New DAVP policy favouring small, language papers announced

New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) The government today announced a revised policy for the Directorate of Audio-Visual Publicity (DAVP) providing additional advertisement support to small and medium newspapers and increased assistance and concessions to papers published in Urdu, Maithili, Sanskrit, Sindhi as well as Khasi and other tribal languages.

The DAVP ad quota for small papers has been enhanced from existing 10 to 15 per cent and for that of medium papers from 30 to 35 per cent.

''Overall, ad revenue routed through DAVP will be restricted to 30 per cent for English newpapers and 35 per cent for Hindi papers and the rest will go to other language papers including those of native languages spoken by a small population,'' Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi told mediapersons at a press conference here.

Advertisments worth around Rs 250 crore are released by the DAVP annually for the print media which also include ads worth about Rs 50 crore issued by the I &B Ministry every year.

Meanwhile, private companies and corporate houses are free to issue ads at their will and are not subjected any monitoring by the DAVP and for that matter by government.

Besides, the Central government public sector undertakings/ autonomous bodies/societies have also been given the freedom to directly give classified and display adversitments to empanelled news papers at DAVP rates, subject to adherence to the prescribed percentage ceiling as laid down by the new DAVP Advertisement Policy.

In addition to that, all ministries/attached departments and subordinate offices/field offices of the Central government may issue tender notices directly to the empanellled newspapers at DAVP rates. Other advertisments from the ministries and that of the government have to be routed through DAVP.

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