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Friday, May 30, 2014

Result Declared for Programme Executive and Transmission Executive in Prasar Bharati, Exam 2013





Prasar Bharati has declared the final result  for Combined Recruitment for the posts of Programme Executive and Transmission Executive in Prasar Bharati, Exam 2013 by Staff Selecation Commission (SSC), on its official website http://prasarbharati.gov.in on 29th May, 2014.

The result for Combined Recruitment for the posts of Engineering Assistant and Technician in Prasar Bharati Exam, 2013, is also available on Prasar Bharati Website.

The result alongwith  Write-up for this, can be checked  at  http://prasarbharati.gov.in/Opportunities/Employment/Pages/default.aspx 

Live: Swearing-in-Ceremony of Narendra Modi as PM of India

Source: youtube.com | Doordarshan

Check out the latest video from your channel subscriptions for May 29, 2014.




Watch to click on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzqqeGRkMi0&feature=em-subs_digest 

How DD insured against glitches

Source: The Indian Express | Written by Raghvendra Rao | New Delhi
May 30, 2014

SUMMARY

The only fee DD will charge is from Mauritius and Sri Lanka, which have used DD's facilities to transmit feeds generated by their respective TV crews.

Doordarshan's live coverage of Monday's swearing-in ceremony went off smoothly but there had been a lot that the broadcaster thought could have gone wrong and had prepared for.

One worry came when senior engineers found there was possibility of a "sun outage" between 3 and 7 pm; the swearing-in was to begin at 6 pm. A sun outage is essentially an interruption in satellite signals due to interference from solar radiation.

"To ensure that our coverage continued without a hitch, we used two digital satellite news gathering vans to send separate signals to two satellites — INSAT 3A and INSAT 4B. These satellites then sent two different signals to our master switch room where our personnel chose the better quality signal," DD Kendra Delhi's deputy director general S N Singh told The Indian Express. "The use of two satellites and two exclusive signals — though both signals had the same footage — gave us a back-up to deal with the eventuality of a sun outage."

Again, the day before the swearing-in, DD officials were told the ceremony might have to be shifted indoors to............

Read more at http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/how-dd-insured-against-glitches/ 

After 4 decades AIR’s Yuv-Vani to go off air

Source: RisingKasmir.com
FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014


Have started alternative chunk of programs: Jabeen

Srinagar, May 28: The Yuv-Vani Service (Voice of Youth) of All India Radio will not be aired from June 1 this year, officials said Wednesday. The Yuv-Vani service was launched in 21 July 1969 on 1017 kHz.

radio21

The officials informed that the order issued by Director All India Radio noted that all the stations across India should stop its transmission by the beginning of next month. Director Radio Kashmir confirmed that they have received an order in this to stop its transmission.

Yuv-Vani service of Radio Kashmir, Srinagar that is being transmitted on short wave particularly targets youth community and highlights its issues and problems.

The new order issued by the All India Radio has made the budding writers and................

AIR artiste enthrals audiences at 2nd ABU Radio Song Festival

Source: RadioandMusic.com | RnM Team    
28 May 14


image

NEW DELHI: All India Radio's folk singer Mangka Mayanglambam mesmerised the audience with her lilting performance in Colombo as part of the ABU Radio Song Festival.

The Festival was organised over the weekend by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union at the Stein TV Studios in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The ABU Radio Song Festival aims to showcase and recognise the diverse, undiscovered musical talents of nations within Asia and the Pacific regions. ABU had invited entries featuring amateur unsigned talents in this regard from its member organisations.

AIR's entry 'Tamla Loibi Napom'(Stylised Folk) in Manipuri language featuring Mayanglambam was....................

Read more at http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/air-artiste-enthrals-audiences-2nd-abu-radio-song-festival 

Getting Doordarshan going

Source: Mid Day | By Vanita Kohli-Khandekar
Posted 3 hours ago on 30 May, 2014

Since everyone is busy making lists for what the new prime minister should or should not do, here are my two bits. A gentle reminder to Narendra Modi on how upset he and his party were when an interview of his was apparently selectively edited by Doordarshan during the campaigning. Modi made all the right noises about DD's struggle to maintain its freedom.

Manish Tewari, the then minister for Information and Broadcasting, dismissed the issue saying DD was an autonomous body. Here is hoping Modi and his new I&B minister Prakash Javadekar take this skirmish beyond electioneering into policymaking unlike most politicians who forget about the autonomy and freedom of Doordarshan when they come to power.

