Information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy hasruled out any immediate change in the board of India's pubcaster Prasar Bharati, which manages Doordarshan and All India Radio. But has also dropped hints that the attitude of officials of Prasar Bharati has to change. "The culture which has been there to speak only in the favour of the government should be changed, I am working in this direction," the minister said during an interaction with listeners of radio BBC Hindi's special edition of Aapki Baat BBC Ke Saath last Sunday.
Speaking at length on the autonomy of Prasar Bharati and the need for it, Reddy said that though allies of the government may be fundamentally opposed to it, but it has to be done. According to him, only a financially autonomous Prasar Bharati could affair to be fair in its coverage of events. " Look at Britain, the country from where you are talking to me. There the BBC generates its resources from the (TV) licence fees. Since the BBC has its own resources, it is independent and autonomous," he explained.
Reddy also said that the present government is unlikely to "misuse" DD and AIR for propaganda and indicated that media laws are unlikely to be rolled back or revised to make them more stringent. Nor is he in favour of a ban of opinion polls before and after elections.
Excerpts from Reddy-speak on BBC radio:
BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, the obvious first question is why the governments in India are afraid of providing independence to state-run media? BBC listener from Muscat - Sir, there are 24 private TV news channels, and similarly there is access to anything in the world on the Internet. Why, then, is radio under strict governmental control, is it justified? What should we expect from the new government? |
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BBC Q - Mr Reddy, but if we look at the past five-six years, the entire idea of autonomy to Prasar Bharati has been throttled in a way - look at the political appointments. What sort of autonomy are we talking about? BBC Q - But how would you provide financial autonomy to Prasar Bharati? |
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BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, you are talking about revolutions and financial autonomy of Prasar Bharati. But the real situation is that all governments have made political appointments in the Prasar Bharati Board, and the word autonomy exists on paper only. Isn't this a sad state of affairs, what are the plans to reverse this? BBC Q - Mr. Reddy from where would the resources be generated for the financial autonomy? BBC listener from Japan - Sir, ever since the idea of Prasar Bharati was mooted back in 1989, even after 15 years, this institution's autonomy leaves a lot be desired. The tradition of political appointments is continuing without any break. And appointees are those who dance to the tune of their mentors. What would do you do for a real autonomy? BBC Q - But, Mr. Reddy, the new government has made a good beginning in the Human Resources Department by appointing a committee of the experts to select the NCERT chairman. Would this be the case for all appointments so that this menace of political appointments is brought to an end and nobody should be able to point a finger and accuse the governments? BBC Q - Would you elaborate, Mr. Reddy? BBC listener from Raipur - Sir, why do the governments in India ignore radio? There are more than 100 TV cable channels in India, whereas the poor man, who can only afford radio, has to be content with Akashwani. Why can't radio listeners listen to world class news? The previous government inaugurated FM for Vividhbharti in 2001, but that is not fully operational so far. BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, the TV revolution has changed the face of TV in India, but haven't the radio and print media been left behind? BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, why has the radio in India been in so much tighter governmental control and what is the plan for future? BBC Q - But, Mr. Reddy, even private stations on FM are for music programmes, and the governments in India have been reluctant to open radio for news and current affairs - why? BBC Q - But, Mr. Reddy, news and current affairs of entire world is available on TV, all views are available on the Internet. Why should radio listeners suffer? Why not allow them to listen to world programmes? BBC listener from UAE - Sir, I feel that if autonomy were given to Prasar Bharati, corrupt officials would be exposed. Look at the Tehelka case, so much pressure was exerted on Tarun Tejpal that the case was lost somewhere, as independence of media was undermined. You are back in the ministry, so what would you do now? BBC Q - But, Mr. Reddy, isn't Tehelka an example of how ruling parties in India can undermine the independence of media by witch-hunting against the organisations which expose inconvenient stories? |
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BBC listener from Bhopal - Sir, almost all TV channels showed opinion and exit polls during the recent general elections, and their findings are for all to see. How could a few analysts with their laptops be allowed to create an opinion for this vast country and that too wrong, is the government looking at some corrective measures? BBC Q - But, Mr. Reddy, there is a widespread perception that election surveys affect the voters' minds. How would you make the psephologists accountable and what standards should be there for them? BBC listener from Hyderabad - Mr. Reddy, foreign newspapers and periodicals which deal with news and current affairs are not allowed to have their editions from India. This is due to a Cabinet Resolution of 1955. This has been in place for five decades now. Would your government continue with this in print media? BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, the day you assumed your duties you expressed happiness on the stand taken by the BBC in the stand-off with the British government. You favour a BBC style of functioning. From where would you begin? BBC listener from Udaipur - Sir, any government which comes to power tries to impose its views and ideology on Prasar Bharati, which has badly undermined the institution and its impartiality and autonomy. For example the last government even started a 24 hour news channel on Doordarshan closer to the elections. It clearly shows how governments use state media as a tool. Would your government be different or would the same things continue? BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, however the original question remains, that there are ways and means to misuse Prasar Bharati, why not make a law so that this misuse becomes impossible for all future governments? |
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BBC Q - But despite this talk of autonomous tradition, having appointees of a particular ideology in All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD), which have the maximum reach in the country, isn't this an injustice toward the people of the country ? BBC listener from Abohar - Sir, but what we have seen in our country is that on AIR and DD you hear and see only the ruling party. What is the biggest obstacle, in your view, in making them autonomous? BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, your plan of financial autonomy could run into trouble, particularly from your allies the Left parties. Are you confident of their support? BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, you say autonomy for Prasar Bharati, with financial autonomy, is your priority. What else figures in your priority list? BBC Q - Mr. Reddy, in the end, I would like to ask |