Expert panels soon to revamp Prasar Bharati

Source: The Hindu: Kolkata

Dated: 12^th November, 2012

 

PTI

 

The Hindu A file picture of Jawhar Sircar, Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar.    The Hindu

Set for a major revamp, public sector broadcaster Prasar Bharati will form expert panels to advise it on viewership preferences, programmes and for archive retrieval.

"The advisory committees will be set up for viewers and programme advisory as well as for retrieving archives. These will be in our 11 Kendras across the country. We want individuals from different fields to volunteer as per their fields of expertise," Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer Jawahar Sircar said in Kolkata on Monday.

"The idea is to revamp the existing structure. We are trying to democratise programmes," Mr. Sircar said.

Also, Prasar Bharati's radio broadcasting arm Akashvani is recasting the programme content of its two FM channels - FM Rainbow and FM Gold - by introducing breakfast shows, special slots for western as well as devotional songs.

These programmes originating in AIR FM Delhi would have a pan-India flavour and acknowledge listeners joining in from various states, he explained.

He further said that the news content of FM Gold had been so rationalised that continuous news and programmes stretching over several hours had been made concise and would be alternated with entertainment content.

"Popular western music has been retained and stations at Shillong and Panaji have been asked to provide good western music content for enrichment of content," he said.

Prasar Bharati runs the AIR and Doordardhan network.

 

Link: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/expert-panels-soon-to-revamp-prasar-bharati/article4090597.ece

Plans underway to improve AIR, DD: Prasar Bharti

Source: India Blooms

Dated: 13^th November, 2012

New Delhi, Nov 12 (IBNS): Prasar Bharati has taken up plans to make the programmes of AIR and Doordashan more attractive to the people and to improve the quality of broadcast and telecast.

 

Jawhar Sircar, CEO of Prasar Bharati said this while speaking to newspersons at Akashvani Bhavan after inaugurating the renovated Regional News Unit of AIR, Kolkata on Monday.

Nov 12 is observed as National Broadcasting Day to mark Mahatma Gandhi's first visit to AIR, New Delhi and his broadcast to the countrymen on this day in 1947.

The CEO said that, in order to bring improvement in the quality of programmes, Assessment Committees for eleven centers of DDK and AIR had been formed in Delhi while Advisory Committees are also being newly constituted for Regional centers of AIR and DDK.

Sircar also said that, for enriching the collection of the Prasar Bharati archives, committees with eminent persons were being constituted at national and regional levels.

These Committees would democratize the functioning of the public broadcaster, he claimed.

The CEO emphasized the need for more coordination among programme, engineering and news wings of AIR and Doordarshan for better programmes and better quality of broadcast and telecast.

 

Link: http://www.indiablooms.com/NewsDetailsPage/2012/newsDetails131112e.php

Prasar Bharati Parivar: Prasar Bharati moves CCI, alleges TAM rating anti-competitive

Kolkata: Public sector broadcaster Prasar Bharati has moved the CCI alleging that Television Audience Measurement (TAM) agency is abusing its dominant position by not carrying out audience measurement in a fair manner.

"On Friday (November 16) we received information from Prasar Bharati alleging anti-competitive practise by TAM. We will consider the matter through the week and if prima facie it makes a case, we will ask the Director General (Investigations) to probe the allegations," a senior official told PTI. 

When approached, Prasar Bharati CEO Jawahar Sircar confirmed having filed the complaint, but did not provide details. 

Sources in Prasar Bharati said that in the complaint filed with the Competition Commission of India (CCI), it was alleged that TAM was 'limiting the provisions of audience measurement services'. 

It was also alleged that while there were more than 20 million TV households in the country, TAM installed meters in only 8,000 homes and that too in the cities that had a population of more than one lakh. The agency completely kept out rural as well as smaller towns. 

More at : http://airddfamily.blogspot.in/2012/11/prasar-bharati-moves-cci-alleges-tam.html

Prasar Bharati embarks on huge modernisation programme

Source: webindia123.com

Kolkata | Monday, Nov 12 2012 IST

 

With a view to furthering the process of democratising the public broadcasting/telecasting network, while ensuring greater involvement of the people, Prasar Bharati has undertaken a massive programme at an estimated cost of about Rs 500 crore. This was revealed here today by Prasar Bharatri Chief Executive Officer(CEO)Jawhar Sircar while interacting with reporters during his brief visit to the city.

Elaborating on his 'focused vision' to improve the functioning of both All India Radio(AIR)and Doordarshan(DD)across the country and bring them at par with the best of their kind in the world under the current competitive environment, Mr Sircar felt that unless the entire process of broadcasting and telecasting news and other programmes through the government media was democratised further, it would be very difficult to remain competitive in the present environment of globalisation. He said to begin with, they were planning to upgrade and modernise the news room environment of both AIR and DD with most modern technology and with fresh recruitment drive at different levels.