Here is hoping Modi and his new I&B minister Prakash Javadekar take this skirmish beyond electioneering into policymaking unlike most politicians who forget about the autonomy and freedom of Doordarshan when they come to power. Pic/AFP
Here is hoping Modi and his new I&B minister Prakash Javadekar take this skirmish beyond
electioneering into policymaking unlike most politicians who forget about the autonomy and freedom of Doordarshan when they come to power. Pic/AFP


Read more at http://www.mid-day.com/articles/getting-doordarshan-going/15339171 

What’s ailing India’s public broadcaster?

Source: live mint | Mrinal Pande
First Published : Friday, 
30th May, 2014

Once the cradle of best minds, Prasar Bharati is trapped in legislation and its failure to deliver powerful content

What's ailing India's public broadcaster?
India's public broadcasters must meet the challenge of attracting and retaining the attention of a young public

India is a nation abuzz today with unbridled discussions about everything. After years it is as if the dams are bursting and stormy, powerful torrents of words are flooding everything. The private media is in its element—endless, indefatigable, fierce, frantic. And questions are being repeatedly asked, among other things, about the steady decline of India's public broadcaster.

What's it exactly that, over the years, has reduced Prasar Bharati Corporation, India's public broadcaster, to a sad and confused hybrid with a permanent bipolar problem?
The Prasar Bharati was created in 1997, when the then Janata Dal government chose to hive off both Akashvani and Doordarshan from the ministry of information and broadcasting and put them under an autonomous corporation.

Several governments have come and gone since, and...........

In the age of globalisation

Source: The Hindu | Leela Venkataraman, DELHI
May 29, 2014

Odisha Living Legend Award instituted by Odisha Diary, conferred on Amb. Lalit Mansingh (Excellence in Public Policy) in Odisha.
Odisha Living Legend Award instituted by Odisha Diary, conferred on Amb. Lalit Mansingh (Excellence in Public Policy) in Odisha.

Identity, India's predilection towards pluralism and the stratification of the arts during the nationalist period were among topics that came up at a recent seminar.

It is a good sign that organisations generally more concerned with planning cultural events, have lately begun to encourage interactions on cultural issues – something that the average Indian has shied away from. Dialoguing culture, even though in an elementary fashion, has begun; one hopes for more intensive deliberations to follow. Under the aegis of Legends of India, a session on Indian cultural challenges in a globalised atmosphere, held at the India Habitat Centre, featured three eloquent speakers: Lalit Mansingh a retired foreign service bureaucrat who served as Indian Ambassador to the United States; Jawhar Sircar, at present heading Prasar Bharati as Director; and Professor Amrit Srinivasan, the scholar known for her seminal work on the Devadasi tradition.

Moderator Shanta Serbjeet Singh, Vice Chairperson, Sangeet Natak Akademi, flagged off the evening, voicing grave reservations about the Americanisation of global culture, or the "Macdonalisation of Society" as it has been called, threatening any sense of..................

Read more at http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/in-the-age-of-globalisation/article6060964.ece 

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Filling Up The Post Of Director (Administration) On Deputation Basis In Prasar Bharati

Source: prasarbharati.gov.in
Published on 29th May, 2014

Application are invited for filling up of the vacant posts of Director (Administration) on deputation basis in Prasar Bharati for a period of three years or until further orders whichever is earlier, from eligible candidates working in Central Government/State Government/PSU/Autonomous bodies.

Qualification & Experience:

1. Officers under Central Government/PSU/Autonomous Body:

 (i) Holding analogous posts on regular basis; or

(ii) With 5 years regular service in the scale of PB-3, Rs. 15,600-39,100/-; Grade Pay Rs. 6,600/-


2. Having experience in Administration, Establishment and Accounts matters.

3. Shoul not have crossed the age of.................

For full details read more at http://prasarbharati.gov.in/Opportunities/Employment/Pages/default.aspx 
or
http://prasarbharati.gov.in/Opportunities/Employment/Documents/Post%20of%20Director(Admn)%20in%20PB_May%202014_.pdf 

Radio Kashmir to ‘do away with’ U-Vani

Source: KashmirLife.net | KL Report, Srinagar
Posted on: Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

The U-Vani service of Radio Kashmir will not be aired from June 1, this year as an order issued by Director All India Radio intimated Director Radio Kashmir to stop its transmission by the beginning of next month.

U-Vani service of Radio Kashmir, Srinagar which is being transmitted on short wave particularly targets youth community and highlights its issues and problems. The new order issued by the All India Radio has made the budding writers and Radio artists perturbed, accusing they have been left jobless by the authorities.

