The Hindu Business Line : GoM to meet on Prasar Bharati

The crucial meeting of Group of Ministers, headed by the Union Home Minister, Mr Shivraj Patil, will be held in New Delhi on April 18 to discuss the future course for Prasar Bharati.

The GoM, comprising 13 Ministers, would discuss financial viability and transfer of assets. The idea is to allow the public broadcaster to forge alliances and borrow funds for its expansion and upgradation.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Mr K.S. Sarma, Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, said the GoM would discuss a variety of issues, including demands of the staff. He admitted that the morale of the staff was low.

Rs 1,500-cr income targeted

Stating that Prasar Bharati had registered a record income of Rs 1,238 crore in 2005-06 as against Rs 831.5 crore the previous year, he said it was targeted to achieve Rs 1,500 crore in this fiscal. The All India Radio contributed Rs 270 crore as against Rs 161 crore in 2004-05, showing a record growth of 68 per cent.

Direct-to-home service

The direct-to-home (DTH) service offered by Doordarshan proved to be a hit with over four crore watching 33 channels being aired through it.

The number would go up to 51 by May and to 100 by the year-end. The number of radio channels that were offered would go up to 30 by May and to 50 by the year-end.

"Now that DTH attracts so many viewers, we have written to the private channels on the platform to pay Rs 1 crore as fee annually from June 1," he said.

With the growing interest on DD's DTH services, as many as 65 channels from India and abroad has approached the officials to come onto the podium. The list included, Al jazeera (Qatar), Deutche Welle (Germany), SS Music and Jaya TV.

On sharing its systems with private radio channels, he said there should be a variety of options for people and there was no harm in offering its network to private channels.