'We are also planning to set up a 15-member high power Programme Advisory Committee(PAC)in both AIR and DD at the Central level to suggest and ensure top quality programmes in both the divisions,' said Mr Sircar.

'We have also decided to appoint Regional Advisory Committees in as many as eleven Regional centres of AIR and DD including those in Guwahai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Srinagar, Jallandhar, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Thiruvantpuram, possibly before the year end,' the Prasar Bharati CEO said and added each of these Regional Committee would comprise about 50 members from different fields with fairly good experience of handling the broadcasting and telecasting networks. Mr Sircar categorically ruled out any notion that Prasar Bharati had been experiencing huge financial losses for the last many years.

On the contrary, the CEO said, following the wiping out of the entire credit of Rs 12,007 crore by the Union cabinet last year, the income of Prasar Bharari had been doubled.

'Keeping this in mind and exploring several new avenues we are also confident of increasing Prasar Bharati's annual revenue to about Rs 1800 crore during the current fiscal itself from about Rs 1300 crore earned last year,' Mr Sircar said. When his attention was drawn to the absence of new recruitment process in Prasar Bharati for about 15 years leading to over 12,300 vacancies now, Mr Sircar said following intense negotiations at the ministerial level, the new recruitment process had finally begun and about 3350 people would be appointed nationwide during the next one or two years as about 1150 people would be recruited soon with the first installment of fund with much higher wages and salary.

Asked about the funding of the entire modernisation, technological upgradation and recruitment processes, the Prasar Bharati CEO said following last year's grant of Rs 300 crore, the Centre had sanctioned Rs 585 crore for the current fiscal of which Rs 427 crore had already been spent. About the possibility of introducing the state-of-the art DRM technology of broadcasting in AIR, Mr Sircar said they had a plan to introduce DRM technology in Chinsura in West Bengal within the next three months, while bringing similar technology also to Rajkot soon.

'We are also planning to celebrate the 50 years of Prasar Bharati on November 23 through several All India prgorammes,' he said. UNI ABA LR RD1357 NNNN

-- (UNI) -- 12ca5.xml

 

Link: http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20121112/2100231.html

AIR's FM Gold to be relaunched today

Source: IBN LIVE, Tech; Press Trust of India

Posted on Nov 12, 2012 at 09:13am IST

 

New Delhi: All India Radio's popular FM Gold channel is all set for relaunch today with a revised programming schedule, official sources said today.

 

The channel is being relaunched on November 12 which is observed as Public Service Broadcasting Day in India.

 

With the relaunch there will be certain changes in the duration and timings of broadcasts on FM Gold. The English news bulletin of 30 minutes duration at 2 pm will now be curtailed to 15 minutes and another bulletin of 15 minutes of Hindi news would follow.

 

In addition there will be two new bulletins of 5 minutes duration each.

 

A new news bulletin in Hindi will be introduced from 12.05 pm to 12.10 while there would be an English bulletin from 3 pm to 3.05 pm.

 

The 'Sports Scan' programme which is broadcast at 8 pm will now be a 15-minute programme that will be broadcast from 8.30 pm to 8.45 pm in place of 'World News', the officials said.

 

Another change will be discontinuance of 'Human Face' programme, presently being broadcast from 1.45 pm to 2 pm on Sundays.

 

Link: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/airs-fm-gold-to-be-relaunched-today/305178-11.html

KFF: International forum inaugurated

Source: INDIA BLOOMS

Kolkata, Nov 11 (IBNS) A day after Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan inaugurated the 18th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) in a show of glamour and glitz, the International Forum of New Cinema, organised by India's oldest film society Cine Central, was opened at Metro Cinema here on Sunday by Dada Saheb Phalke winning Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee.

The International Forum is part of the KFF now and it will screen 78 films from 25 countries this year.

Jawhar Sircar, Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, was also present at the inauguration marked by the screening of noted Kannada filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli's Kurmavatara.

Kasaravalli was also present at the inauguration.

Speaking at the opening function, the Prasar Bharati CEO said Doordarshan will produce a documentary film of legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen.

Sircar said parallel films will also be aired by Doordarshan again with subtitles.

At the inauguration, noted cinematographer Ramananda Sengupta was conferred the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award.

In the Cine Central's International Forum this year, a retrospective of Hong Kong's famous director Wang-Kar Wai was organised.

Films from Switzerland, Poland, France, Cuba, Denmark, Mexico and China are being shown in the international forum.

On Saturday, the opening function of the KFF was star-studded as gorgeous Bollywood actresses like Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, who are co-stars of Shahrukh starrer Jab Tak Hai Jaan, glammed up the evening along with a host of Tollywood actors while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee played the beaming host.

The eight-day-long KFF will screen 160 films of 40 languages by 38 directors from 62 countries.

There are a total of 12 venues across the city where films are being screened.

Recognized by the FIAPF as an International Film Festival, Kolkata Film Festival comes of age in its 18th edition as the only international film festival in India in the non-competitive category.