According to the reports received by KNS, after the order of stoping U-Vani was issued, major reshuffle in the administration within Radio Kashmir has started with most of the senior producers being transferred from one section to other.

Director Radio Kashmir Dr Rukhsana Jabeen, when contacted, confirmed the reports,.....................

Read more at http://www.kashmirlife.net/radio-kashmir-to-do-away-with-u-vani-60147/ 

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Prime-time clamour greets minister

Source: The Telegraph | Wednesday , May 28 , 2014

New Delhi, May 27: A long list of demands awaits new information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar, who had been one of the BJP's most visible prime-time faces.

The 63-year-old Rajya Sabha MP has also been given charge of the environment ministry.

Shailesh Shah, secretary general of the Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF), outlined some key issues. These include steps to ensure continued digitisation of the cable business and an end to carriage fees paid to distributors who carry channel signals. "We have a lot of expectations from the new government," Shah said.

Another demand is to end the 12-minute cap on TV ads for every hour of programming. "If a viewer finds ads bothersome, he or she has the choice not to watch the channel," another IBF official said.

Cable operators had competing claims. "The previous government totally overlooked the interests of cable operators in favour of the big players of broadcasting. We have certain genuine demands, like a licence of 10 years, and increased revenue shares," said Roop Sharma, the president of the Cable Operators Federation of India.

Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, too, is set to push its old demands for greater autonomy. "The government seems open and receptive. For the betterment of Doordarshan and All India Radio, we need a great deal of co-operation from the ministry and we hope we will get that," said Prasar CEO Jawhar Sircar, who had voiced his differences with the UPA government several times.

CEO, Prasar Bharti Sh Jawhar Sircar welcomes new I&B Hon'ble Minister Sh Prakash Javadekar

Heartiest congratulations and a very warm welcome to our Hon'ble Minister of Information & Broadcasting - Prasar Bharati Parivar.


Please watch greetings on DD News Youtube : 





Sunday, May 25, 2014

Live Streaming of PM Sworn in ceremony on DD National Youtube Channel

Scheduled for 26 May 2014
Doordarshan and YouTube bringing live streaming of  Swearing-in-Ceremony of Narendra Modi as the 14th Prime Minister of India.
The event will be Live from Rashtrapati Bhavan and will also be telecast on all channels of the Doordarshan network.

Youtube Channel link for event: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzqqeGRkMi0

Youtube India & DD National Twitter handle have promoted this event : 

26th May @ 5:30 pm: Swearing-in-ceremony of PM of India on all channels of . Live-stream:
  1. Watch @narendramodi being sworn in as India's next PM tomorrow, streamed LIVE on @DDNational, 5: 30 pm onwards -> http://goo.gl/4Fuoc4 
  2. Subscribe to @DDNational and watch @narendramodi being sworn-in as the next PM of India, LIVE, May 26th! -> http://goo.gl/4Fuoc4 

'If I knew there's been no promotion for 30 years, no equipment for 20 years, I would not have taken up this job' : CEO, Prasar Bharati



Written by Archna Shukla | May 25, 2014 12:03 am

Courtesy: Indian Express


SUMMARY
In this Idea Exchange moderated by Senior Editor Archna Shukla, Sircar notes that he was brought in to clean up the body.

Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar feels he would have failed in his duties had he not talked about the lack of autonomy following the row over DD’s Narendra Modi interview. In this Idea Exchange moderated by Senior Editor Archna Shukla, Sircar notes that he was brought in to clean up the body
Archna Shukla: Jawhar Sircar is the first Prasar Bharati CEO to take on the government. Of course, autonomy is something that everybody has been talking about for the longest time, but nobody spoke about it so openly from within the Prasar Bharati.
It’s strange and painful that I had to come out in the public, but I didn’t ask for it. It is not about taking on the government. I have worked with the government for 37 years, and there is a misunderstanding that I am taking on the minister. As civil servants, we are trained not to do so, you don’t forget 37 years in a few days. There is a clause somewhere that is preventing further autonomy and professionalisation. I am not pro X or pro Y; I am pro autonomy. This job is an Act of Parliament that says that I have a duty to perform. If I go back on that for the sake of expediency or for being a gentleman, I would be failing in my duties. It’s the first time in the last 20 years that the issue of Prasar Bharati’s autonomy has been raised in the public domain. We had resolved in the PB Board that the one glaring anomaly in our functioning is that news is given to us by the Act. But the operation part, that is news control, rests with theGovernment of India. They appoint, disappoint, transfer, post and we learn it from the newspapers that somebody has been posted there. I have no say. I have tried desperately to have a say, to know who has  news sense, who has a flair for electronic media, who would be better in a regulatory job like Registrar of Newspapers, who would be better in films. My humble submission to the government is that AIR and DD require a specialisation that is different from other regulatory jobs. It is our duty to voice the government’s achievements, but a public broadcaster is expected to have a clinical, balanced approach too. All we said is that these boys are good, allow them to join us. We have 500-plus offices, we can circulate them, so there is no question of them rotting in one place or developing vested interests. Allow us the freedom to turn them around, the chance to make them first-rate professionals. I’ll send them out,  send them in, I’ll tell them to pick up nuances rather than go into sarkari mode. You should know who is your master of transfer, posting, etc. I have never said that they have interfered. I have said that there is a shadow — the fact that you might have to go back there, the fact that ultimately someone who controls your destiny may not look upon it well is good enough to cast a shadow, that’s all. I didn’t ask for a debate on this.
Archna Shukla: Can you give us an inside view of how the Narendra Modi interview was ‘procured’? Was the unedited part sent to someone in the government?
There are 21 major Doordarshan channels and 35 major Akashvani stations. What happened was like this. At 3.30-4 pm on a Sunday, there was an outburst on social media, which was conveyed to me by my friends. I rang up the DG, News. Frankly, that was the first time that I heard the interview was done. I asked him, ‘What’s the problem?’ He said, ‘Thoda maamla hai. Bird sounds and others have come in, we need to do editing’. He’s a gentleman. I believed him. He said, ‘I would like to balance it out tomorrow’.
Archna Shukla: Who is ‘he’?
Mr (S M) Khan. He said, ‘I would like to balance it out’. I said, ‘If you have it in your hand, don’t delay it. You are a newsman. Don’t hold a hot property like that in your hand’. He said, ‘Aaj hi karenge’. It’s only the day after that the news came out saying it was edited. So we asked him again… He gave a statement saying it’s a collective decision. We can order an inquiry, we may do it, but if X is found guilty or Y is found failing, I think it’s just the naivete of not understanding. There are two good boys with me, suppose I find someone guilty, can I take action? That’s the low point. If I can’t take action, do you do something where you have to end up eating humble pie? We have sought legal opinion.
Raj Kamal Jha: When you say if somebody is guilty, guilty of what? If you look at the interview and what was not shown, somebody can turn around and say it’s my judgment, so why guilty?
No. I have used the word ‘if’. I won’t take a judgmental call on a newsman. I know where my limitations are. Supposing there is an inquiry and they say it’s a bad call and maybe a reprimand would do, who can do the reprimand? If the CEO can’t do it, where’s discipline?The Act was passed in 1990. There are two sections — 31 and 32 — that stand out like sore thumbs. I am almost convinced that if we go back to the files of 1990, we will find that these were inserted later. These say that rule-making powers, promotion powers, serving powers, equipment powers are with the government. I feel it was not a great act of magnanimity though it was the mission of I K Gujral to do it… In 20 years, there has been no recruitment, no promotions. You ask a guy to work, he looks at you, spits on the floor, and says, ‘What do you want me to work for? I joined as a programme executive and I am retiring next month as a programme executive’. This is complete demoralisation. You can’t function with a force of 32,000. These are the pains of non-autonomy. Do you know there’s no term called radio jockey? Thirty years ago, the term didn’t exist, so we call them casuals. There is no Panel Control Room (PCR), no Camera Control Room (CCR), these terms didn’t exist, so they do not exist even now. I can’t explain to babus at the lower level that these are required. Give me recruiting powers, I will stick my neck out.
Coomi Kapoor: What you are saying is that the Prasar Bharati CEO is a figurehead?
Prasar Bharati can operate on a day-to-day basis, but should not get overtly ambitious about things like promotions.
Coomi Kapoor: You have no control over your staff?
No, I have control over my staff, minus promotions, recruitment and service conditions.
Shailaja Bajpai: How did  Modi obtain the full video of the DD interview? He was the first one to release the part with Priyanka.
Till date, I have not found out whether there was a fourth camera. I was told in the report that there were three camera operators, they were cleaning up the external sounds. It appears there may have been a fourth camera, and it’s only when the full thing comes out that we will know. The point is that of judgment call — an editor takes a call, another group of senior editors makes a judgment.
D K Singh: With so many private channels, why should taxpayers pay for a public broadcaster?
It’s open to the taxpayer to take a call. If the wider issue is whether we need a public broadcaster, I would love to join the debate. There is need for a public broadcaster on another count. In Manipur, everyday we telecast in Manipuri, six major dialects and 23 minor dialects. That accounts for 30 lakh people, 30 broadcasts. In Manipur, that’s almost the only service available. In Kargil, there is only one person. There is just one person in Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh. We have a role in uneconomic routes. I would not go to illogical lengths to defend it, but look around the world, no one has given up public broadcasting. But it’s a thing that should be open to debate.
D K Singh: You talked about a discussion on balancing things out over Modi’s interview. Were you suggesting that you sought Rahul Gandhi’s interview and you didn’t get it?
I didn’t, the news channel boys did. A public broadcaster needs to balance out to the extent possible.
Shubhajit Roy: How many times do you get a call from a minister or bureaucrat to play down news?
This kind of request comes from everyone — ‘I am having a medical council meeting, I’m having an XYZ thing, would you like to have a look?’ I say, sure. I have not got (requests myself), and in the past six months, I don’t think I have had the chance to meet the minister.
Shailaja Bajpai: These requests don’t come to you, but presumably, they come to Mr Khan. Have they, at any stage, said there’s too much pressure from the government or the PMO?
Mr Khan speaks in monosyllables. I’m old enough to sense that things could be wrong. So there’s a set of correspondence that has gone to the board where I have expressed my dismay that these things were going on. I have sent it to the ministry, saying would you like to keep a watch on A or B, because I’m not going to take it (this news). Nobody refuted. I used silence as a stopper.
To Read More : Visit

