(Telephone rings) Radia: Hi Raja, how are you? Raja: Morning... morning. Radia: Raja, can I disturb you for a...?
Raja: Yeah... yeah... no problem I am on the way to office... (audio unclear) Radia: Raja, on distribution... I just saw the charts on Sun and what's coming... it's in a terrible situation. Raja: Ha.
Radia: We want to terminate that agreement... I talked to - I talked to Jehangir already but we are nowhere near the S band that we require to be whether we look at prime...you know the industry average. We are not even close to 25%- 30% of the industry average. Raja: Hmm.
Radia: So we are... We are being pushed into the hyper and UHS. Raja: Hmm. Radia: And he's now come back when after he met Jehangir yesterday... that if I was to do... to bring you into the band... where the industry is...
Radia: Then it'll cost you more and it will be another 20...it will be upto 26 crores plus his commissions. Now, Setpro was giving us 28 without negotiating. We have not even started negotiating with them. Raja: Hmm.
Radia: So we are in a...in a situation where we already lost time, and we are nowhere at all. Now his...his other challenge is... he doesn't have a distribution person. When we were with INX... INX and what we were getting...where our reach was...a higher number our reach is today.
Raja: Hmm. Radia: In terms of distribution and (indiscernible) we are becoming...we maybe adding people but we are not adding the...way... way...viewership.
Radia: For example in Chennai, we are zero percent in any of the three bands. Raja: Hmm Radia: There - 2 suggestions...one we'll have to re-look at this, the second is do you think that with Eenadu we can get somebody who can stick...they can stick on someone temporarily to these people.
Raja: Yeah...yeah...we'll do...we'll do...that's what. See I think this week you tell me whenever Jehangir and when I am free we'll go... you tell me the date I will come on any day, not a problem. Radia: Ha (Yeah).
Raja: Atleast, first we should close before we start anything... first, close that option. Radia: Ha (Yeah) Raja: See, whether it is there or not we should understand very clearly. Radia: Right.
Raja: Ummm... so for that first, see my suggestion would be, before we talked to Ramoji Rao directly. Radia: Ha (Yeah) Raja: First, I think... I'll take Jehangir, Vinay and... conference call on... our..
Raja: With the executive who is actually dealing with this... I'll check with the company's director who is dealing with this. Radia: Ok. Raja: Or... Or we can talk to his son.
Radia: Ok. Raja:First...umm. Radia: Means I won't do anything... do the technica (indiscernible), is more important.
Raja: Yeah... no... no... it's actually... see the person who has negotiated with them... whether we will... his son will have a better perspective... because finally the... its a question of suppose if they start after that... they'll have to go and tell, "Boss, this is mine".
Radia: Ha (Yeah). If not so much the Tata's said... If not so much the Tata's said... Raja: No... no... Tata's (indiscernible) is... I am saying... you go to this TV... this is a part of our bouquet. Radia: Ha (Yeah).
Raja: Like that they have to tell. Radia: Baaki (rest)... the problem is... Raja: I read their current agreement... in their current agreement they cannot add... that provision is not there.
Radia: I know that. Raja: But he... he sent me only one... others... others also... should read... so first we'll have a conference call and then we'll go... first of all we'll have to see the doability then we'll have to go and talk to Ramoji Rao.
Radia: Raja: The problem is not on DTH... DTH we know that Tata Sky... Raja: Not DTH... I gave it as an example... I am saying any operator whether cable or DTH. Radia: Right.
Raja: See, what they've negotiated is sometimes lot of things are not written. So most of this fellow, his son ... Kiran would have been involved certainly. Radia: Right.
Raja: I will check with them otherwise we'll talk to the person who's involved no? There is no problem. Radia: Ok. What I was saying...
Raja: Only thing... the person who's involved... I will tell you no only Kiran knows the others they don't know... Radia: Ok. Raja: That is the only issue.
Radia: Can I suggest one thing Raja. On Tuesday... Monday or Tuesday... Jehangir has to come and meet MDA. Raja: Ha (Yeah). Radia:So, before that he can come and then we can set up a call, once I get the time from MDA today what time he is meeting, then you could set up that call -
Radia: Then he is with you only... then you can link up with Vinay also and then that call can happen... we are all there. Raja: Yes...yes...yes...we'll do that... we'll do that... 100%... we'll do that on Tuesday. Radia: That... That would be most critical.
Radia: The second thing is anybody on finance? Raja: Ha (Yeah) this fellow is coming, the other fellow no? Yesterday night it was final... but I was... that fellow is coming...I'm briefing him... Radia: Who?
Raja: Rajesh... Radia: Life Science... Raja: Whatever I said first no?(Indiscernible) a problem then I (Audio unclear). Radia: Oh... Hmm... So now...
Raja : Because that KV Subramaniam, you were not not releasing him. Radia: Ha (Yeah)... Ha (Yeah) very good... very good. Raja: Then I said that no he has to go...so... I... I told him that I'd like to have a one day session with him, after that he will leave.
Raja: So latest date is by 10th he will come...latest. Radia: 10th of June. Raja: Latest... 10th of June is the latest date by which he'll come. Radia: Great... great... Oh! that's a relief... fabulous... that'll be a relief.
Radia: Ok. Then... lemme -then let's do this... let's tie up this call on Tuesday and let's see if we can get him 1 person from them temporarily to... to work with them... and see whether they can... you know... even help maybe you can give someone from distribution from Eenadu temporarily to him also.
Radia: So he can have a person there... you know who can... who can take it... just to help out, initially... you know. Raja: We... we can do that... in fact just now today itself also I will talk before to the... I am in Dadar only. So I will have some time... I will talk to Shrinivas and try do something. Radia: Ok, great.
Raja: I'll see whether we can have at least a call to... how to... the only problem is those people are dictating so they won't know (laughs)... they are not like others, that is the problem... see the problem is they are not being treated like the cable operators and others... like other channels because of the old... they are old, that is the only issue.
Radia: Ha (Yeah). Raja: So... so... they should call... anyway... I will talk to the (inaudible) in the meantime now. Radia: No but the problem is... the advantage will be Raja... that if they are not and if we link up with them and show some strategic alliance.
Raja: Correct... correct. Radia: Then maybe we will get there and that will rub off on us no? Raja: Correct... correct.
Radia: Ha (Yeah). The other thing is... Raja: Second... the second thing is, see, this Bharat Rawat... to whom all does this...package (inaudible), because he has received back 40 packets. Radia: 40!
Raja: Ha (yeah) that's what because I don't know... just now he called me also... just now... before your call infact... I was speaking to him only when you called... he says that 40 packets have come back... so I don't know... Radia: He must have the names from where they've come right.
Raja: No. Addresses were wrong. I don't know what... what... because you know... internet...(audio unclear)... people took the addresses from internet and those addresses are changed... I don't know...so...so... I'll just check what are all the addresses... I'll ask Manoj.
Raja: He said please send somebody there is no space in my house karke bola (he said so). Radia: No, I can't believe that 40 can come back. Raja: 40... he said 40... (unclear)...so any way I've gone to his house, it's not a very big house.
Radia: No... no I agree... this is something very... let me just check with him also... Raja: Any way, he said 40... so what I will do... I will send my secretary and ask Manoj to send one person. Radia: Right.
Raja: So I will send my car back so that those people can... (Ends abruptly).