Anurradha Prasad, Managaing Director, BAG Films & Media Ltd

The Government's job is to be a facilitator and not a regulator. Up till now, the Government should have ensured a level playing field as far as rating is concerned. There is no regulatory body to oversee the whole affair. There is no regulatory body like TRAI, which could ensure that the policies are being implemented by the broadcasters. The day-to-day monitoring should be done at this level. What is the use of a content regulator when there is no broadcasting regulator? Someone has to take a holistic view of the whole affair.

From starting out as a cub reporter to heading a company named Bhagwan, Allah and God, aka BAG, Anurradha Prasad has come a long way. From her first assignment with PTI TV as Assistant Producer for the popular business magazine 'Money Matters', Prasad has worked in many different positions in the industry. She joined Observer channel in 1990 as Senior Producer and eventually rose through the ranks to head the channel two years later. She also had a brief stint with Network East, a department of BBC Network.

In 1993, she launched her own production house BAG Films, along with her husband, Rajeev Shukla. Same year she anchored a television show 'Fact Sheet'. In 1994, 'Ru-Ba-Ru' was launched on Zee TV. Prasad's contribution to Indian television has earned her several honours, awards and accolades over the years. She is a member of CII and FICCI Entertainment Committee. She is on the board of Uttaranchal Film Development Council, and is executive member of Film Producers Guild of India. She has several papers on media industry to her credit as well. She was also nominated as media person of the year 2005 by GR8! Magazine.

BAG is now foraying into TV channels with four channels slated for launch soon - E24, News24, Life24 and Bliss24. The media company has also ventured into the FM radio space with Dhamaal, and has bagged licences for 10 FM radio stations.

In a freewheeling conversation with exchange4media's Abhijeet Mukherjee, Prasad gets candid about how she began BAG and the television industry in India in general. Excerpts:

Q. How difficult was it to gather the finance for the expansion of your company and what strategies did you apply?

small pipipaydayloans.com

Raising finances for an entrepreneur has always been the toughest task, especially in media, because the industry itself was earlier not recognised. People who wanted to come in wanted a 100 per cent share, so that was difficult. First, we raised finances in 2000 with IDBI and UTI coming in when we set this studio complex. Unfortunately, shortly after we took it, the market went for a six and there were those finance scams involving Ketan Parikh and all. When I realised that I have to come up with a public issue and have to provide exit routes, frankly speaking, I was not very happy because the market conditions were extremely bad. In order to give our shareholders the exit route, our shares were totally undervalued, but I still came up with an IPO and still collected some Rs 15 crore. It was sheer coincidence that after we came up with a public issue, the market started rebounding. Our IPO did very well and the market started looking up. We consolidated and when the expansion came in, we brought in India Bulls and High Growth and that's how I set up BAG Newsline and BAG Glamour. Again, Fidelity International bought 10 per cent stake in BAG. Now, our whole backend is ready and we do not require so much money.

Q. What would be the two main priorities of your channels? What ideas or thought process would determine their content?

small pipipaydayloans.com

We are primarily a content company. Our philosophy for the channels is to provide content that is authentic. For example, if we go for news, we would not dabble with its credibility aspect. The base of the content should not be questioned. You might question the treatments or dramatic approach of programmes like 'Poll Khol' and 'Sansani', but you cannot question the story or the authenticity. We have tried to ensure that whatever comes out of BAG content, especially in the news segment, should be very credible. That we have very distinctly and successfully maintained brushing aside all pressures, which are there, but we have maintained the sanctity and that would be our USP.

As a production house, we would remain a 360-degree content company. It's one organisation that can have all types of contents like game shows, reality shows, musicals, soaps, comedies, sitcoms, news, current affairs or infotainment. BAG as a production house will generate a lot of content for both the channels and we would ensure that we do not dabble with the credibility of the content.

Q. What do you think about the Government’s implementation of Code of Conduct for broadcasters? Do you think it’s fair or it’s an interference?

small pipipaydayloans.com

The Code of Conduct has to come from within the profession itself. Why should the Government set up regulatory policies? As broadcasters, we have to become mature and accountable and responsible, but at the same time, the Government should not come in. This is because if it comes in, the whole issue will go under the carpet. Today, Indian television news cannot be regulated by the Government. Self-regulation is important. What has happened in this competition for TRPs is that somewhere that thin line has diminished and anything in the name of news is on air. The onus lies on the broadcasters or we should not be there as editors or broadcasters. The Government should ensure how it should be more accountable. We are living in a chicken-and-egg situation - because there are no TRPs, one shows sensational programmes, and because of which there are more eyeballs. This is because someone in the media buying position is not interested in what you are showing, but in numbers. But whether those numbers are coming in a correct manner is the whole issue.

The Government's job is to be a facilitator and not a regulator. Up till now, the Government should have ensured a level playing field as far as rating is concerned. There is no regulatory body to oversee the whole affair. There is no regulatory body like TRAI, which could ensure that the policies are being implemented by the broadcasters. The day-to-day monitoring should be done at this level. What is the use of a content regulator when there is no broadcasting regulator? Someone has to take a holistic view of the whole affair. Stings are important for public interest, but have to go through various scanning processes. It is sad that some people misuse stings for their personal interest. It should pass thorough a litmus test before being aired.

