Friday, January 11, 2013
Prasar Bharati makeover to hire established anchors
New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) In a bid to spruce up its content and presentation, national broadcaster Prasar Bharati has decided to hire media professionals, including recognised anchors, from open market.
Besides established anchors from private news channels, professionals in areas like new media, marketing and branding would also be recruited, official sources said.
The move forms a part of the national broadcaster's overall strategy to rebrand Doordarshan's News and Urdu channels.
Courtesy: PTI
Sunday, January 6, 2013
AIBD / PRASAR BHARATHI Sub-Regional Workshop on Digital Radio Transmission
This international level workshop was conducted from 3 - 11 Dec 2012 at the All India Radio-Staff Training Institute (Technical) complex in New Delhi. It was attended by 14 broadcast engineers and technical personnel from Bhutan, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria and Thailand.
The resource persons were senior broadcast engineers from AIR STIT, AIR Headquarters and regional stations, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Digital Radio Broadcast companies. The workshop covered theory, practical applications with demonstration and field trips to Digital Radio Transmitter sites and AIR Headquarters.
Participants together with the All India Radio top management and their staff at the entrance of STIT complex
The presentation on Digitalization of the Radio Network in India from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting gave an insight into the approach made by India and comparing it with other countries. India has a large number of AM, MW and SW transmitters in operation alongside with FM Stereo Transmitters. Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) is a natural choice especially if simulcast is to be used for a period of time. It was obvious to the international participants that it would be costly and wastage of RF spectrum to let the existing analogue MW and SW transmitters be shut down. To put it simply, the Digital Switch Over technique was a logical step and it must be emphasised here that other countries with large number of AM transmitters are making a similar approach.
The theoretical aspects and practice of Digital Audio standards including the AES/EBU standards, COFDM, Digital Modulation and Channel Coding were presented by various experts from All India Radio. Due to special requests and popular demand, a special lecture on the Galois Field was conducted so that participants can understand advanced codes such as Low Density Parity Check Codes (LDPC), Reed Solomon (RS) and Bose Chaudhiri Hocquenghem (BCH) used in Digital Radio and TV Broadcasting. It was indeed a rare opportunity to learn from a broadcast practitioner as such lectures on this topic are not common and only dealt with by academics at postgraduate level at the Universities.
Digital Radio Transmitter Technology, Antenna and Feeder lines, DRM standards and DRM receivers were also among the topics which generated great interest. It was informative to know which category of analogue AM transmitters could be modified for DRM transmission. The different types of MW and SW antennas with their radiation patterns and antenna feeder lines provided better understanding of the overall digitalization process as not all the participants had previously worked at a radio transmitter site. The DRM field trials conducted by AIR and the problems that arose together with their solutions were presented by the experts directly involved. Evidently proper choice of DRM parameters is essential for clear and robust reception of digital radio signals. It was also reassuring to note that DRM receivers are readily available and the cost would be decreasing as more DRM transmitters start operation. There are already a substantial number of listeners overseas and clear reception is obtainable in countries as far away as the United Kingdom.
Mr I. I. George, Deputy Director General, delivering a presentation on Antennas & Feeder line
Other digital radio standards including DAB, DAB+, HD Radio and of course DRM+ were also introduced. The differences were explained and it is apt to say that the participants were able to distinguish between the technical features and specifications of each standard and their applications.
The participants were taken on a visit to the New Broadcasting House at New Delhi which was AIR Headquarters. Senior Engineers were at hand to explain the set up of radio studio and transmission facilities and equipment. One of the most remarkable features is the satellite links from New Delhi and to all major cities in India which are coordinated at this building. India is classified as a sub continent with an extremely huge land mass and a large population speaking many different languages. Satellite links are necessary to bring the Indian population from vast distances together and the broadcast personnel must have sufficient knowledge and expertise to operate the station. Needless to say, the equipment is sophisticated and it is continuously upgraded to take advantage of recent advances in digital satellite technology and the shift from Single Carrier Per Channel (SCPC) to Multi Carrier Per Channel (MCPC) operation.
A field trip was made to the AIR Transmitter site at Khampur where both MW and SW Transmitters are located. Again, experienced broadcast personnel were at hand to explain the operation of the DRM Transmitter, Antennas and feeder lines. Within the STIT complex itself, a DRM Tx is also located and further opportunity presented itself when digital measurements were carried out by the course coordinator, Mr K Murugan. Both the field trip to AIR Khampur and the DRM measurement exercise carried out at the STIT site provided the practicals that complemented the theoretical aspects explained during the lectures.
