Why Prasar Bharati is in the midst of a crisis

No point in spending public money if it cannot run independently

The state-controlled broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, is in the midst of a crisis. Recent events seem to suggest strongly that something in the nature of a power struggle is taking place between the Prasar Bharati board and the Union ministry of information and broadcasting. True, this is hardly an evenly matched battle: Prasar Bharati and the channels it supervises are technically independent of the Union government even though this is not the public perception. However tentative, past steps towards independence or at least greater autonomy have been welcome; the authority delegated to the board under the Prasar Bharati Act was one