Prasar Bharati mulling 24X7 TV channels for 4 states

To expand its regional reach, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is exploring the possibility of running three round-the-clock channels in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand.
Sources said that in a meeting of the Prasar Bharati Board held here today, officials of the Board apprised the status of the four Doordarshan channels in the Hindi heartland states of UP, Rajasthan, MP and Bihar.
The four channels, which had earlier been operating only for a few hours everyday, were converted by Prasar Bharati into 24X7 channels.
Prasar Bharati officials told the Board that three of the four channels (with DD Rajasthan being the exception) had already acquired pole position in viewership ratings from among regional channels which operate in these states.

Officials told the Board that substantial manpower and resources were underutilised and the four regional channels, which are now running round the clock, only required a minimum investment.
"The Board was appreciative of the efforts made by Prasar Bharati to run channels by effectively utilising the existing resources and agreed that the possibility of turning the existing terrestrial stations in Ranchi, Raipur and Dehradun into 24 into 7 channels on similar lines," a senior official said.

Prasar Bharati had earlier been questioned by the I&B Ministry to clarify if its board had given a categorical approval to the launch of the four Hindi channels in the states.

The official said that in the Board meeting held today, there was no specific discussion on the clarification sought by the ministry.
Another official said that in a way Prasar Bharati was not starting new channels but only "ramping up" Doordarshan channels, which were telecasting content just for a couple of hours, into 24 hour channels.