Dasari lends support to fasting TV artistes

• A Slams dubbed serials on TV channels
• Asks govt to stop ads to channels showing dubbed films
• TRS, CPI leaders also express solidarity with TV artistes

He appealed to all channel owners to come forward for a discussion to resolve the issue. He said, "Television industry is a huge one and dubbed serials were depriving them of their livelihood

Hyderabad: Tollywood stars and well-known film directors on Wednesday extended support to Telugu TV artistes who are on relay hunger strike from April 11 at Dharna Chowk protesting against telecast of dubbing serials. A Prominent among those who expressed their solidarity with the protesting T V artistes and technicians were Dasari Narayana Rao, Comedian Ali, Tammareddy Bharadwaja and popular TV anchor Suma.

Addressing the TV artistes, Dasari Narayana Rao said so far the agitation had been very peaceful. He appealed to all channel owners to come forward for a discussion to resolve the issue. He said, "Television industry is a huge one and dubbed serials

ere depriving them of their livelihood." He said that they would put pressure on the government not to release any advertisements to the television channels which did not stop telecasting dubbed serials. Rao called on the government and corporate sectors to stop giving advertisements to those channels which were broadcasting dubbed serials.A He said the growth of Television channels also depended on the hard work the artists and technicians A put in.

"Families watch television serials over movies as they get to see Telugu culture and tradition in it. But, with dubbed serials it is killing that hope," he said. Over 34 Telugu dubbed serials were being aired in the seven regional entertainment channels, he said. CPI state secretary K Narayana said that the issue with the dubbed serials was more about unemployment. "We would personally participate in the protest and build pressure on the government to ban dubbed serials in the state. Our MLAs will also meet Chief Minister on the issue," he said. TRS leader Satish also met and expressed his solidarity with their cause.

Meanwhile, The Telugu Television Industry JAC announced that they would not cooperate in serial production from May 10, if the serial producers and Television channels did not give an assurance to stop airing dubbed serials. A The JAC also appealed to the dubbing artists and TV anchors working with those television channels to stop work to save the industry . Over 34 dubbed serials are being aired in the seven regional entertainment channels accounting to over 70 per cent of all the programmes.

"This has deprived the Telugu television artists, technicians, directors of their livelihood. Out of seven regional entertainment channels Maa TV is airing about 13 dubbed serials out of the total 16 serials. Gemini TV and Zee Telugu are airing more than six dubbed serials each," Prasad Rao, member, Telugu Television Parirakshana Samiti, said.