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The Standing
Committee on information technology has expressed concern over the
under-utilisation of Prasar Bharati infrastructure, which has resulted
in a decline in production of in-house programming. "The tendency
to prefer outside production at the cost of in-house programming
needs to be curbed," the committee, which is chaired by Somnath
Chatterjee, said in its latest (30th) report.
About 30-35
per cent of programmes for Doordarshan (DD) channels are procured
from external producers as commissioned programmes. Many news and
current affairs programmes were also being outsourced. This, inspite
of the fact the Prasar Bharati had huge infrastructural facilities
and staff at its disposal, observed the committee. In its response,
the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) told the
committee that steps had been taken to reactivate in-house production.
It also said that it was negotiating with various government departments
to run their campaigns through DD and All India Radio (AIR).
"The committee
is not impressed with the steps taken by Prasar Bharati to optimally
utilise the infrastructural facilities and personnel. The best option,
in the committee’s view is to increase in-house production
and telecast them on important channels," the report said.
"With state-of-the-art facilities available at Prasar Bharati
studios, their production should in no way be inferior to outside
productions," it added. Underlining the need to effectively
market in-house programmes, the committee had earlier said that
"Prasar Bharati should modify and strengthen its marketing
system in an organised and systematic way without further delay."
It observed
that marketing was being done for less than 10 per cent of in-house
programmes. In contrast, private channels had set up effective marketing
machinery in terms of infrastructure and manpower and they were
able to attract business which otherwise would have come to Prasar
Bharati. The Ministry of I&B said that it had set up a marketing
division to combat the rapidly growing influence of satellite channels.
On the misuse of official media for personal purposes, the committee,
citing the instance of the official electronic media being used
by a certain minister for his personal explanation to the nation
about his resignation after the Tehelka.com expose, desired that
"specific guidelines (to deal with such situations) be formulated
expeditiously, to curb the tendency to use official electronic media
for personal purposes."
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