Q. In retrospect, if you were to take a stock of BAG Films and Media Ltd, how would you rate it? Do you have any regrets?

small pipipaydayloans.com

For me, it was a clean slate – I did not come from a typical journalistic or filmy background to be in this business. I came from a law and political background. To remain an entrepreneur in the media space is very difficult because you are fighting at the mind level as well as against various other factors. When we started out, television was not recognised, banks would not come and support us. There were problems related to finance and policies, though you know the Government policies are faulty, you can't help it. In the liberalisation era, the focus was on the knowledge industry, which meant that IT and media were completely left out. But the fight made you stronger and if you believed in yourself, things would work out. That drive kept pushing me forward. I might not have done the best, but I have not done too bad either. I am quite happy and I have no regrets and I feel that there is space for everyone. My dream pushes me to remain active in that space.

Q. How important are awards for you? Do you believe in the Indian film and television awards?

small pipipaydayloans.com

As an individual, any award is important, but they are not everything. They are important for that moment, but beyond that, no. Because they are momentary highs, everyone likes them. At least there is something. They may not be the best in the world, but they would become best over the years. For those working behind the camera, such awards are very important.

Q. In starting and running BAG, what was the most important human quality that came handy?

small pipipaydayloans.com

It was not any human quality, but the fact that I was born into a family that was more open to the public. Since childhood we are used to having a lot of people around. For everything it was not just I, me, myself. For example, as children we had never sat at the dining table with only our immediate family members; it was always an extended family with lots of people from different backgrounds. You don't live in isolation, you know, there are other people who also play an important role, and I think that is what led me to accept my people in that manner. I was the boss in a certain manner, but there was no disconnect between my people and me, and I have tried to ensure that it remains that way. Any person can just call me up and I am available. I am there for my people.

Q. How much did your family background help you in establishing BAG?

small pipipaydayloans.com

Family definitely plays an important role and I am very thankful that I was born in a family that gave me that opportunity to do what I wanted to. My dad never restrained me from doing anything, but at the same time when I got married, I understood the responsibly of an institution. Rajiv (Shukla) has been a huge support, he never said that I should not work, and he accepted and believed that work is my priority and, touchwood, things have worked out well despite the kind of pressures in the television industry, especially in the growing stage. Rajiv has been there and has provided all kinds of support – from emotional to no chaos at home support.

Q. What are your plans on film production? Are there plans to be into film production on a more frequent basis? If yes, will it be multi-lingual or will it be purely Hindi blockbusters?

small pipipaydayloans.com

We have made 'Mannat' in Punjabi last year, and this year we made 'Ami Yasin' and 'Amar Madhubala' in Bengali. Moving forward, we would be in this space, but right now we just want to launch the channel. It's important that at this juncture my whole concentration is on the channel. But we will go for all types of films.

Q. What type of person you would say you are, and what were your inner qualities that helped you move on a success path?

small pipipaydayloans.com

I really do not know what kind of person I am, but yes, over the years I have developed this internal stability in myself. I kind of take things as they come. Whatever comes my way is mine, and what I don't have has never been mine, so why bother myself? I do not crib so much anymore. I do not get pressurised by what others have got. I believe in the philosophy that whatever one is destined to get, he would get. In one word, I am a more positive person.

Q. Are there any plans to get into Bhojpuri films?

small pipipaydayloans.com

Not right now. We wanted to and in fact, last year we had signed in actor Manoj Tiwari, but somehow I felt that we should be spending more time doing other films. There are other people who are doing it and there is a churning process that the Bhojpuri film industry is going through.

Q. What are the hurdles for the FM radio industry, if any?

small pipipaydayloans.com

The license fee - the way it is going high – is becoming an obstacle. But the challenge would be to give the listeners something different because you are trying to draw someone's attention and you are trying to take someone's time.

Q. How did the idea to diversify from a production house to a full-fledged media house emerge? How do you balance between the different segments of the media like radio, satellite channels, film production, mobile and TV serial production?

small pipipaydayloans.com

Whatever I am doing, I had dreamt way back in 1994 when media was not as big as this. It was the time when I had launched a company called Dhristi India with Subhash Ghai. Whatever I am doing in BAG today, it was all planned for Dhristi. At that point I realised that I was nobody and did not have the wherewithal, so I was very happy with some minority stake in Dhristi. Dhristi unfortunately didn't work; it was probably ahead of its time. When I took over the reigns of BAG in 1996, my only thought was that I would do whatever I had thought of doing in Dhristi in BAG, and I realised that to be there you have to go through various steps. You have to be a 360-degree player in the content arena. Initially, we were just doing news, current affairs and infotainment shows. From there, we moved to full time entertainment from 1998 onwards. From 360-degree programming to 360-degree content platforms to 360 degrees of all media platforms - so it has been all there. I don't think there are many people, who, in the years to come, would be in the position to say that they had the experience in all kinds of programming.

