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News |  15 Apr 2013 15:35 |  By RnMTeam

I&B Ministry to set up 24 hour news channel on AIR

MUMBAI: Aiming to strictly improve the quality of content, the I&B Ministry is now considering various steps to set up a 24 hour news channel on All India Radio (AIR), based on the lines of DD News.

The announcement was made by Information & Broadcasting Secretary Uday Kumar Varma while addressing a meeting in Amritsar with Punjab based heads of various media units of I&B. He mentioned that the government is exploring various aspects and the technicalities involved in launching such a channel on AIR.

He also reviewed the existing status of AIR & DDK transmission in the border areas, and discussed in detail the progress of digitalization of both. He also added that the government has evolved a programme wherein transmission facilities in border areas will be adequately strengthened and sufficient funds have been earmarked in the 12th Plan in order to achieve this end.

An observation also showcased that digitalization is taking place successfully and rapidly in India as compared to USA, UK and China amongst others, which took them around 10-15 years to accomplish this task.

Varma expressed confidence that digitalization of transmission signals will completely change the broadcasting scenario in the country within the next couple of years.

He also underlined the need for evolving a system of getting feedback from the masses to ascertain and assess people’s reception and response to such programs. He directed the DD authorities to explore the possibility of introducing a toll free number on which viewers across the country can directly voice their opinion. He also instructed the AIR officers to explore the feasibility of relaying Vividh Bharati program on FM Rainbow during its non-broadcast slots in order to improve the quality of transmission and content.

Reacting to reports on monopoly by certain private cable TV operators, Varma said that the matter stands already referred to Trai for rendering its legal opinion on the issue.

Speaking about Prasar Bharti, he stated that to determine and define the relations between the government and the Prasar Bharati, an expert committee under the chairmanship of Sam Pitroda has been set up. He said process to fill vacancies in Prasar Bharati has also already been initiated.

He further stated that the government will bear the entire burden of salaries and more, for all employees for the next five years who were in AIR or DD till 2007. He reviewed the functioning of PIB, and DFP in the State and assured to address their functional difficulties as well.

Present at the meeting were officers from All India Radio, Doordarshan Kendra, Press Information Bureau and Directorate of Field Publicity, who took part and apprised the worthily Secretary of their functioning in their respective fields in the State.

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