High-level committee to look into role of Prasar Bharati

Source: Business Standard|Press Trust of India|New Delhi|14:05

Published Date: Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013

 

To review the institutional framework of Prasar Bharati including its "relationship with the government," a high-level committee headed by technocrat Sam Pitroda has been set up to look into the role of the public broadcaster.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry today said it has constituted a seven-member expert committee "for the purpose of reviewing the institutional framework of Prasar Bharati including its relationship with government, its continuing role as a public broadcaster and measures needed to ensure technical upgradation of the organisation."

The committee, led by Pitroda, who is the advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations, would "suggest measures to sustain, strengthen and amplify Prasar Bharati's role as a public broadcaster with special reference to its relationship with government in the emerging context," the Ministry said in a statement.

The committee would review the status of implementation of recommendations made by various committees that have undertaken studies on Prasar Bharati --- the Sengupta committee, the Bakshi committee and the Narayanamurthy committee -- and suggest a road map ahead for enhancing the reach and potential of the broadcaster.

It would also suggest measures to digitise the archival material in the possession of Doordarshan and All India Radio including material from Independence movement era, and develop enabling infrastructure, in the form of data digitalisation systems, data centres and networks, I&B ministry said.

The committee would also suggest ways of using the new media to deliver digital content - both in broadcast mode (DTH) and in a demand-based mode (Free on social media like You-Tube, and on payment through IPTV).

Apart from Pitroda, other members of the committee are former I&B Secretary Asha Swaroop, Dr B K Gairola, Mission Director (e-Governance), Shekhar Kapur, member of the National Innovation Council, Prof. M P Gupta of IIT Delhi and J S Mathur, Additional Secretary, I&B Ministry.

Jawhar Sircar, Chief Executive, Prasar Bharati would be the Member (Convenor) of the committee.

 

Link: http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/high-level-committee-to-look-into-roleprasar-bharati/116012/