The draft Punjab Outdoor Advertising Policy 2018 which was released a few days back is being assessed by the industry players keeping in view their market conditions and business opportunities. Even as the media owners are preparing their feedback and suggestions to be submitted with the Punjab Government, nodal industry body Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA) is not impressed with the draft policy. Indrajit Sen of IOAA told Media4Growth that “the new policy will discourage revenue growth for outdoor advertising and stifle the demand for local level publicity and advertising considerably.”

While the permissions for putting up digital outdoor format is a welcome step, Sen feels the clause permitting digital OOH needs further elaboration as well as understanding. “Digital OOH - whether LED or LCD that’s simply a matter of convenience and cost - is not like having a giant TV on the roadside. So, it needs some rules especially because that is the medium of the future”.

As the authority has asked for the suggestions on the policy draft, IOAA is scrutinising it deeply to table the points; out of which a few Sen shared. ”We have to insist on a number of changes- the first being to permit displays on private property including rooftops albeit with closer definitions of permissible sizes. For displays on government or municipal land, locations / areas need to be identified and informed. Process of allocation by public tender also needs to be conducted in a totally transparent manner.