Prasar Bharati, established on November 23, 1997, is India's largest public broadcasting agency, formed by the Prasar Bharati Act which granted autonomy to Doordarshan and All India Radio. The organization's mission emphasizes national integration, citizens' right to information, and the promotion of various social issues while also expanding digital broadcasting capabilities. Controversially, the agency faced allegations of political influence in journalistic appointments in 2010, raising concerns about transparency and meritocracy within its selection processes.

1. Introduction to Prasar Bharti
Founded: 23 November 1997, New Delhi
Notes By : Ashish Richhariya
Course : FTNMP / BMM
Designation : Faculty at Thakur College Of Science & Commerce
Query : arichhariya30@gmail.com
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2. Prasar Bharati
 Prasar Bharati is India's largest public broadcasting agency. It
is a statutory autonomous body.
 Prasar Bharati was set up by an Act of Parliament and
comprises the Doordarshan TelevisionNetwork and All India
Radio, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting.
 The Parliament of India passed the Prasar Bharati Act to grant
this autonomy in 1990, but it was not enacted until 15
September 1997.
 Dr A. Surya Prakash is the current chairperson of Prasar Bharati
(he succeeded Dr Mrinal Pandey).
 Shashi Shekhar Vempati is the CEO of Prasar Bharati (he
succeeded Jawhar Sircar who was the CEO until NovemberThakur College Of Science & Commerce,Mumbai

