The Hindu Business Line : PIB to distribute visual feeds

PIB, which has been regularly sending news reports and special articles on Government events and programmes, is in the process of acquiring necessary infrastructure to distribute visual feeds.

While providing television channels, particularly the regional channels, with raw feed on Government programmes and events, the service is aimed at providing the `official reactions' or `comments' on sudden developments, sources in the Ministry told Business Line.

This would help the Government in two ways. While helping Ministers quickly respond without having to organise media briefings at short notices, the service would help avoid embarrassing questions from reporters.

The Ministry has asked BESIL (Broadcasting Engineering Consultants India Ltd), a public sector unit working under it, to equip the officials with the necessary infrastructure soon, the sources said.

BESIL reportedly told the Ministry that it would take at least eight weeks to put things in place. The officials, however, insisted that the service should start within two weeks.

To begin with, the service would start from Delhi. The visual feeds would be in the form of CDs. "There is also a proposal to keep the video clips on the Web site so that it downloaded, if need be," the sources said.