Prasar Bharati’s funding model should include Government funding, internal resource mobilisation and private investment, according to an expert committee headed by Sam Pitroda.

The expert panel, set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) to review the functioning of the public broadcaster, submitted its report on Friday.

Judicious mix “Only a judicious mix of sources, Government, commercial and autonomous, would create the funding environment whereby Prasar Bharati would be able to fulfil effectively its role as a public broadcaster, an organisation that is autonomous and yet produces programmes and provides services as public good to serve the cause of democracy,” the report said.

It suggested that a professional study be undertaken to develop such a funding mechanism to look into the need for autonomy along with financial accountability.

Archival material The report also suggested that public broadcaster should monetise all archival material and assets to enhance funding as soon as possible.

Board revamp Recommending the reorganisation of the Prasar Bharati Board to make it a professionally-managed body, the report said a complete transfer of ownership and management of assets and human resources should be done to make it administratively and financially autonomous.

The panel also favoured formation of a regulatory body to ensure that the public broadcaster was accountable with respect to all content broadcast on its television and radio networks.

Emphasising that Prasar Bharati must become a genuine public broadcaster against being a Government broadcaster, it suggested that a Parliamentary committee be formed to ensure that the broadcaster discharged its duties.

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