No TV today, courtesy foreign film suppliers?

Private television channels are scheduled to black out their channels this evening at prime time after a 7.30 press conference, against the tax that all TV stations will have to pay for all imported films tele-dramas and commercials. The Teledrama, Film and Commercials Levy was operative from July 16th.

In a move that is initiated by the foreign suppliers of movies, private television channels have closed ranks. The suppliers of these films who are poised to lose a packet due to the tax have urged a blackout of their channels as a protest against the levy.

The view is seen as a foreign rear guard against the government's move to stem the flow of violent Hindi movies, and puerile canned entertainment from abroad, which is at the expense of the local cinema and entertainment industry.