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Two Prasar Bharati Employees Quit Ahead of New Govt


NEW DELHI | MAY 23, 2014

Courtesy: Outlook India


With a new government set to take charge, two part-time members of the Prasar Bharati Board have submitted their resignations.

Sources told PTI that Suman Dubey as well as C R Kesavan, who were part-time members on the board of the public broadcaster, have sent their resignations.

When contacted, Kesavan, who is a great-grandson of first Indian Governor General of India C Rajagopalachari, said he had sent his resignation.

While Kesavan is associated with Congress and is one of the TV panelists of the party, Dubey is considered close to the Gandhi family.

The Prasar Bharati Board comprises Chairman, an Executive Member (Chief Executive Officer), Member (Finance), Member (Personnel) and six part-time members.

Besides, a representative of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Directors General of All India Radio and Doordarshan are its ex-officio members.

Once bitten, Doordarshan plans many firsts in coverage


Written by Raghvendra Rao | New Delhi | May 24, 2014 2:10 am

Courtesy : Indian Express

SUMMARY
Broadcaster to provide sign language, commentary in regional languages.

Having courted controversy recently for airing an edited version of Narendra Modi’s interview during the Lok Sabha polls, state broadcaster Doordarshan is set to try a slew of new ideas while covering the Prime Minister-designate’s swearing-in on May 26.
These ideas, officials said, were intended to ensure a more customised viewing experience across the country.
In a first, the coverage of the swearing-in will include an anchor describing the evening’s proceedings through sign language in a small window on the TV screen. “We tried this during this year’s Republic Day parade coverage. This is the first time sign language would be used during the swearing-in broadcast,” DD Delhi’s additional director general Nadoja Dr Mahesh Joshi told The Indian Express.

All 15 regional channels of DD have been asked to ensure the event’s commentary is done in their respective regional languages. “DD Saptagiri in Andhra Pradesh, for instance, will have Telugu commentary. DD Kashmir will air the ceremony in Kashmiri,” Joshi said. This too, he said, was being done for the first time to give viewers the option of watching the proceedings in their preferred language. In another first, the ceremony will be telecast live on YouTube, officials said.

The broadcaster has put a team of 46 people to plan and execute the coverage. Two outdoor broadcast vans and 12 cameras will be used to cover the ceremony in the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt. “We are planning to set up cameras on Rashtrapati Bhavan’s roof to get aerial shots of the forecourt,” a senior DD official said.

This team will first conduct a dry run on Saturday and then a full rehearsal on Sunday, officials said.
While DD will provide its exclusive live-feed to Indian broadcasters free of cost, it is also making prior arrangements to be able to share its satellite parameters with broadcasters from some of the SAARC countries.
While live telecast of the ceremony will begin at 5.55 pm, it will be preceded by a small segment starting5.30 pm, which is likely to be short feature on Modi, sources said.