The balancing is all on how you look at your own businesses. I look at them with a lot of passion and yet maintain a little distance. If I say I am doing everything myself, then no, I cannot do everything myself. In media, it's extremely important that you support the talents and they work along with you. I have been fortunate enough to have people who believed in the same philosophy that I have believed in and they have ensured that where I falter, they are there to take care of that. They have delivered and there are people in very crucial positions to handle the organisation.

Q. What was the reason for diversifying now, considered to be the second boom for the TV industry? What had stopped you from participating in the first TV boom?

small pipipaydayloans.com

We did not participate in the first boom because we were consolidating then, as I have always believed in consolidating, because my parents have not given me money to experiment in business. We had always fought the financial constraints and we were ready with the production house and the shows, but not as broadcasters. The required bandwidth was not with us. Luckily, we have grown over the years; we have set up things. We set up the studio, infrastructure, the people, the bureaux and networks across the country. We set that up first and then decided to go forward. In the initial boom we had none of that. We expanded and then consolidated, and now again we are ready for expansion. Thanks to Star News, we got the experience of running a news channel. Now, we can take that risk. Yes, competition is tough, but even if it gets tougher, it will be more fun. The fittest would survive, if I am not fit, I am not supposed to be here, and I shouldn't be here.

Q. What are the two biggest strengths or driving forces of BAG?

small pipipaydayloans.com

People and people. I think it's the people and the talent and the space that they get to refurbish their talent and to re-engineer themselves in – that's our strength. The people in BAG believe in the way I believe in BAG; in fact, they believe much more than I do that if BAG says we will do it, it has to be done. It is the people's faith and confidence in the organisation that is the driving force.

Q. You must have faced a lot of ups and downs over the years. How did you overcome them?

small pipipaydayloans.com

There were a whole lot of them. When I came out of Observer and started the business and was doing 'Aaj Ki Baat', the first chat show on DD Metro, and I didn't have capital, which had gone for the development of the show. I had gone through all the pressures. I didn't have a sum of Rs 40,000 to pay as salary. But now when I look back at those days, they give me the push to move forward. Then there was the day when Subhash Ghai and I decided to close Drishti as things were not working out. He was going back to his filmmaking business and I had to start BAG from scratch. But I will always remember that day in a positive manner because that gave me the drive to move forward. So, ups and downs are always part of life, and if there were no ups and downs, one would not be a well-rounded professional.

Q. Where do you think is journalism, especially television journalism, is heading?

small pipipaydayloans.com

We will have to look at it in a different context, at how we have become one world, and that India is a young nation and there is a whole new generation of people who are not interested in too many other things. There are other sources of media exposure and content journalism should not be compared with that. Journalism is giving information without any biases to people. Corruption and poverty continue to remain big issues, but they were bigger issues 10 years back. As people and society change, so does journalism.

Journalism is a sense driver. For a media organisation one big challenge is to know what is news and what is not. The biggest challenge for today's journalist is that one cannot be constricted to be a beat journalist. It is extremely important to be well-rounded. Your knowledge base has to be much wider than what it was five years ago.

Q. From working as a journalist to initiating a production house to a full fledged media company – how did it all happen? How did BAG come into existence?

small pipipaydayloans.com

You might recall the time when we came in as journalists, a whole lot of things were changing. Rajiv Gandhi had become the Prime Minister and he gave us youths a lot of energy, especially for somebody like me, who has always believed in dynamism. Things were changing – be it in politics, in society – and especially the way the scenario was vis-à-vis women. When I started out as a journalist and was a cub reporter with a video magazine, people did not take me seriously at first, because I was young and had to prove myself, as we were a generation of women who had to prove many things – not only to ourselves but to the whole world as well. We were emerging from the traditional role models of work for women that included teachers and doctors, but not journalists. We were coming into this profession because television was a new medium then and there was a curiosity factor, and secondly, we were women. By getting into the male bastion, we faced 360 degrees of vacillating factors from condescending looks to appreciative looks. But the best fact was that India was changing – the Government had changed; Mandal Commission had created a frenzy, and the liberalisation phase had come into force. There were no set rules or parameters. If you dreamt big, you could reach for the skies – and that was what was inculcated into my thought process. So, if I was a journalist one day, I could head the TV division of a company the other day, and also start my own company. We had been dreamers and we have achieved because we were dreamers.

BAG came into existence precisely because when I was heading the television division of Observer TV, I'd had enough of it and I could not see any growth in the company. I was young and realised that I would become a 9-5 job person. I had gone there to revive the channel and my job was done. I decided it was time to quit or I would get into the rut of job insecurity, which I didn't want and that's how I floated BAG. It was floated because I needed an organisation, because when I went to Doordarshan they gave me work and said 'you can work, but you do not have a company', so I went back and decided to open my own company. I was in a hurry to register the company because there was work there. So, I went through the typical process of registering the name, which was rejected thrice. So, I thought to give the name Bhagwan, Allah and God, which became BAG. There was no thought to it.

I got some support from my father and from some professional friends who were colleagues in Observer and had quit with me. It was a very modest start. I had a personal saving of Rs 40,000 and that is how BAG started. Both Rajiv and I were professionals, and at that time, the salary in media was nothing to be proud of. At that point of time the stakes were not high and we started from a rented place, which is still with us.