Mr V.K.Balaeja, Director Engineering, AIR, Khampur complex explaining the practical operation of the DRM Transmitter
The workshop was well organised and took into account both the theoretical and practical aspects of Digital Radio Transmission. The resource persons were trained experts in their own field and went out of their way to make the course a success. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, India is extended a sincere appreciation of thanks as its officials had also contributed by providing the necessary support and approval while AIBD is commended for the coordination between the various countries and AIR to launch this joint activity. A special note of thanks to Prahabindra Das, Director, International relations at AIR for his efforts in getting local approvals to host this activity. Last but not the least the efforts of K Murugan, who served as both the course coordinator and resource person is given due credit for taking great care for ensuring the smooth implementation of the workshop proceedings which contributed to its success.
Mr N A Khan, Additional Director General, AIR-Staff Training Institute Technical with K Murugan Director AIR & Course Coordinator presenting the certificates to the participants after the closing ceremony
_________________________________
By V. Jeewa, M.Eng, C.Eng, Deputy Director & Zarah Naumul B.Eng
Tun Abdul Razak Broadcast & Information Institute,
Ministry of Information, Communication & Culture, Malaysia
Tun Abdul Razak Broadcast & Information Institute,
Ministry of Information, Communication & Culture, Malaysia
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Backed by new I&B Minister Manish Tewari, Prasar Bharati hires private channel biggies for revamp : North, News - India Today
Courtesy: India Today
Date : 3 Jan 2012
At long last, it seems, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has woken up to the need of smartly packaged news programmes presented by professionals alive to the taste of audience.
Prasar Bharati is quietly going about hiring recognised anchors from popular private channels who, it believes, will lead the revival of its moribund DD News , its main news outlet which is hardly watched by anyone having the option of tuning into private broadcasters.
The exercise, it is learnt, is part of an ambitious plan of the I&B ministry to shore up its rock-bottom ratings and run it in a more professional way.
I&B Minister Manish Tewari i s a votary of these reforms and made it clear that Prasar Bharti, which eats up over 65 per cent of ministry's budget, will have to make its presence felt in the industry.
In a first, it has been building its marketing team to sell slots in DD News' prime time band to bring in moolah from private sponsors.
"We have extended our invitation to several professionals and are offering them the best terms possible within our set-up. We will also give them the required support, technology equipment and, more importantly, space to function more effectively," Prasar Bharti CEO Jawhar Sircar toldMail Today.
Veteran journalist Sanjeev Srivastava (earlier with BBC) and Pranjal Sharma, who was with Bloomberg TV, have already joined in different capacities. So has Ajay Shukla, a defence expert.
A host of private channels anchors, including Pallavi Ghosh of CNN-IBN, Mehraj Dube of NDTV and Ravi Dhiman too, have been approached by the broadcaster.
These anchors will be given slots in the prime time between 8 pm and 10 pm and after presenting top news at the hour will begin debates on different issues ala private channels.
Most of them will draw monthly salary in handsome six digits, a cause of some consternation among the old guards.
Read more at:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/prasar-bharati-revamp-private-channel-anchors-dd-news-manish-tewari/1/240535.html
Date : 3 Jan 2012
At long last, it seems, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has woken up to the need of smartly packaged news programmes presented by professionals alive to the taste of audience.
Prasar Bharati is quietly going about hiring recognised anchors from popular private channels who, it believes, will lead the revival of its moribund DD News , its main news outlet which is hardly watched by anyone having the option of tuning into private broadcasters.
The exercise, it is learnt, is part of an ambitious plan of the I&B ministry to shore up its rock-bottom ratings and run it in a more professional way.
I&B Minister Manish Tewari i s a votary of these reforms and made it clear that Prasar Bharti, which eats up over 65 per cent of ministry's budget, will have to make its presence felt in the industry.
In a first, it has been building its marketing team to sell slots in DD News' prime time band to bring in moolah from private sponsors.
"We have extended our invitation to several professionals and are offering them the best terms possible within our set-up. We will also give them the required support, technology equipment and, more importantly, space to function more effectively," Prasar Bharti CEO Jawhar Sircar toldMail Today.
Veteran journalist Sanjeev Srivastava (earlier with BBC) and Pranjal Sharma, who was with Bloomberg TV, have already joined in different capacities. So has Ajay Shukla, a defence expert.
A host of private channels anchors, including Pallavi Ghosh of CNN-IBN, Mehraj Dube of NDTV and Ravi Dhiman too, have been approached by the broadcaster.
