out government advertisements and state government related news items since 24 December. The newspaper association lifted the ban on 3 January last following the decision to hike the rates. PTI