Srinagar, Aug 13 (JKNS): A landmark gathering of professionals from Jammu and Kashmir’s Film and Television industry was held in Srinagar today to deliberate upon the growing challenges and hardships confronting the region’s creative fraternity.
The meeting brought together a wide spectrum of professionals, including actors, singers, writers, producers, directors, technicians and equipment owners. Among the prominent participants were Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan, Dr. Ayash Arif, Mushtaq Bala and Shahzad Rasool.
The participants expressed serious concern over what they described as the alarming decline of DD Srinagar and DD Kashir, which for decades served as an important platform for local artists and a major source of livelihood for the creative community.
The fraternity observed that with the discontinuation of commissioning and in-house productions, a large number of artists and technical professionals have been deprived of regular work, leaving their skills and contributions largely unutilised.
Participants also voiced concern over the perceived lack of adequate attention from authorities at both the Union Territory and national levels. They pointed out that local professionals had contributed to the production of quality programmes for DD Kashir and DD Srinagar for decades, but were now facing uncertainty about their future.
Another major issue discussed during the meeting was the recent notification proposing a bidding process for outsourcing programmes, including travelogues, documentaries, fiction, musicals and other formats.
The Film and Television fraternity unanimously opposed the proposed bidding mechanism for programme production, arguing that competitive bidding is incompatible with the creative and professional requirements of broadcasting. The participants maintained that programme creation should be based on professional competence, artistic merit and established broadcasting norms rather than being treated solely as a conventional tendering exercise.
The gathering resolved to raise these concerns with the concerned authorities and seek immediate intervention to protect the interests of local artists, technicians and other professionals associated with the industry.
The participants stressed that restoring commissioning and production opportunities at DD Srinagar and DD Kashir would not only provide livelihood opportunities to hundreds of professionals but also help preserve and promote the cultural identity, stories and creative talent of Jammu and Kashmir.
The collective voice emerging from the Srinagar gathering underlined the urgent need for meaningful intervention to revive the region’s creative ecosystem and ensure dignity, opportunity and continuity for its Film and Television fraternity. (JKNS)
