Pitroda Committee submit report to Information and Broadcasting Ministry

Expert Committee constituted by Information and Broadcasting Ministry to review the institutional framework of Prasar Bharti has submitted its report on 25 January 2014. The committee was headed by the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure, Sam Pitroda. The committee was set up on 29 January 2013.

Committee has recommended to amend the Act of 1990 to give effective freedom to the Prasar Bharti with administrative and financial powers.

Committee has following recommendations:

To develop a funding mechanism for Prasar Bharati to address the need for autonomy with financial accountability. 
The organisation should have the power to frame rules and regulations for its employees without requiring government approval.
 
There should be an reorganisation of the Prasar Bharati board to make it a professionally managed body effective in guiding the organisation. 
 
Complete transfer of ownership and management of assets and human resource to Prasar Bharati to make the organisation administratively and financially autonomous of government.
 
Significantly, it recommended setting up of a regulatory body to ensure public accountability of the organisation with respect to all content broadcast on its television and radio network. It should be a sub-committee of the Prasar Bharati board.

Prasar Bharati should create a world-class broadcasting service benchmarked with the best in the world. 
  
The committee encouraged outsourcing of content creation to external producers to attract high quality and diverse programme and creation of a distinct brand identities for different TV and radio channels, defining the content strategy for each.

The committee also strongly batted for the use of social media by Prasar Bharati which can be implemented immediately and defining a social media strategy for the organisation.

It also called for setting up of a Prasar Bharati connect as a third arm of the public service broadcaster independent of DD and AIR and mandate it to manage the various social media initiatives of the organisation.

The committee sought expansion of satellite and digital cable TV operations to meet the obligations of public service broadcasting.

It also pressed for digitalisation of the present AM radio system to a new radio transmission system after due evaluation, subject to cost and technical availabilities.

The committee further suggested greater involvement of the private sector to expand broadcasting market with a view to effectively utilise infrastructure being created by Prasar Bharati.

Ther should be a creation of a dedicated, multi-platform channels for dissemination of Prasar Bharati's archival products.