Prasar Bharati
Encyclopedia
Prasar Bharati is India
's largest public broadcaster
. It is an autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament and comprises Doordarshan
television network
and All India Radio
which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
Prasar Bharati was established on November 23, 1997 following a demand that the government owned broadcasters in India should be given autonomy like those in many other countries. The Parliament of India
passed an Act to grant this autonomy in 1990, but it was not enacted until September 15, 1997.
Mrinal Pandey is the current chairperson of Prasar Bharati and Rajiv Takru is the current CEO.
It provides for grant of autonomy to electronic media, namely, AIR and Doordarshan, which were previously under the Government control.
The Act received the assent of President of India on September, 12, 1990 after being unanimously passed by Parliament. It was finally implemented in September 1997.
By the Prasar Bharati Act, all the property, assets, debts, liabilities, payments of money due, all suits and legal proceedings involving Akashvani (All India Radio) and Doordarshan were transferred to Prasar Bharati.
The Board shall consist of
(a) A Chairman;
(b) One Executive Member
(c) One Member (Finance);
(d) One Member (Personnel)
(e) Six Part-time Members;
(f) Director-General (Akashvani), ex-officio;
(g) Director-General (Doordarshan), ex-officio;
(h) one representative of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)
, to be nominated by that Ministry; and
(i) two representatives of the employees of the Corporation, of whom one shall be elected by the engineering staff from amongst themselves and one shall be elected by the other employee from amongst themselves.
The Chairman and the other Members, except the ex-officio Members, the Nominated Member and the elected Members shall be appointed by the President of India.
The Board shall meet not be less than six meetings every year but three months shall not intervene between one meeting and the next meeting.
The Corporation shall, in the discharge of its functions, be guided by the following objectives, namely:
(a) upholding the unity and integrity of the country and the values enshrined in the Constitution;
(b) safeguarding the citizen’s right to be informed freely, truthfully and objectively on all matters of public interest, national or international, and presenting a fair and balanced flow of information including contrasting views without advocating any opinion or ideology of its own;
(c) paying special attention to the fields of education and spread of literacy, agriculture, rural development, environment, health and family welfare and science and technology;
(d) providing adequate coverage to the diverse cultures and languages of the various regions of the country by broadcasting appropriate programmes;
(e) providing adequate coverage to sports and games so as to encourage healthy competition and the spirit of sportsmanship;
(f) providing appropriate programmes keeping in view the special needs of the youth;
(g) informing and stimulating the national consciousness in regard to the status and problems of women and paying special attention to the upliftment of women;
(h) promoting social justice
and combating exploitation, inequality and such evils as untouchability
and advancing the welfare of the weaker sections of the society;
(i) safeguarding the rights of the working classes and advancing their welfare;
(j) serving the rural and weaker sections of the people and those residing in border regions, backward or remote areas;
(k) providing suitable programmes keeping in view the special needs of the minorities and tribal communities;
(l) taking special steps to protect the interests of children, the blind, the aged, the handicapped and other vulnerable sections of the people;
(m) promoting national integration by broadcasting in a manner that facilitates communication in the languages in India; and facilitating the distribution of regional broadcasting services in every State in the languages of that State;
(n) providing comprehensive broadcast coverage through the choice of appropriate technology and the best utilisation of the broadcast frequencies available and ensuring high quality reception;
(o) promoting research and development activities in order to ensure that radio broadcast and television broadcast technology are constantly updated; and
& DD
is going on full face, as some of DDK's Doordarshan Kendra's are already getting digitised. All the new establishments are digital and there are plans to modify the existing. New transmitters are being ordered and plans for purchase of digital transmitters are already on paper.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's largest public broadcaster
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
. It is an autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament and comprises Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
and All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
Prasar Bharati was established on November 23, 1997 following a demand that the government owned broadcasters in India should be given autonomy like those in many other countries. The Parliament of India
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
passed an Act to grant this autonomy in 1990, but it was not enacted until September 15, 1997.
Mrinal Pandey is the current chairperson of Prasar Bharati and Rajiv Takru is the current CEO.
