THE OBJECTIVE:
Most of the Faith Organisations s in the UK and Europe are airing programs through various TV channels either owned by them or chartered. Currently there are no Jain faith programs being aired in the UK or Europe except one or two from India targeted mainly to Jains communities in India.
At the meeting of One Jain held in April, it was agreed to consider for the UK and Europe, a weekly slot for a 30 minutes program. MATV was chosen for two reasons (i) costs (ii) convenience of use as they operate from a studio in Wembley.
MATV – TV CHANNEL
MATV National has been a leading UK based Asian channel catering for the Asian communities living in UK & Europe. It is diaspora’s channel of choice with viewership and awareness extending to more than two million Asianhomes in the UK and Europe, broadcasting 24 hours a day and 7 days a week throughout the year.
It supports high quality local television entertainment, news, sport, views and information as it happens in the UK & Europe. The program producers and presenters are mostly based in the UK.
Jain Audience Potential:
Total population of Jains would be about 40,000 or 7,000 households in the UK and Europe. The one distinct advantage of a TV programme is that it has Jain as well as non-Jain viewers. Estimated audience so far could be a large number of Jains and thousands of non-Jains. If promoted well through Jain organisations, the audience could run into 100,000+. The program could be tailored and promoted in a way that it would also attract wider and non-Jain communities. .
The first MATV slot was booked in early February 2015 since then 15 weekly programs have been broadcast. Feedback from these programs has been very positive. Comments have been received from outside the UK as well.
Mahavir Foundation has booked 30 min weekly slots to be aired on every Tuesday on MATV Sky Channel 793 from 8.20 to 8.50 PM. This is peakviewing time and we have managed to get the slots at a preferential rates. So far we have had several live interviews and a few programs on Jainism from pre recorded DVDs.
Viewers:
There are more than 9 million subscribers of SKY TV. Out of that approx half a million watch MATV in the UK and Europe. We get telephone calls from distant places confirming that they have seen our programmes. We are able to reach people in far corners of the UK and Europe.
Nature of Programs broadcast till 26th May 2015:
So far we have had interviews of leaders of some community organisations and some live interviews about the compassion and humanitarian work done by individuals and as well as organisations. We also had explanatory programmes about Namaskar Mantra and some other Jain tenets in simple language.
Suggestions for the tye of programs that can be broadcast:
- Jain Educational and Quiz programs,
- Social and cultural
- Community Activities and Services
- Diet, Health and Well being
- Interviews on art, festivals and others
Costs:
TV broadcasting in the UK is generally quite expensive. MATV has given us a special concessionary rate for a weekly 30 minutes slot. Annual cost would be in the region of £7500. To date a personal sponsor has incurred about £2500 in cost of which £1,000 has been recovered for the programs from other sponsors.
Finance:
There is a need to raise funds from the Jain Organisations in the UK and Europe to support this worthwhile activity.
There is no bar to who can sponsor the programs – individuals, professionals, businesses and corporate can sponsor. There is a also possibility of adverting on our slots.
Current Team of Presenters:
Dr. Vinod Kapashi
Mrs Jyotsna Shah (Gujarat Samachar)
Alka Shah (Lyca Radio 1458)
Khushbu Parikh
Vijay Sheth
Training of Artists:
We are looking for individuals who are willing to be trained for interviewing techniques and to do some fund-raising to support this project.
Promoting the programs ~
We recommend that all JAIN organisations should present their activities and promote them extensively to their membership.
Course of action recommended to make this project succeed:
- Form a team of 5 members from One Jain organisations.
- All members undergo training in interviewing and presentation skills.
- Prepare a schedule of possible events to be presented during the next 12 months.
- Invite support from One Jain Organisations
V. Kapashi
Email: bhaktamar11@gmail.com
Mobile: 079 6600 6261
04 June 2015