NEW DELHI, Nov 10: People are exasperated with the “content and slanging matches” at prime time on private news channels and that gives a chance to DD News to pull viewers towards it if it can present itself as a top-class channel, feels Prasar Bharati Chairperson, A Surya Prakash.
Prakash, who was appointed the Chairperson of the Prasar Bharati board on Oct. 28, said that Doordarshan’s decision to telecast RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s ‘Vijaydashmi’ speech was absolutely “bang on” as the event constituted news.
Speaking about his plans for the country’s public service broadcaster here, Prakash told PTI that, years ago, when private television channels came in, many people had doubts about the future of DD News.
But the situation has changed now, he averred.
“Now, we are at a stage when people are getting exasperated with private news channels because of the content and the slanging matches that are on at prime time. In my view, people come to a news channel for news. They don’t come to you for noise.
“Therefore, if we make DD News a top-class channel, we will be able to pull away viewers from many of the private players today,” Prakash said.
In reference to some recent instances of glitches and faux pas on DD News, which were widely reported and caused much embarassment to the public broadcaster, Prakash noted that no hassles should crop up in the coverage of news.
He, however, added that being the public broadcaster, Doordarshan has to face a lot more scrutiny as it is owned by the people, as opposed to the private channels, about which not as much is written.
Prakash said that the quality of the output was a factor linked to the TRP of a channel even as he suggested that improving the look and feel of DD News could be a solution for attracting more viewers.
Asked as to what he thought about the controversy over
Doordarshan’s telecast of the RSS chief’s speech, the Prasar Bharati Chairperson said, “Mr Mohan Bhagwat’s speech on Vijaydashmi Day was, I think, taken live by many news channels in the country, including DD News. If I was in charge of news that day, in any channel, I would have taken it live because that day Mr Mohan Bhagwat’s speech constituted news.
“In the current political environment, what Mr Mohan Bhagwat says constitutes news. Have no confusion about it,” he replied.
Terming the decision of DD News “absolutely bang on,” Prakash said that as a news consumer and political analyst, he himself wanted to know what the RSS chief had said.
Sharing his ideas about the channel, Prakash said he is of the view that DD News should not be a bilingual channel.
“We must have two separate news channels. DD News Hindi and DD News English. It’s very important,” he said, adding that he intends to discuss the idea with Prasar Bharati’s board members and its officials.
He also said that he hoped that the Prasar Bharati Recruitment Board (PBRB) would be set up in the coming time.
Prakash said Prasar Bharati must generate more revenues, monetise its assets and “stand on its own feet” on way to achieving full autonomy and financial independence.
Looking at the Prasar Bharati Act, it is clear that the will of Parliament is that the Corporation should function as a genuinely autonomous body – innovative, dynamic and flexible and that is what he intends to pursue.
“If you ask me – are we there? We are still not there. There are two reasons, the bulk of our employees are central government employees. You are still to have the Prasar Bharati Recruitment Board (PBRB) in place….So bulk of our employees are central government employees and fifty percent of our budget comes from the Union government,” he told PTI.
Prakash said that budgetary support this year is approximately 50 per cent of the budget of Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India).
“I am of the view that as we go along, this Corporation must generate more revenues, monetise its assets and one fine day stand on its own feet….I will say, that, if you want to get to full autonomy, you must become financially independent. It is very important,” he said.
“Prasar Bharati must have its own employees, that’ll make a difference and that day must come. And Prasar Bharati must have enough resources to manage on its own,” he said. (PTI)
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