Talk
about contrast.
Indian
animation studios are struggling to form a coalition which could
convince the Government to make it mandatory for broadcasters to
showcase a certain (small) amount of locally created animation.
Just
across the Great Wall, China is planning to completely push out
foreign cartoons from primetime TV.
In
a country like ours which boasts of more than 50 million cable households,
Television certainly rules the roost.
Add to that the additional number of households that receive DTT
and the numbers swell to about 87 million. Given the magnitude and
scale with which the booming media Industries in India are expanding,
the fledgling Indian animation industry ideally ought to be occupied
full time in creating local content for the same.
However
it is very sad to see that the industry has to constantly be on
its toes, offering its production services to international content
owners and creators. It is not that the Indian studios are lacking
in concepts or in the capability to execute, it is simply a matter
of Government support and collaboration with the entertainment biggies.
Time
and again we hear of some new body or association formed by the
animation studios, with an aim to convince the powers that be about
how support for the animation industry can translate into job opportunities,
into greater and perennial profits for the entertainment industries
and overall greater amount of revenue generation. These bodies have
discussed issues such as subsidies, CO production treaties and a
broadcasting cap, which ensures that the broadcasters have to showcase
a certain amount of locally created animation.
While
in India we are still trying to get a toehold into the local TV
space, reports that have recently appeared in leading Chinese language
newspapers hint that China's national media bureau, The State Administration
of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) is mulling the ban of foreign
made cartoons from prime time television once the quantity and quality
of domestic cartoons reaches a certain level.
The
ratio of foreign-made cartoons to domestic ones is already set to
4:6 (for primetime). Also, broadcasters can acquire only one foreign
animation title for each one they produce in China.
The
People's Daily Online, China quotes Wang Taihua, Director-General
of (SARFT) as saying,"The SARFT plans to expand the broadcasting
scale of homemade animated cartoons; vigorously carry out excellent
homemade animation programs; step up the enacting of specific policies
in 18 aspects such as constructing homemade animation industrial
base and animation teaching and research base etc. to support the
development of domestic animation"
He
is further quoted as saying,"Local governments should seriously
study and effectively use the various preferential policies granted
by central government and local governments to attract domestic
capitals, particularly private capitals, to participate in the development
of homemade animation industry"
China
is not a sole example of Government support for the local animation
industry. Canada, France, Korea are all prime examples of how Government
and intra industry support can do wonders to boost the local industry.
Even
as this report goes live, there is a buzz that the Indian animation
studios are forming a new coalition to lobby with the Government.
Stay
tuned for more!
|
