7th February 2003

MAA TV paid an amount of 70 lakhs to MAA (Movie Artists Association) to obtain the telecast rights of Tollywood trophy that was held on 2nd of February 2003. The live telecast of cricket match on MAA was such a super success that nobody was seen on the streets on that day as everybody sat glued to MAA channel on their idiot boxes. This live presentation fetched MAA TV 20 times more popularity than it had earlier and other channels virtually were ignored by the public on that day.

As they say popularity comes with a price, MAA TV is now supposed to shell out some bucks for the popularity it got. Some time back, MAA TV had a formal agreement with AP Film Producer's Counsel that it should air all the trailers of Telugu films (approved by Producers counsel) for free for 6 months. And this six month free-air period would be completed by April of this year. But now, MAA TV sold the ad spots between the overs to MS Raju for airing Okkadu trailers. MS Raju is said to have paid 2.4 lakhs to MAA TV to air Okkadu trailers. Hence, only Okkadu trailers (among the film trailers) were shown on MAA TV during cricket match along with non-filmy commercial ads.

The producers of other films have taken objection to this and filed a complaint in Producers counsel. If one sees from legal point of view, both MS Raju and MAA TV are at fault for violating the guidelines. Hence the producers counsel has issued the following directives

1. MAA TV should return 2.4 lakhs to MS Raju
2. MS Raju should, in turn, pay 4.8 lakhs as fine for violating rules
3. MAA TV should air all the film trailers for 6 more months for free.

Everybody agreed to it and the matter is settled now. What is questionable at present is that everybody needs a chance to rectify themselves for their first mistake and its too harsh for a fresh and quality rich channel like MAA TV to face this kind of punishment. Is this what MAA TV has to pay for paying 70 lakhs for a noble cause and then airing the cricket match in a very professional way?

Other Scoops:

-> One thread - two films
-> Plagiarism at AP Film Writers Union
-> Bellamkonda's Blunder
-> Hero No.1 - Director No.4
-> Is Mahesh Babu loss NTR Gain?
-> Life of a Telugu film heroine
-> Plagiarism in films
-> Black tickers and dark secrets
-> Telugu film magazines - survival instincts take over journalistic ethics
-> NTR died without medical aid, says physician!