Two quit Prasar Bharati Board
NEW DELHI: Days before the new government takes charge, two part-time members of the Prasar Bharati Board have resigned from their posts. Congress loyalist and confidant Suman Dubey, who also resigned from the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, and C R Kesavan, the great-grandson of C Rajagopalachari and a TV panelist for the Congress party are learnt to have sent in their resignations from the Prasar Bharati Board. ENS

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS FOR PREPARATION OF A PANEL OF ADVOCATES/LAW FIRMS FOR PRASAR BHARATI

Source: http://prasarbharati.gov.inhttp://prasarbharati.gov.in/Opportunities/Employment/Pages/default.aspx

Prasar Bharati intends to prepare a panel of practising Advocates/Law Firms in the field of Intellectual Property Rights having specialisation in Broadcast related copyrights and copyright issues in News Media, Social Media, Internet Streaming, alternate media etc. for rendering legal advice, drafting plaints, agreements, contracts, replies, written statements, writ petitions, SLPs or reply affidavits thereto, legal notices and other related documents on......................

Read more at http://prasarbharati.gov.in/Opportunities/Employment/Documents/Notice%20Inviting%20Applications%20for%20Panel%20of%20Advocates_Law%20Firms_2.pdf 

Prasar Bharati may probe editing of Modi interview


TNN | May 4, 2014, 03.34 AM IST
Source: timesofindia

NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati indicated that it might initiate a probe into the controversial editing of Narendra Modi's interview even as the BJP leader took a pot shot at the government saying he was saddened to see Doordarshan struggle to maintain its professional freedom.

Modi's dig saw information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari respond by expressing concern over the state of press freedom in Gujarat while reiterating that the ministry has an "arm's length" relationship with Prasar Bharati.

Meanwhile PB CEO Jawhar Sircar, after having suggested that Tewari failed to allow greater professional freedom to the national broadcaster, said that a decision on a formal inquiry will be taken on Monday.

"We will check papers on Monday and decide on a formal inquiry in to the Modi interview," Sircar said when asked if the public broadcaster was planning to initiate an inquiry.

If ordered, the inquiry would come in the wake of TOI reports that 20 minutes of a 56 minute Modi interview including references to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ahmed Patel were lopped off to avoid a political controversy.



The DD decision continued to generate political heat with BJP continuing its offensive against the government labeling the national broadcaster as "Prachar Bharati" of Congress while AAP said the broadcaster has no editorial independence irrespective of the government in office.

Using the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, Modi looked to score a few points expressing concern that public broadcaster Doordarshan is struggling to maintain its professional freedom. "We have witnessed the horrors of the emergency when freedom of press and freedom of expression were suppressed. It is a blot on our democracy. On days such as this, I feel very sad to see our national TV channel struggling to maintain its professional freedom," Modi tweeted.

Responding to the frontal attack, Tewari reiterated that Prasar Bharati was an autonomous organization adding, "We are concerned about press freedom in Gujarat. If you could recall correctly, then a journalist of an eminent publication was charged with sedition. He was barred from entering the state secretariat. There are various instances when journalists have complained about harassment and intimidation. Therefore, if the Gujarat Chief Minister is worried about press freedom, then I would like to remind that we are equally concerned about press freedom in Gujarat."

He said the autonomy of Prasar Bharti was guaranteed by an act of Parliament. "It is a board-run organization, and the I&B ministry has an arms-length relationship with Prasar Bharti," Tewari said adding that the it was on his initiative that the Sam Pitroda Committee was constituted to relook in to the government-pubcaster relationship.

On Prasar Bharti's CEO blaming DD News for editing Modi's interview, Tewari said, "DD News is a part of the Prasar Bharti. It is not a part of the I&B ministry."

In a letter to the board, Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar claimed the "shadow of government" on Doordarshan's credibility and said that Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari had been ignoring his requests for more autonomy.

Responding to the controversy AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said that whether it is BJP or Congress both do not want to grant autonomy to Prasar Bharti.

"Whatever the CEO of Prasar Bharti said is completely true; there is no autonomy to Prasar Bharti and it is being misused by the government. It is under the pressure of the government. There is nothing new to it. This has happened during Congress rule, and the truth is that when BJP's Pramod Mahajan used to be the Information and Broadcasting minister, then the situation was even worse. So whether the BJP or the Congress remains in power, both of them are not ready to give autonomy to Prasar Bharti; both don't want a free media and both want a bugle that plays their tunes, "he said.

