AIR Listens to PM Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat, skips ad
NEW DELHI: All India Radio decided to advertise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat in leading newspapers during the initial weeks of its launch although the PM was not too keen on such publicity, AIR director general Fayyaz Sheheryar told ET.
The national broadcaster took this decision to sustain itself, he said. “The PM was against giving advertisements for the programme in newspapers but it was a decision taken by AIR for maximum listenership and greater revenues. Now Mann Ki Baat has become a programme where AIR spends almost nothing and earns a lot,” Sheheryar said.
Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat generated advertising revenue of about Rs 4.78 crore in 2015-16. Twenty-nine episodes of the programme have been broadcast so far.
“We gave the ads for Mann Ki Baat in 10-12 editions of newspapers when it started but now we have stopped… Advertising of Mann Ki Baat was never done for the need of the government. It was only needed for AIR,” Sheheryar said. “Besides, Mann Ki Baat is not the only programme we advertise. We also give ads for Republic Day (broadcast), Independence Day and various public welfare programmes.”
Officials said AIR monetises the radio broadcast of Mann Ki Baat, but the programme does not earn any ad revenue on digital platforms. In 2015-16, the programme generated gross advertising revenue of Rs 4,78,22,480, out of the total revenue of Rs 447.76 crore earned by AIR during the financial year.
The national broadcaster took this decision to sustain itself, he said. “The PM was against giving advertisements for the programme in newspapers but it was a decision taken by AIR for maximum listenership and greater revenues. Now Mann Ki Baat has become a programme where AIR spends almost nothing and earns a lot,” Sheheryar said.
Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat generated advertising revenue of about Rs 4.78 crore in 2015-16. Twenty-nine episodes of the programme have been broadcast so far.
“We gave the ads for Mann Ki Baat in 10-12 editions of newspapers when it started but now we have stopped… Advertising of Mann Ki Baat was never done for the need of the government. It was only needed for AIR,” Sheheryar said. “Besides, Mann Ki Baat is not the only programme we advertise. We also give ads for Republic Day (broadcast), Independence Day and various public welfare programmes.”
Officials said AIR monetises the radio broadcast of Mann Ki Baat, but the programme does not earn any ad revenue on digital platforms. In 2015-16, the programme generated gross advertising revenue of Rs 4,78,22,480, out of the total revenue of Rs 447.76 crore earned by AIR during the financial year.