Image: A scene from opening film Kurmavatara

 

Link: http://www.indiablooms.com/NewsDetailsPage/2012/newsDetails111112n.php

Continuous Malayalam Broadcast for 19 hours from Kochi fm

Source: IBN LIVE; Malayalam News

Posted on Nov 10, 2012 at 03:44pm IST

 

All India Radio is all geared to add new colours to its Rainbow FMs. Starting Nov 12, Rainbow FM 107.5: The musical and entertainment channel of All India Radio Kochi will undergo several changes bringing new flavor and fresh programme content. 

 

Rainbow FM Kochi will start broadcast Malayalam programmes from morning 5 am and continue till midnight, a press release said.

 

Apart from the time extension, the channel is all set to bring new programme content and presentation styles. The channel also give news updates every hour, which also differentiates it from other musical FM Stations.

Link: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/continuous-malayalam-broadcast-for-19-hours-from-kochi-fm/304954-71-210.html

AIR to revamp FM channels

Source: Business Line, Our Bureau, Mumbai,

Date: 10^th November, 2012

All India Radio is revamping its two FM channels — FM Rainbow (107.1) and FM Gold (100.7).

Along with introducing a new logo and signature tunes, the two channels will also see a host of new programmes being aired from November 12.

These programmes will include shows on travel, career and education among others as well as regular music shows.

Both channels are primarily entertainment-based, with FM Rainbow featuring a mix of both Indian contemporary and international music while FM Gold is purely Indian music from the 40s through the 80s.

 

Link: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/air-to-revamp-fm-channels/article4085154.ece

Humourous plays at AIR drama fest

Source: Times of India: Hubli; TNN

Date: Nov 11, 2012, 05.07AM IST 

DHARWAD: The Dharwad station of All India Radio will organize a Diwali drama festival on Sunday at Srujana auditorium near Karnatak College.

 

Two humorous plays will be staged at the festival. At 6.30pm, Kannada play 'Swanta Satkara' (self felicitation) written by Venkatesh Kulkarni and directed by Anil Desai will be staged. It will be followed by another humourous play, "Maava Yarige Bekri, Maduvi Aadra Saaku' written by Sushila Chikkamath and directed by S S Chikkamath. Those attending the drama show should occupy their seats 15 minutes before the commencement, said an AIR release.

Broadcast agreement deepens cultural links between Australia and India

Source: radioinfo.com

The ABC and India's Public Broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to help build stronger media partnerships between the two countries.

The ABC and Prasar Bharati aim to share program content, allowing audiences in India and Australia to develop a more accurate and up-to-date appreciation of contemporary developments in the other country.

Minister for the Arts and Regional Development Simon Crean, who met with CEO Jawhar Sircar this week, said one of the most important goals for the Australia-India relationship is to understand each other better.

"This MOU will advance the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper's commitment to build stronger, deeper and broader cultural links between Australia and India, including through collaboration between our arts, cultural and media organisations.

"It will also build on Oz Fest, the biggest Australian cultural festival ever staged in India. With over 100 events in 18 cities across India, Oz Fest exposes Indians to contemporary Australia. Australia and India are working together to take our cultural and people-to-people links to another level in other areas," said Crean.

During her recent visit to India Prime Minister Gillard and Indian Prime Minister Singh directed officials to pursue an Audio-Visual Agreement to facilitate greater investment.

Oz Fest is the biggest Australian cultural festival ever staged in India. The Australian Government is working with 24 government, business, institutional and production partners to present over 100 events in 18 locations across India between October and February 2013.

Link: http://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/11692

Govt to propagate Traditional medicines through Doordarshan & AIR

Source: Siddha Medicine & Natural Treatment

Dated: 3^rd November, 2012

Union Health Ministry of India is planning to propagate the benefits of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Yoga forms of medicine and how they can provide treatment to several diseases without any side effects. Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad feels shows on Doordarshan and All India Radio will play a major role in creating awareness about Indian forms of medicines. Inaugurating a new building that would house the Department of AYUSH, he underlined the significance of mainstreaming of AYUSH as one of the core strategies to augment effective provision of the health care to masses under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). He said AYUSH services are now available for people in Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and district hospitals across the country. "AYUSH is home-grown form of medicine. Everyone knows English medicine is good but it has side effects, but still people continue to use them. AYUSH does not have any side effects. We need to tell people the benefits of AYUSH," he said at the function. Azad said the Ministry, from next year, would use slots on Doordarshan and All India Radio that are reserved for health issues for propagating the traditional forms of medicine. "Experts and AYUSH doctors will explain the benefits in local languages," he added. The Department of AYUSH got a new multi-story complex in GPO complex in INA area in the capital after 17 years of its existence.

Source : Business Standard

Link: http://siddham.in/govt-to-propagate-traditional-medicines-through-doordarshan-air