DD, AIR to work for largest width of coverage: Arun Jaitley

The Union Minister emphasised that there is a huge space to cater to an audience which is starving for 'facts' and coverage of events outside the national capital

Emphasising on objectivity in news, Union Minister Arun Jaitley today said while there is a deluge of channels with "anchor-driven" content, there is still a huge space to cater to audience which is starving for "facts" and coverage of events outside the national capital.

The Information and Broadcasting Minister, who was speaking at an event where he launched the DD News mobile app, said it is one of the agendas of Prasar Bharati, Doordarshan and All India Radio to have the largest width of coverage and give facts.

"Even though we have been flooded with channels, newspapers, the news available is of events which the concerned channels or the anchors or editors consider to be news. There is a vast amount of activity taking place in the country and all over," Jaitley said.

He stressed that objective news should never be a casualty.

He added that while there is a value for "competitive news" or "anchor-driven news", there is also a huge space and "almost a starvation" for just knowing the facts.

In this situation, he said, the viewer has to change his habits. There is need to know about the world, politics, economy and what is happening all over India, which is not just Lutyens' Delhi, Jaitley said.

"Therefore I find it is a combination of the anchor- driven news channels where news is confined to what happened in Lutyens' Delhi, there is a place for that. Obviously, you have to tune into that. At the same time, if you want to know the vast news of what is happening all over, a few minutes of watching BBC, few minutes Doordarshan, gives at least me, a much bigger picture," Jaitley said.

Speaking about Prasar Bharati apps, he said their capability would depend on objectivity and constant updating. News these days is important, till the next important event happens, he said.

Referring to the e-book 'India 2015', which he also launched, Jaitley said it is almost an encyclopedia. An e-book of the I&B ministry was also unveiled.

Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore, I&B secretary Bimal Julka and Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar were among those present at the event.