These anchors will be given slots in the prime time between 8 pm and 10 pm and after presenting top news at the hour will begin debates on different issues ala private channels.
Most of them will draw monthly salary in handsome six digits, a cause of some consternation among the old guards.
Read more at:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/prasar-bharati-revamp-private-channel-anchors-dd-news-manish-tewari/1/240535.html
Business Line : Industry & Economy / Government & Policy : Digitisation, Prasar Bharati revamp hallmarks of I&B Ministry
Courtesy: Business Line
NEW DELHI, JAN 2:
Digitisation of cable TV in the metros, clearing of a proposal for financial restructuring of Prasar Bharati, FDI in broadcasting and preparations for the centenary celebrations of Indian cinema marked an eventful 2012 for the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
Coming to the rescue of Prasar Bharati which is facing financial problems, the government cleared a proposal for its financial restructuring while waiving off debt of over Rs 1,300 crore. The proposal was based on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on Prasar Bharati which was constituted to examine various issues pertaining to its functioning.
Plan capital support by the government to Prasar Bharati will be in the form of grants—in—aid only and not in the form of loan.
The ailing broadcaster was also assured of other benefits. Prasar Bharati in its turn tried innovations like telecasting actor Aamir Khan’s programme ‘Satyamev Jayate’ along with Doordarshan.
With a massive publicity drive, the ministry managed to usher digitisation in Delhi, Mumbai and partially in Kolkata.
In Chennai, the matter is still pending in the High Court.
In 2013, the ministry plans to implement digitisation in 38 cities in 15 states for which the deadline is March 31.
Keywords: Digitisation of cable TV, financial restructuring of Prasar Bharati, FDI in broadcasting, centenary celebrations of Indian cinema, Satyamev Jayate, Aamir Khan
Link: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/digitisation-prasar-bharati-revamp-hallmarks-of-ib-ministry/article4264595.ece?ref=wl_industry-and-economy
Friday, January 4, 2013
All India Radio medium wave facilities being digitis
Source: indiatelevision.com
Date: 22 December 2012 3:23 pm
NEW DELHI: Production facilities are being digitised at 98 centres to further enhance the reach of medium wave band transmissions of All India Radio.
AIR sources told indiantelevision.com that despite the growth of FM Radio, medium wave is being received by 98.41 per cent of the population and 90.63 per cent of the area.
The MW transmissions are being provided through 146 MWtransmitters of various capacities, according to AIR sources.
A survey by AIR in 2010-11 had also found that respondents in both rural and urban areas had rated the reception quality of AIR's Primary channel and Vividh Bharati as satisfactory.
In an effort to improve the transmission, the sources said that 17 transmitters had recently been replaced by Digital Compatible transmitters.
In addition, several new schemes are under implementation under the 11th Plan. These include installation of new transmitters at two places, replacement of old transmitters by new Digital Transmitters at 31 places, upgradation of old transmitters by new Digital transmitters at five places, digitisation of existing compatible transmitters at 36 places, and digitisation of connectivity and linkage at all places. AIR is planning to continue digitisation under the 12th and future Plans.
Link: http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k12/dec/dec233.php
8,462 posts vacant in All India Radio
Source: The Indian Express | Agencies : New Delhi
Date: Tue Dec 18 2012, 01:32 hrs
There are nearly 8,500 vacancies in different categories in All India Radio (AIR), the Rajya Sabha was today informed.
In a reply to a question, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said of the 8,462 vacancies, 1,314 are Group A posts while there are 1,596 Group B posts, 3,618 Group C and 1,934 group D posts.
Tewari also said that non-availability of language experts on the permanent rolls for Urdu programmes have affected the quality of the 24-hours programme on AIR.
He clarified that the Urdu services are being managed through engagement of retired personnel and through outsourcing.
He said the shortage of staff had arisen because little fresh recruitment had taken place since the formation of Prasar Bharati in 1997.
In response to another question, he said that casual presenters were being booked by AIR stations on assignment basis.
Link: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/8462-posts-vacant-in-all-india-radio/1046589Prasar Bharati ropes in Pranjal Sharma as Advisor
Source: exchangeofmedia.com | By Abid Hasan
Date: Wednesday,Dec 19, 2012
Pranjal Sharma steps in Prasar Bharati as an advisor responsible for new media and content strategy and will advise the CEO and Director General. This will also include all channels of DD Network and All India Radio.
His specialty lies in presenting news in English and Hindi, news management, conducting special interviews and also directing, scripting and producing news based shows. His talent was also visible in moderating and leading public debates and discussions. He has also tried his hand at teaching media.
