Indian soap operas hit by strike

By Jyotsna Singh
BBC News, Delhi

Technicians and set assistants say that they are not paid enough

An indefinite strike by thousands of workers in India's thriving TV entertainment industry has disrupted the broadcast of popular soaps.

The striking workers, who include technicians and assistants on set, are demanding a pay rise.

The workers claim that the production companies have gone back on an agreement reached last month.

They want a rise of up to 20% in their daily wages. At the moment some earn as little as $12 a day.

But the producers say that the rise being demanded would lead to a 300% hike in overall costs.

The companies refuse to shoot on what they say are such low profit margins.

And the television channels that show the soap operas say that they cannot afford to pay higher prices for them in this time of economic slowdown.

Meanwhile, the strike has affected millions of viewers across the country.

Since Monday, all major entertainment channels have been broadcasting re-runs of their soaps.

"The chain is broken - the emotional touch that was there in the serial has been broken. You get no kick in them, the repetitions are not all welcome," one soap opera fan in Delhi said.

Meanwhile, the producers association says the workers' union must come forward for further talks to resolve the dispute.