NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati has assured the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) that there are no plans to stop commissioning of programmes by Doordarshan.

However, a Doordarshan source told Indiantelevision.com that the commission has taken on a new form. It is now a Self Financed Commissioning in the sense that the producer makes the series at his or her own cost initially after getting it cleared from DD and then later gets the costs reimbursed.

DD has decided to procure content through various notified schemes such as Self Finance Commissioning (SFC), Revenue Sharing Mode (RSM) for producers/simulcast, and Advertisement Funded Programme (AFP). The Revenue Sharing Scheme (Producers/Simulcast) also allows Doordarshan to collaborate with some private channels for sourcing some high quality software in the simulcast mode content on favourable terms.

Proposals have been invited for DD National Network and for the upcoming DD Kisan channels under the SFC scheme. Doordarshan is directly selling airtime to agencies and clients in the media market.

Prasar Bharati is an autonomous body not owned by the state but does receive Government support in the form of grants-in-aid. Its objectives as Public Service Broadcaster are not directed towards profits but towards reaching out to all sections of society in all corners of the country, the question of losses/profits does not arise.

The source said it was the constant endeavour of DD to improve upon its programmes by reviewing the content and quality from time to time with the view to sustain the interest of the viewers.