IOAA assures key support to Punjab players on tax & payment issues, neutralising illegal media

OOH industry apex body Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA) has taken a major step forward into the Punjab market to support the local industry in matters concerning regulatory norms, standard practices, interactions with policy makers, etc. The industry body has also launched a membership drive in the region with the express purpose of bringing all OOH media players on the same page, and to promote concerted steps to address common industry issues.

IOAA organised a meeting in Zirakpur, Punjab on November 15 with media owners operating in Punjab where the participants highlighted the various issues that have affected the local OOH business.

The media owners pointed to the issue of advertisement tax that they have had to pay to the civic bodies even after the implementation of GST. Noting that GST subsumes all such taxes, IOAA assured the local industry that the tax-related matters will be taken up the concerned departments.

The media owners also underlined the challenges posed by the national specialist agencies in regard to delayed release of POs, payments, etc.

On the issue of illegal and unauthorised media denting the business of those owning legal media, IOAA urged the local players to share the images of illegal media seen in the markets which the apex industry body will share with the particular advertisers using those media, in a manner that the advertisers and buyers insist on using only authorised media.