Broadcasting ministry at arm's-length from Prasar Bharati, says Manish Tewari

 
IANS  New Delhi, May 3, 2014 | UPDATED 14:45 IST
Source: indiatoday

The I&B ministry has an arm's-length relationship with Prasar Bharati and the public broadcaster's autonomy is guaranteed by an act of parliament, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said on Saturday.
"My attention has been drawn to the news reports which have appeared in the press. I have stated earlier and allow me to attribute and reiterate that the autonomy of Prasar Bharati is guaranteed by an act of parliament. It is an organisation run by a board and the ministry has an arm's-length relationship with it," Tewari told the media.

His comment came after Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar acknowledged in a letter Friday that certain portions of BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's interview to Doordarshan "were apparently edited".

Sircar, also pointed a finger at Manish Tewari in the letter for failing to grant the public broadcaster "operational autonomy" that it has been seeking for years.

Tewari said it was at his initiative that the Sam Pitroda committee was constituted to examine and look into the government's relations with Prasar Bharati.

"It was I who had suggested that the relations between Prasar Bharati and the government should be same as the finance ministry has with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and its budget should be appropriated through the Consolidated Fund of India rather than routed through the ministry," Tewari said.

DD struggling to maintain professional freedom: Modi


Press Trust of India | Ahmedabad | May 4, 2014 6:51 am
Source: indianexpress

Escalating the controversy over his interview to Doordarshan, Narendra Modi Saturday rued the "decline" in journalistic freedom in the public broadcaster and invoked "horrific" memories of the Emergency days in 1975.

The BJP's PM candidate joined the war over Prasar Bharti editing out certain portions of his interview last Sunday and the subsequent raging controversy that it stoked by the "delayed" telecast. "On days such as these, I feel very sad to see our national TV channel struggling to maintain its professional freedom," Modi said on Twitter, extending his wishes to journalists on World Press Freedom Day.

Modi did not forget to remind the people of the Emergency imposed by the late Indira Gandhi in 1975 when curbs were placed on the media.

DD news anchor’s short film makes it to Toronto


HT Correspondent , Hindustan Times  Jalandhar, May 03, 2014
Source: hindustantimes

A 41-second-long short film directed by Jalandhar Doordarshan news anchor Sunil Kataria has been selected for the third International Film Festival of South Asia and Punjabi International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada.

The movie, 'Honesty is the Best Policy', is arguably the first such film in Punjab.

"It is a silent movie without dialogues and background music based on the theme of honesty as how it plays a role in the youth's life." he said. This is Kataria's maiden film.

After Narendra Modi's interview, you can't help but ask, is Doordarshan being censored?


Sunday, 4 May 2014 - 7:30am IST | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
Source: dnindia

For the first time ever, Doordarshan is on prime time news. And, it's not for the right reason. Allegations have been levelled against the government for trying to muzzle, censor news on the official TV channel.

So much so, I&B minister Manish Tewari has been forced to deny the allegation that government was interfering in the functioning of the state-run TV channel. "Government does not interfere in the functioning of Doordarshan," Tewari told the media on Saturday. "The autonomy to Prasar Bharati is guaranteed by the parliament."

To many his words sounded hollow. More so, after a Narendra Modi interview that was telecast on DD was found to have been "edited" in such a manner that it smacked of muzzling opposition to the UPA government which it is believed will be shown the door on May 16.

Already, the fight is in the open. BJP has accused the accused the government of censorship. To add to the "political thriller', Prasar Bharati chief executive officer Jawhar Sircar admitted on Friday that portions of the interview "were apparently edited". He was not gracious to Manish Tewari who he mentioned as the "young minister". His grouse was that DD was refused autonomy by the powers that be.

"The ministry lost an opportunity to convince a young minister to break this long traditional linkage between the ministry and the news division which has continued unabated even after PB was born and assigned its distinct role in 1997," Sircar said.

On Saturday Modi expressed concern, saying that DD was struggling to maintain its professional freedom. "We have witnessed the horrors of the emergency when freedom of press and freedom of expression were suppressed. It is a blot on our democracy. On days such as this, I feel very sad to see our national TV channel struggling to maintain its professional freedom," Modi tweeted.

Not exactly panning out like 'Ramayana', with which DD hit big-time, but what's happening with DD these last couple of days definitely says a lot, and on, 'Hum Log', the title of one of the first DD programmes that had caught the imagination of the nation.