3. The Prasar Bharati Act
 The Prasar Bharati Act provides for the establishment of a
Broadcasting Corporation, to be known as Prasar Bharati, and
define its composition, functions, and powers.
 The Act grants autonomy to All India Radio and to
Doordarshan, both of which were previously under
government control.
 The Act received the assent of the President of India on 12
September 1990 after being unanimously passed by
Parliament. It was finally implemented in November 1997.
 By the Prasar Bharati Act, all property, assets, debts, liabilities,
payments of money due, as well as all suits and legal
proceedings involving Akashvani (All India Radio) and
Doordarshan were transferred to Prasar Bharati.
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4. Board
 The Prasar Bharati Act vests the general superintendence, direction, and management of affairs of
the Corporation in the Prasar Bharati Board which may exercise all such powers and do all such
acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.
 The Prasar Bharati Board consists of:
 Chairman
 One Executive Member
 One Member (Finance)
 One Member (Personnel)
 Six Part-time Members
 Director-General (Akashvani), ex officio
 Director-General (Doordarshan), ex officio
 One representative of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), to be nominated
by that Ministry .
 Two representatives of the employees , of whom one shall be elected by the engineering staff from
amongst themselves and one shall be elected by the other employee from amongst themselves.
 The President of India appoints the Chairman and the other Members, except the ex
officio members, nominated member and the elected members. Board meetings must be held at
least once in every three months each year.
 The actress Kajol has been named as part-time member for five years, until November 2021.
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6. Mission & Objectives
 The major objectives of the Prasar Bharati Corporation as laid out in the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990 are as
follows:
 To uphold the unity and integrity of the country and the values enshrined in the Constitution.
 To promote national integration.
 To safeguard citizens’ rights to be informed on all matters of public interest by presenting a fair and balanced
flow of information.
 To pay special attention to the fields of education and spread of literacy, agriculture, rural development,
environment, health & family welfare and science & technology.
 To create awareness about women’s issues and take special steps to protect the interests of children, aged
and other vulnerable sections of the society.
 To provide adequate coverage to diverse cultures, sports and games and youth affairs.
 To promote social justice, safeguarding the rights of working classes, minorities and tribal communities.
 To promote research and expand broadcasting faculties & development in broadcast technology.
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7. Expansion plans
 Digitisation of All India
Radio(AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) is continuing
apace, with some of Doordarshan Kendras and AIR
Stations having already been digitised.
 All new establishments are digital and there are
plans to modify the existing ones.
 New transmitters are being ordered and plans for the
purchase of digital transmitters are being
implemented in phases.
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8. Controversy over candidate selection
 In 2010, as many as 24 candidates out of the 30 selected for the posts of
journalists in Doordarshan News were alleged to have been appointed on
the basis of political considerations.
 For example, one of the successful candidates was closely related to a
former Congress Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, another
successful candidate was the daughter of a sitting Congress Union minister,
and a third was a close relative of Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma.
 The number of applicants called for interview was increased from 25 to 35 to
accommodate the daughter of a Congress politician, who held the 33rd rank,
and would have otherwise been eliminated at the cut-off stage.
 Another successful candidate, Anika Kalra Kalha, was not even called for an
audition and reporting skills test, and the remark in the relevant columns
read “Did not qualify for this stage”. Similarly, the weightage given to
interviews was arbitrarily increased two days before they were held.
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9. About Prasar Bharati
 Prasar Bharati is the Public Service Broadcaster of
the country. It is a statutory autonomous body
established under the Prasar Bharati Act and came
into existence on 23.11.1997.
 The largest of its kind, Prasar Bharati comprises of
All India Radio and Doordarshan Television Network,
which were previously media units of the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting.
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15. Income
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16. To Advertise on AIR
 AIR Commercial Services
 The Central Sales Unit at Mumbai is the major commercial office that procures and executes ad-business on All India basis for
AIR, while its 15 Commercial Broadcasting Service Centers handle ad-sales regionally. In the pyramid below are Sales teams
at each AIR station catering to local clients. This sales structure in AIR is supported by the Commercial and Revenue Divisions
(CRD) of Prasar Bharati, located in the 4 metros providing a common window to clients desirous of booking ads on AIR and
Doordarshan channels locally or anywhere in the country. The CRD’s procure business and pass it on to the concerned AIR
CBS Centre or CSU Mumbai or to the Doordarshan Channels as the case may be, for broadcast and billing.
 AIR accepts ad bookings through Accredited agencies/Registered agencies/Canvassers/ and directly from Govt. Clients:
Accredited agencies are given credit facility of 45 days for making payment. Government clients are entitled for a credit period
of 60 days. Registered agencies/Canvassers are to pay in advance for any ad booking.
 In AIR, for FM transmission, the entire 24 hours’ time of a day is divided into three categories. Similarly for Primary channel,
LRS stations and Vividh Bharati services are divided in various programme/ time categories and accordingly have different
rates.
 Time Categories for Ad booking
 For FM Channels:
Prime Time : 0700 – 1100, 1700 – 2300 hours
Mid Prime Time: 1100 – 1700 hours
Non-Prime Time: 2300 – 0700 hours
 For Vividh Bharati:
Category I : 0630-1000, 1900-2300 hours
Category II : 0600-0630, 1000-1200
1330-1430, 2300-2330 hours
Category III : 1200-1330, 1430-1900 hours
Vividh Bharati Stations are divided in to three Groups A, B, C .
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17.  Primary Channelsstations and LRS are divided in four different Groups, and
 Programmes are divided in two broad categories mainly music and non-music.
 Inventory for Commercial Purposes:
 Spot Buy: Booking of Spot buys is done in tranches of 10 seconds or its multiples (restricted up to 120
seconds) in various programmes as per grouping of the station and time/ programme category.
 Sponsorship Packages: The in- house programmes are sponsored by clients as per the rates of a particular
station. These sponsorship could be for a program series or event for a certain timeduration viz. month,
quarter, half year or year. Clients buy bulk FCT (Free Commercial Time) for a fixed sponsorship amount. This
deal may be for a program series or event for a certain time duration viz. month, quarter, half year or year.
 Sponsored Programmes: These programmes are mainly produced by outside agency for broadcast on AIR by
giving a prescribed fee for the same. These programmes are accepted for 15 min, 10 min and 5 min by giving
FCT of 60 seconds, 40 seconds and 20 seconds respectively. On the request of clients sometimes the
Production of these programmes is also done in-house by charging a production fee for the same.
 Special Events: Events like live commentary of Cricket and other matches, International sporting events like
Olympic, Commonwealth games, Marathon, Sports events etc. are special events marketed by CRD and
other units of AIR like CSU, CBS and all AIR stations for which special rates are devised.
 Based on the rate card of advertising for All India Radio, advertising agencies/ clients send release orders
(RO) and schedules for a fixed period. The booking is finalized through a contract signed between the
clients/agency and All India Radio for different inventories. CBS stations / concerned AIR stations maintain a
schedule register for each program. Register contains agency name, client name, SBR/ sponsorship
package, amount etc. On the right side of the register, details of spots scheduled, client name, brand name,
status like SBR, sponsorship/ sponsored programme and rate etc. is detailed. A separate register is
maintained showing the account of each client’s FCT Purchased, Consumption, etc. Specimen copy of these
registers, various reports and other records can be studied during SRS. Rate card of advertising for All India
Radio.
 Commercial Cue Sheet: A day before the broadcast, the CCS (Commercial Cue Sheet) is prepared, which
reflects the commercials booked for various programs. For a 30 minute program, 3 break bumpers and for 60
minute program, 5 break bumpers are provided to insert commercials. An authorized officer from
CBS/Commercial section of the AIR station prepares the CCS. The monthly schedule prepared by CSU/ CBS
is sent electronically to different AIR stations.
 Credit Lines: E.g. “This program is brought to you by…” are allowed as value additions to sponsors beforeThakur College Of Science & Commerce,Mumbai

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19. Doordarshan Commercial Service
 Doordarshan Commercial Service is an independent wing to co-ordinate all the
commercial activities being performed at the Headquarter, Doordarshan Kendras,
Marketing Divisions and DCD towards sale of air time as well as collection of revenue
from agencies/clients/producers. DCS is responsible for framing of commercial
policies and updating of rate card as per inputs received from Marketing Divisions and
Regional Kendras with the approval of Prasar Bharati Board.
 This wing allows registration and accreditation status to various advertising agencies
and interacts with them for selling of air time. Rules and policies in this regard are
framed and reviewed from time to time in the changing market scenario.
 Main Functions of Doordarshan Commercial Service
 Formulation of National and Regional Rate Card for selling air time and other on air
properties.
 Formulation of special incentive policies for Agencies / Advertiser.
 Accreditation and Registration of Advertising Agencies.
 Approval of Story Board of advertisement as per extant Code of Advertising.
 Managing and monitoring traffic, scheduling, billing and payment.
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