As a career bureaucrat, KS Sarma is neither a stranger to the Indian political system nor the opportunities that it throws up if one wants to do something worthwhile. Stints in various ministries in Delhi, apart from the state government of Andhra Pradesh, have given Sarma ample scope to display his talents. His critics at times have termed it histrionics.
But such things have never deterred this suave South Indian who finds himself at ease even in the hurly-burly snooty world of the Capital and north India.If his stay in the human resources development ministry, when he was in charge of pre-college level education at regional level, is termed as "enriching" by him, his stint at Prasar Bharati as the CEO of the world's largest public service broadcaster has been "challenging."
In this interview with Indiantelevision.com's Anjan Mitra, Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma holds forth on a wide-ranging subjects, at times quite frankly, and at times in his imitable diplomatic style on a day when he's working late in the office, which must have stretched further as an official meeting with the information and broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi had been scheduled.
Excerpts:
How would you assess Prasar Bharati’s performance as 2005 year nears an end? Both Doordarshan and All India Radio are trying to make themselves more seen and heard amongst people and that, I feel, is a good sign of some aggressiveness. We also have TAM data that indicates DD’s viewership in cable and satellite homes has grown by 18 per cent in one year’s time. What’s satisfying that such growth has not come for any other single channel in the same period. However, the progress also signals that we’d have to work harder to keep the momentum going, which is the tougher part of the game. Especially when an organization like Prasar Bharati is put under a scanner for even the smallest of things. We are criticized continuously for not living up to the image of a public broadcaster, while on the other hand, the organization is also expected to be self-sufficient. But that, I presume, is part of Prasar Bharati’s life, which has always had so much of potential and still continues to do so. |
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What are the challenges before Prasar Bharati at this juncture when satellite TV has become a pre-dominant supplier of entertainment and Indian politicians increasingly want more control over DD and AIR? Another challenge is to do efficient marketing of our programmes that used to be outsourced to third parties. From this year we have decided to do our own marketing whether it’s cricket, serials or movies. We are also trying to fine tune the self-financing scheme relating to serials, which was introduced earlier this year. This scheme helps us not only to sell airtime more effectively, but gives DD the ownership of programmes produced by outsiders, while a chance to control content. In the past, the rights of some of DD’s best programming, especially serials and popular shows, used to remain with producers as they bought time on DD channels. We have done away with the sponsored slots now. However, the biggest challenge, which can also be called an |
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What is this self-financing scheme all about? Under SFS, in short, Doordarshan appraises programmes and pays outside producers a certain amount factoring in a profit margin for them. Not only the rights lie with DD now, but the on-air life of such programming is linked to ratings. If a certain programme is not delivering the desired ratings, we take it off the air after giving it a notice. |
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Do you foresee in-house marketing initiatives bearing fruit this financial year (ending March 2006) or would the results start reflecting from next year? |
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What are the other sources of revenue that Prasar Bharati is tapping that had not been done so far? Gaining from our experience last year where we undertook big projects for some ministries like agriculture and family welfare and health, this year too we are doing so. For example, we do a project of narrowcasting for the agriculture ministry where important information related to agriculture is disseminated to farmers through our terrestrial low-powered transmitters. |
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From broadcasting to narrowcasting is quite a way traveled. How much do such activities contribute to the coffers of the world’s largest public broadcaster? We are in the process of concluding deals with the ministries of science & technology, human resources development and environment. While these ministries have huge funds for such activities, Prasar Bharati has the reach through its TV and radio networks. The combination works well. I would imagine that government and government department-related work should contribute at least Rs. 300 crore (Rs. 3 billion) this financial year, signifying an upswing from last year.
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Revenue generation seems to be the latest mantra in Prasar Bharati. Is that why the organization lobbied hard with the government to have laws favouring it where sports content, especially cricket, is concerned? Why not ? Prasar Bharati’s reach amongst the masses, which is the target for the government, is maximum amongst all broadcasters present in India. And, what’s the big issue with cricket? That cricket is a big revenue earner for us is a big misconception. Moreover, the laws that you are referring to have been enacted by the government so that a huge chunk of the population that does not have access to cable and satellite TV gets to see quality sports, which may include cricket. |
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You seem to be deliberately downplaying the cricket aspect. Why this sudden aversion to cricket? However, cricket helps DD in retaining viewership for other programmes. The chances of a viewer sticking around after a cricket match to check out the programme following it, is high. Feedback from TAM has indicated this and we are trying to capitalize on this. |
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Such pathetic returns from cricket has been inefficient or |
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Tell us about some other initiatives that Prasar Bharati is We are also in the process of introducing scrolling advertisements on our local transmitters for region-specific channels that’ll compete with cable operators’ video channels very effectively. |
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Has the proposal to make forays in other countries been nixed by the government? We are also in the process of floating tenders for distribution rights in places like Canada and the Middle East. In the future, we’ll increase the number of channels to places like the US. The finance ministry, however, hasn’t cleared our proposal to enter the UK on the BSkyB platform. I would say, the issue is in the melting pot still. |
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How’s the DTH service is doing and are there any plans to book separate ads for channels on DD Direct + platform? AIR has always been the unsung sibling of DD. How’s it doing? |
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Do you think the strident employees’ unions of Prasar Bharati will allow a proposed financial restructuring of the organization? |
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What are the other benefits of the financial restructuring of Prasar Bharati being proposed by the government? The restructuring will also help Prasar Bharati go public if the need |
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As you near the end of your tenure as the CEO of Prasar Bharati in July 2006 having reached the age limit of 62 years, how would you term your four-year term? (As the CEO, Sarma has worked with four I&B ministers, while the tally goes up to eight if one takes into account his long tenure as a bureaucrat having served in various capacities in the I&B ministry, amongst others.) |
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Lastly, do you think that Prasar Bharati can ever make profit and be in the black? |
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Pictures by SANJAY SHARMA/Indiapix Network |