Unshackling Prasar Bharati

Courtesy:  www.thehindu.com

Updated: August 16, 2014 01:42 IST 

No government has so far shown the will to grant full financial and administrative autonomy to Prasar Bharati, which was created by law in 1997. On paper an autonomous organisation, it largely remains a subordinate office of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The question of Prasar Bharati's autonomy has surfaced again, with its Chief Executive Officer, Jawahar Sircar, writing to the Ministry protesting against the broadcaster having little say in its own functioning. He has contended that his suggestions on the posting and transfer of Indian Information Service officers in the news divisions of Akashvani and Doordarshan have been ignored. With electronic media organisations expanding exponentially in recent years, it may sound strange that there should be any debate now on the autonomy of public broadcasters in the country. However, it cannot be denied that public service broadcasting remains relevant because All India Radio and Doordarshan have the widest geographical spread in terms of coverage. To a large extent, its radio and television wings have been served by competent professionals, but the impression of government control remains strong. Their cultural programmes have been of high quality but news programming, though free of sensationalism, is often seen as dull and hackneyed.

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