New Delhi:
The Copenhagen camaraderie between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has put the national broadcasters association and the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry in a tight spot.
A letter from the I&B ministry to broadcasters suggests showcasing programmes on the 60 years of communist rule in China, something broadcasters say is not possible.
The I&B letter dated December 21 to Indian broadcasters gently suggests that they carry programmes to mark 60th anniversary of the communist rule in China.
The letter asked "to consider telecast of appropriate programmes to commemorate the occasion" and in return, the Indian embassy in Beijing was negotiating the showcase of Indian films and programmes on Chinese TV.
When asked why our ministry was pushing Chinese propaganda, I&B ministry sources told NDTV, the letter was a mere advisory and was a suggestion by the ministry of external affairs.
Unfortunately, broadcasters haven't really warmed up to the idea of Chinese programming. The national broadcasters association has written back to the ministry to say that content decisions are taken by individual channels.
Now it looks like there won't be a mandarin invasion on the airwaves this festive season.