DD ‘editing’ war escalates


 By FPJ Bureau,  May 04, 2014
Source: freepressjournal

New Delhi : The debate over press freedom came full circle on Saturday with Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari refuting allegations that he had any role to play in editing Narendra Modi's Doordarshan interview, even as the BJP leader compared the controversy to the media repression witnessed during the Emergency.

The information and broadcasting ministry has an arm's length relationship with Prasar Bharati and the public broadcaster's autonomy is guaranteed by an Act of Parliament, Tewari told media persons here.  "My attention has been drawn to news reports which have appeared in the press. I have stated earlier and allow me to attribute and reiterate that the autonomy of Prasar Bharati is guaranteed by an Act of Parliament. It is an organisation run by a board and the ministry has an arm's length relationship with it," Tewari said.

His clarification was preceded by a sharp attack by BJP's prime ministerial candidate Modi, who took to a social networking website to express his "sadness" at the lack of "professional freedom" in Doordarshan.  "On days such as this, I feel very sad to see our national TV channel struggling to maintain its professional freedom," Modi tweeted.

The controversy gained momentum after media reports alleged that Doordarshan edited out portions from Modi's recent

interview to the state-run broadcaster where he had said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was like a "daughter".

Priyanka retorted by saying she was only "Rajiv Gandhi's daughter".

The government drew strong criticism for allegedly influencing the editing, after Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar acknowledged in a letter May 2 that certain portions of Modi's interview to Doordarshan "were apparently edited".

Sircar also pointed a finger at Tewari in the letter for failing to grant the public broadcaster "operational autonomy" that it has been seeking for years.

Tewari denied any involvement, pointing out that it was only at his initiative that the Sam Pitroda committee was constituted to examine and look into the government's relations with Prasar Bharati.  "It was I who had suggested that the relations between Prasar Bharati and the government should be same as the finance ministry has with the Comptroller and Auditor General and its budget should be appropriated through the Consolidated Fund of India rather than routed through the ministry," he said.

“Cuts in Modi interview on DD made internally”


By indiantelevision.com Team Posted on : 03 May 2014 02:20 pm
Source: indiantelevision

NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry has denied any knowledge of the fate of the interview conducted by Doordarshan of Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on the public broadcaster.
 
 
I&B secretary Bimal Julka told indiantelevision.com that the matter was not raised before the ministry and therefore, there was no question of any cuts or changes to the interview conducted by DD.
 
 
He said the ministry was not aware of the letter reported to have been written by Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar to board members where he is reported to have written that failure to give autonomy to the public broadcaster was the main reason for this.
 
 
In a letter to the board members, Sircar accepted that certain portions of the interview on DD were 'apparently edited'. He wrote that he had received a large number of queries about this and blamed the entire episode on the ministry, saying the government can interfere in the form of transfer, appointment and punitive action against Prasar Bharati officials.
 
 
DD News director general also told indiantelevision.com that the decision to delete certain portions was taken internally and there was no interaction with the ministry in this regard. In fact, he said the ministry was not even aware of the interview until it was telecast.
 
 
Sircar said in the letter: "It appears that while portions critical of Doordarshan were telecast, certain comments on other personalities were apparently edited in the Modi interview telecast on 27 April," he said.
 
 
He wrote that the board has taken several resolutions in the last two years, seeking more operational autonomy from the ministry, but without success. "In a way, therefore, the MIB lost the opportunity to convince a young minister (Manish Tewari) to break this long traditional linkage between the ministry and the News Division, which has continued unabated since PB was born and assigned its distinct role in 1997."
 
 
Sircar noted that after the DD team got the interview with Modi, there were concerns that they had not yet managed a counter-interview with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. "I gave DG News the strength to go ahead and telecast the interview, even though there were concerns that a balancing interview from the other side could not be procured, despite best attempts of DD News," Sircar said.
 
 
He said, "Another pertinent initiative of the PB Board to bring in external professionals met with some degree of success, but where the post of the director general of Doordarshan and AIR are concerned, it did not succeed." 
 
 
"The Recruitment Rules still ensure that only government and quasi-government persons can occupy the post, which is pegged at approximately Rs 22 lakh per annum against sharply higher market rates. I have tried my best to explain that these need to be reviewed because times are changing, but I have not succeeded. If there had been some degree of fresh thinking in these two proposals, we may not have faced the type of public criticism that a single interview has invited," he added.
 
 
Doordarshan had reportedly edited out some parts out of Modi's interview where he had referred to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's Political Advisor Ahmed Patel.