The Prasar Bharati Act
The Prasar Bharati Act provides for establishment of a April 1930 Broadcasting was placed under the direct control of Government under the title 'Indian State Broadcasting Service' (ISBS) to be known Government of India. Established in 1936 Broadcasting Corporation of India, as Prasar Bharati and defines its composition, functions and powers and related matters.It provides for grant of autonomy to electronic media, namely, AIR and Doordarshan, which were previously under the Government control.
The Act received the assent of President of India on September, 12, 1990 after being unanimously passed by Parliament. It was finally implemented in September 1997.
By the Prasar Bharati Act, all the property, assets, debts, liabilities, payments of money due, all suits and legal proceedings involving Akashvani (All India Radio) and Doordarshan were transferred to Prasar Bharati.
Prasar Bharati Board
The general superintendence, direction and management of the affairs of the Corporation shall vest in the Prasar Bharati Board which may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation under the Prasar Bharati Act.The Board shall consist of
(a) A Chairman;
(b) One Executive Member
(c) One Member (Finance);
(d) One Member (Personnel)
(e) Six Part-time Members;
(f) Director-General (Akashvani), ex-officio;
(g) Director-General (Doordarshan), ex-officio;
(h) one representative of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is a branch of the Government of India is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to information, broadcasting, the press and films in India....
, to be nominated by that Ministry; and
(i) two representatives of the employees of the Corporation, of whom one shall be elected by the engineering staff from amongst themselves and one shall be elected by the other employee from amongst themselves.
The Chairman and the other Members, except the ex-officio Members, the Nominated Member and the elected Members shall be appointed by the President of India.
The Board shall meet not be less than six meetings every year but three months shall not intervene between one meeting and the next meeting.
Functions and Objectives
It shall be the primary duty of the Corporation to organise and conduct public broadcasting services to inform, educate and entertain the public and to ensure a balanced development of broadcasting on radio and television.The Corporation shall, in the discharge of its functions, be guided by the following objectives, namely:
(a) upholding the unity and integrity of the country and the values enshrined in the Constitution;
(b) safeguarding the citizen’s right to be informed freely, truthfully and objectively on all matters of public interest, national or international, and presenting a fair and balanced flow of information including contrasting views without advocating any opinion or ideology of its own;
(c) paying special attention to the fields of education and spread of literacy, agriculture, rural development, environment, health and family welfare and science and technology;
(d) providing adequate coverage to the diverse cultures and languages of the various regions of the country by broadcasting appropriate programmes;
(e) providing adequate coverage to sports and games so as to encourage healthy competition and the spirit of sportsmanship;
(f) providing appropriate programmes keeping in view the special needs of the youth;
(g) informing and stimulating the national consciousness in regard to the status and problems of women and paying special attention to the upliftment of women;
(h) promoting social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
and combating exploitation, inequality and such evils as untouchability
Untouchability
Untouchability is the social practice of ostracizing a minority group by segregating them from the mainstream by social custom or legal mandate. The excluded group could be one that did not accept the norms of the excluding group and historically included foreigners, nomadic tribes, law-breakers...
and advancing the welfare of the weaker sections of the society;
(i) safeguarding the rights of the working classes and advancing their welfare;
(j) serving the rural and weaker sections of the people and those residing in border regions, backward or remote areas;
(k) providing suitable programmes keeping in view the special needs of the minorities and tribal communities;
(l) taking special steps to protect the interests of children, the blind, the aged, the handicapped and other vulnerable sections of the people;
(m) promoting national integration by broadcasting in a manner that facilitates communication in the languages in India; and facilitating the distribution of regional broadcasting services in every State in the languages of that State;
(n) providing comprehensive broadcast coverage through the choice of appropriate technology and the best utilisation of the broadcast frequencies available and ensuring high quality reception;
(o) promoting research and development activities in order to ensure that radio broadcast and television broadcast technology are constantly updated; and
Expansion plans
Digitisation of AIRAll India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
& DD
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
is going on full face, as some of DDK's Doordarshan Kendra's are already getting digitised. All the new establishments are digital and there are plans to modify the existing. New transmitters are being ordered and plans for purchase of digital transmitters are already on paper.