MUMBAI: The ministry of information and broadcasting has urged the broadcasters and producers of TV serials to take a compassionate view of workers who have been hit by the Covid2019 pandemic. The ministry has urged them to ensure that all payments due to them up to March 2020 are cleared at the earliest, because this “will be of immense relief to them and their families.”

The ministry has informed that the bureau of outreach and communication (BOC) is working on a war footing for liquidating the pendency of advertisement bills due to the media industry so as to help the broadcasting sector that has been reeling under the Covid2019 pandemic, said a ministry notification.  

According to a ministry notification, the pandemic has led to financial downturn for a large number of sectors of the economy, including the broadcasting industry. The information and broadcasting minister recently discussed the problems of the broadcasting sector with the major stakeholders. And the BOC is trying to clear the pendency of advertisement bills.

“However, equally important is the livelihoods of the employees (and their families) who are working in this sector, including a large number of modestly paid TV artists engaged for production of various TV serials. While services of such persons were taken, some of them may not have received their remuneration. While appreciating concerns of the broadcasting sector, the imminent need to give remuneration to them cannot be lost sight of,” said the notification.

Copies of the notification have been sent to various industry associations such as the News Broadcasters Association, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, Association of Regional Television Broadcasters of India, and Producers Guild of India.