Prasar chief bats for digital platform for public broadcaster

Prasar Bharati should have a dedicated digital platform, the public broadcaster's chairperson A Surya Prakash said here today.
At a meeting of the Prasar Bharati board here, Prakash suggested that the digital platform could even be a public-private partnership through a special purpose vehicle, said an offical who attended the meeting.
Prakash said he had headed a committee which had given its recommendations for the setting up of a digital platform apart from the conventional Doordarshan TV channels and AIR stations.
Prasar Bharati, which was created in 1997 through an Act of Parliament, oversees the functioning of Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR).

Prakash, whose term as prasar bharati chairman comes to an end on October 28, also pitched for upgradation of skills for the staff, including technicians.
He said that more hiring could be done from the private sector for the public broadcaster, the official said.

The prasar bharati chairman also spoke for the 'FMisation' of AIR and digitisation of archives.
He also stressed on the need to resolve the organisation's human resource-related issues as there were officials who were working without a single promotion in as much as 20 years.
He said the interests of the employees had to be taken care of, the official said.

Prakash noted that Prasar Bharati has been created by Parliament and the mandate of Parliament must be respected and upheld, the official said.