In his career he has held many positions in a number of leading channels like – he was Business Editor at TV Today Network from 2001 to 2007, where he led a team that created business news content for the four news channels of the network and also presented business and general news in English and Hindi, Assistant Editor, Anchor at CNBC TV18, from 2000 to 2001 where he presented and edited lives news shows in Hindi and English and helped relaunch www.moneycontrol.com for the network.
Prior to that, he was the Senior Asst Editor at Business Today, where he edited news features section, and wrote on economic policies. He was also the Asst Editor at Indian Express from 1996 – 1999 where he edited weekly page on business and corporate news. He was Principal Correspondent at India Today, from 1992 – 1996 where he edited and wrote for the business section of the magazine. He has studied at Delhi University, and prior to that at Kendriya Vidyalaya and St. Xavier School, Delhi.
Link: http://www.exchange4media.com/49149_prasar-bharati-ropes-in-pranjal-sharma-as-advisor.html
8,500 vacancies in All India Radio (AIR) in 2013
Source: Recruitments Today
Date: 18 December, 2012
8,500 vacancies in All India Radio (AIR)
There are nearly 8,500 vacancies in different categories in All India Radio (AIR) 2013, the Rajya Sabha was informed.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said of the 8,462 vacancies,1,314 are Group A posts while there are 1,596 Group B posts, 3,618 Group C and 1,934 group D posts.
Tewari also said that non-availability of language experts on the permanent rolls for Urdu programmes have affected the quality of the 24-hours programme on AIR.
He clarified that the Urdu services are being managed through engagement of retired personnel and through outsourcing.
He said the shortage of staff had arisen because little fresh recruitment had taken place since the formation of Prasar Bharati in 1997.
In response to another question, he said that casual presenters were being booked by AIR stations on assignment basis.
Source: Times of India
Link: http://www.recruitmentstoday.com/8500-vacancies-in-all-india-radio-air-in-2013/2899
ESPN to sell ads on Doordarshan for India-Pakistan cricket series
Source: The Economics Times | Vijaya Rathore & Soma Banerjee, ET Bureau
Dated: Dec 18, 2012, 05.37AM IST
NEW DELHI: ESPN Star Sports will sell advertisement spots on Doordarshan for the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket series, having outbid the public broadcaster in minimum guarantee revenues.
ESPN, which holds the telecast rights for the one-day international and twenty20 series, in a meeting on Saturday also agreed to provide Doordarshan match feed without any embedded advertisement for terrestrial transmission.
With advertising rates for the two T20 matches between the neighbours touching a record 10 lakh, media planners buying airtime for advertisers say the deal is a win-win and will help the public broadcaster rake in revenues from the series. ESPN will give one quarter of the revenues to Doordarshan.
The deal covers both the Pakistan series and the one-day international and twenty20 series with England next month.
The decision was taken after Prasar Bharati, which runs DD, sought the ministry of information and broadcasting's intervention to settle its differences with ESPN and the Indian cricket authority, BCCI, over providing feed without embedded advertisements.
Tripurari Sharan, director general at Doordarshan, said, "ESPN said that there will be 'digital commercial enhancement' of the feed coming from the BCCI." This meant logos and other promotional material of the sponsors were to be part of the feed. "We wrote to the I&B ministry and the ministry wrote to ESPN andBCCI saying that it was not on," he added.
The two broadcasters today began selling airtime for the first India-Pakistan series in more than five years. The series starts next week.
ESPN did not comment on the issue and even BCCI officials could not be reached for comments.
ESPN made Rs 22-crore minimum guarantee bid to sell ad spots on behalf of Doordarshan to advertisers for the India-Pakistan and India-England series. Doordarshan had bid Rs 18 core.
According to the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007, it is mandatory for the rights holder of any sporting event of national importance to share the feed with the public broadcaster. Doordarshan, in turn, is required to share 75 per cent of the advertisement revenue with the rights holder.
The party responsible for selling advertisements, called revenue management company, is decided through a bidding process. Doordarshan could not make any profit during the India-Sri Lanka T20 series earlier this year. Doordarshan was the revenue management company as it had bid 20 crore, while ESPN's bid was only Rs 2 crore.
Jawahar Sircar, chief executive officer of Prasar Bharati, said, "We struggled and managed to reach bid amount; only to hand over 75 per cent to ESPN and lose revenue from our normal telecasts."
