Film world bans AP's top television channel

The most popular Telugu television channel -- Eenadu Television -- may soon be starved of film-based programmes.

Furious with its ''rigid outlook'', the Telugu Film Producers's Council has directed its members to ban the channel. As a result, actors, directors and producers would stop giving interviews to ETV. Besides, producers would not allow the channel to cover film inaugural functions, shooting schedules and audio cassette launches.

Announcing the decision, Council president and well-known film-maker Dasari Narayan Rao said the 200-strong Council was unhappy with ETV's refusal to telecast film advertisements at a concessional rate of Rs 1,000 per minute.

The Council fails to understand ETV's reluctance in this regard as other channels like Gemini, SitiCable and IN Cable have already extended the concession. Like these channels, ETV, too, depends heavily on film-based programmes which are being provided free of cost by the film world.

''We fail to figure out why ETV is unco-operative, when we provide 100 minutes of software free of cost,'' said a film source. ''No channel can survive without our support.''

Sources said Council office-bearers K Devi Vara Prasad, K S Rama Rao, Allu Aravind, K Achi Reddy tried in vain to convince the channel executives. ''What is worse, they got a rude reply,'' said the source.

ETV charges Rs 8,000 for a two-minute advertisement while its rival Gemini quotes Rs 2,000 less for a similar slot.