March 11, 2004
 

Cricket

More mindless interference by the government into the issue of Prasar Bharati being able to telecast live the India-Pakistan cricket series. The government is apparently now contemplating bringing into force an ordinance which makes it mandatory for any channel in India to share feed of events of national interest with Prasar Bharati. The government would bring out a list of such events. The government's new stand is being guided by the fact that Pakistan's laws had such a clause.

I think the government's stand that an India-Pakistan cricket series is an event of national interest and importance is totally misguided. I'd have agreed if any TV channel had the rights to say, the Republic Day parade and wasn't allowing Doordarshan to telecast it too. Now that is a national event. Cricket is not, even if it is allegedly the national religion. If Prasar Bharati managed to get the rights through hook or by crook, would it agree to not insert any advertisements during the day's play, given that the event is one of national interest and importance? I don't think there are advertisement breaks during the Republic Day Parade or the Independence Day function, is there? So why a different yardstick. Basically it boils down to the fact, as I mentioned yesterday, that Prasar Bharati missed the bus while Ten Sports didnt. Prasar Bharati has only now realized the enormous marketing potential and loss of advertisement revenue and is thus clinging onto the government for succour.

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Business & Economics

Is there a case for an integrated ASEAN economic zone, given the extremely fragmented nature of the ASEAN economies, drop in foreign direct investment and exports? The McKinsey Quarterly report studies the countries of ASEAN and gives a few recommendations.

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Politics

Well it maybe a bit of hyperbole, but if Pakistan's nuclear proliferation isnt controlled, the US could be directly attacked using a very miniscule nuclear bomb and still lose over 1/2 million people and $1 trillion in economic damages.

Labels: proliferation, tv rights

Rambled @ 11:33 AM

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