Meanwhile, ESPN has started marketing the India-Pakistan series. Media buyers said the private broadcaster is demanding 10 lakh for a 10-second spot for T20 and 6 lakh for ODIs. Doordarshan can garner around 1 lakh for ODIs and around Rs 1.5 lakh for T20s, they said.
"The series is a very sought-after media property. It may not be a very efficient buy, but will have a big impact considering the hype and the fact that the two nations are playing after a long time," Navin Khemka, managing partner of media buying firm Zenith Optimedia, said.
"Advertisers who are looking to ride on the hype of the holiday season will be willing to pay premium rates on ESPN. Doordarshan also offers opportunity for smaller advertisers," he said.
Prasar Bharati recommends 580 proposals for DD-Urdu
Source: Muslim Mirror | By Muslim Mirror News Desk,
Created on Monday, 10 December 2012 20:50
New Delhi: Prasar Bharati has recommended 580 programs proposals for Urdu channel of Door Darshan – DD Urdu. Of them 163 proposals are under process. This information was provided in the Rajya Sabha today by Mr. Manish Tewari, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in reply to a question asked by Member of Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Mohammed Adeeb.
Mr. Adeeb had asked if DD-Urdu is being neglected. In response, Mr. Tewari said that Prasar Bharati has taken several steps to promote Urdu language and culture on DD-Urdu Channel.
"Prasar Bharati has informed that a number of steps have been taken to promote Urdu language and culture on DD (Urdu) Channel. In order to have fresh software on DD(Urdu), proposals were invited from private producers. Out of 1047 proposals received, 580 proposals have been recommended by Evaluation Committee for commissioning. As of now 163 proposals are under process in various genres/ categories like literature, Urdu Classics, Urdu Poetry, Urdu Journalism, Devotional Music etc. as per immediate requirement of the channel and final sanctions/ approvals are being issued. Proposals on Urdu classics, Urdu novels and Urdu poetry have been included in the recommended list," Mr. Tewari informed.
Link: http://www.muslimmirror.com/indian-muslim/818-prasar-bharati-recommends-580-proposals-for-dd-urduMonday, December 31, 2012
Govt plans own channel, real autonomy for Doordarshan
Source: Times of India | Himanshi Dhawan, TNN Dec 16, 2012, 04.50AM IST
Dated: 16th December, 2012, 04.50AM IST
NEW DELHI: The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry has asked regulator Trai for a review of the policy which disallows government ownership of television channels. This letter to the regulator is seen as a precursor to the Centre launching a TV channel of its own.
(I&B ministry was looking to recast Prasar Bharati as a financially autonomous public service broadcaster.)
On November 30, I&B secretary Uday Kumar Varma wrote to Trai chairman Rahul Khullar asking him "to kindly provide your recommendations as to whether the following may be allowed" in broadcasting: central and state government ministries and departments, state-owned companies, undertakings and joint ventures.
Varma cited the instances of the governments of Gujarat, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and the Union HRD ministry seeking permission to operate and distribute their TV channels which the I&B ministry has turned down because the current policy doesn't allow government presence in broadcasting.
Sources in the ministry said Doordarshan was allowed because it was ostensibly run by an autonomous body, Prasar Bharati. They also said that it was a question of time before Prasar Bharati is likely to be asked to raise and manage its own finances and that would automatically lead to the public broadcaster asserting its autonomy.
It's in this context that the government's letter seeking Trai's views on government presence in broadcasting acquires significance. Incidentally, Doordarshan enjoys 92% coverage of the country through its terrestrial network with a viewership of about 2.5 crore people.
Not just TV channels, the government is also keen on having a presence in print and radio too. There is urgency to the move in view of elections in 2014 when the government having its own media would be undoubtedly helpful.
While the Punjab government sought permission for its own TV channel, the Gujarat government and HRD ministry sought the I&B ministry's nod to set up educational channels on their own DTH platforms.
90% of I&B funds spent on Prasar Bharati
Sources said that the I&B ministry was looking to recast Prasar Bharati as a financially autonomous public service broadcaster like the BBC with independent sources of funding like licence fees, commercial programming and ads.
At present 90% of the ministry's fund is spent on funding Prasar Bharati's operations. I&B minister Manish Tewari is said to have discussed the issue with senior memeber of the government. "Why should there be a veil of hypocrisy in running one's own channel or paper? If there are 800 TV channels, allowing 30 more will only be a drop in the ocean. If there are 3,000 radio stations, there can be space for 30 more, and the same is true for papers," the sources said.
Link: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-16/india/35850552_1_i-b-ministry-tv-channels-prasar-bharati
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