Clean feed broadcast to positively impact overall economy

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Md Jashim Uddin has said the government’s decision to ensure ad-free programmes on foreign TV channels will have a positive impact on the overall economy of Bangladesh.

In a statement on Monday, he welcomed the decision.

“If domestic cable operators and distributors obey this and ensure clean feed broadcast of foreign channels, that will positively impact the television industry, local manufacturing and services sectors, and revenue generation,” the statement said.

It said domestic TV channels’ advertising market had shrunk as clean feed broadcast of foreign channels had not been implemented properly.

No revenue had been deposited in the state treasury despite foreign products advertised on these channels, it said.

It further said advertisements on foreign TV channels deprive the government of Tk 2,000 crore in annual revenues.

Local companies are spending huge amounts of money to promote their products while foreign TV channels are doing so without spending anything, thus creating demand for foreign products in the local market for free, said the statement.

It said huge investments made by local entrepreneurs are also under threat as many companies are showing interest in advertising on foreign channels instead of local ones.

Local television channels create lots of jobs and there are huge opportunities for domestic artists to showcase their talent in different programmes. The livelihoods of many people will become uncertain if local channels’ growth is disrupted, the statement explained.

It said no advertisement is aired on foreign channels in neighbouring countries, including India, Nepal, the US, and different countries in Europe.