The government appears set to strip the existing Prasar Bharati Board of its powers, the apex body formed 17 years ago to provide autonomy to the state-run All India Radio and Doordarshan, now mired in corruption and controversies.
The Law ministry has given a go ahead to Information and Broadcasting ministry to take legal recourse to suspend the existing board and put in place a government official in-charge of the board, HT has learnt.
Earlier, also the government had appointed Additional Secretary in the ministry as Chief Executive Officer of the Prasar Bharati during the period new CEOs were being selected.
However, senior I&B ministry officials said the decision on whether an Ordinance or a amendment to the Prasar Bharati Act to dissolve the present board would be taken after October 25, when the global broadcasting union is supposed to clear the plan for Commonwealth Games coverage.
The government’s worry is whether the present Prasar Bharti board would be able to provide world class coverage of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, given its sorry plight is understood to have triggered the drastic move.
The Board, which gets around Rs 1,500 crore (Rs 15 billion) every year from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, has been virtually defunct since eight months, plagued by severe infighting among its top officials.
On directions from the Prime Minister’s office, the I&B Ministry had sought an opinion from the Law Ministry “on available options” to stem the rot, since the Prasar Bharti Act does not allow any direct intervention in its affairs.
A report in this regard has already been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office, I&B minister Ambika Soni said, last week. She, however, refused to elaborate on the contents of the report.
In its opinion, the Law Ministry is learnt to have stated that the government “is empowered to take away the powers of a Board in case it finds that the Board has failed to function.”
“The government has no option other than to amend the Act by which the Prasar Bharti Corporation was constituted, given its miserable plight,” said a senior Law Ministry official, on the condition of anonymity. “Once the powers are taken away, the Board is assumed to be dissolved and the government can go in for a fresh body. It can happen by an ordinance or taking the matter directly to parliament,” the official said.
The Central Vigilance Commission was looking into seven cases of financial irregularities related to Prasar Bharti, refered to it by the I&B Ministry on directions of the Delhi High Court.
HINDUSTAN TIMES,SUN.18TH OCTOBER 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
DD COMMANDS HIGHEST CHANNEL SHARE AMONGST ALL !!!!!
Public broadcaster Doordarshan (DD) not only commands the highest channel share compared to private networks, but also attracts a far greater number of viewers, according to TAM Media Research, which recently made a presentation to this effect before the Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni.
The TAM numbers have managed to establish the supremacy of DD over competing news channels like Aaj Tak and India TV and also entertainment channels like Star Plus, Colors and Zee TV in the year 2009. DD is the country's largest TV broadcaster with a penetration of 107 million households; while the number of households with cable & satellite TV are about 85 million, in comparison. Instead of using the Weekly data, the TAM presentation was backed by statistics and data for 31 weeks, from January 2009 till the beginning of August. Therefore, while private channels are ranked according to weekly fluctuations in ratings, DD was established as a top channel using the average ratings for these 31 weeks.
Taking this average data for 31 weeks in the 85 million cable homes, TAM shows DD1 was leading in the 8-8:30 pm time band with a channel share of 20 per cent and ahead of Aaj Tak (18 per cent) and India TV (14 per cent). For private news channels, the prime time news bands are 8 pm to 9 pm, and 9 pm to 10 pm.
Channel share simply means a channel-wise percentage allocation from a universe of 100 viewers, who watched various news channels in a particular time band during a week. While DD has a 24-hour DD news channel, TAM did not use this channel to compare it with private TV news broadcasters. Instead, it has compared the news during peak time with DD1
To establish the supremacy of a musical talent show on DD1 called 'Jalsa', TAM data have compared its ratings on July 12, aired between 10:30 to 11 pm, with ratings of general entertainment shows aired on private channels between 8:30 pm and 11 pm on Zee TV, Colors, Star Plus and others. Comparing the performance of the same movies on DD1 with those aired on Colors, Star Plus, Zee Cinema, Sony and UTV Movies, among others, TAM data for Hindi-speaking markets show higher ratings than those aired on private channels. The DDI rating for, say, Jab We Met, was 3.5 TRP, compared an average rating of only 1 in Colors, which had shown the movie nine times.
The research shows that movies like Jab We Met, Bhool Bhulaiyan and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna got four-five times higher television ratings on DD1 compared to the private channels. However, this was because all these blockbusters were aired only once on DD1 (between January 1 to August 8), as compared to up to nine times on private channels. Comparing sports events like the two cricket ODI series in January-February 2009 that were simulcast on both DD1 and Neo Cricket, TAM data show that both coverage's attracted a similar number of viewers. While DD1 had an all-India reach of 68 million viewers, Neo Cricket had a reach of 70 million for the same series. However, DD and its two-dozen channels do not attract more than Rs 500 crore in advertising revenue in a year compared to nearly Rs 4,500 crore generated on private channels, including the news channels, movie channels and the general entertainment channels.
Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies have more screen presence than car makers and telecom companies on all DD channels, though the latter two are pushing hard for rural sales. The top ten advertisers on all the 50 DD channels are FMCG companies. The TAM data shows that Hindustan Unilever (HUL), the country's biggest advertiser, leads the pack as the top private advertiser on DD with a 9 per cent share. HUL is followed by ITC with a 2 per cent share. Other top advertisers include Wipro, Emami, Dabur, Colgate-Palmolive, Heinz, Perfetti Van Melle, Godrej Consumer Products and Reckitt Benckiser. Telecom is the second most advertised category with media buyers saying that it is bound to find more space on DD. While FMCGs buy more volume of advertising, telecom companies buy more high-value deals at a premium.
While FMCGs consume more inventory since they buy airtime across the day, telecom companies buy air-time mostly during evening prime time. That's because FMCG advertising is aimed more at women who would watch TV through the day while telecom companies target the male audience who would typically tune in during the evenings. Companies and media buyers, however, said that DD is a medium no marketer with a rural focus can afford to ignore. Godrej Consumer Products' price warrior soap brand, Godrej No 1, crossed Rs 500 crore in value sales in June '09. Over the past 18-20 months, Godrej No 1 has focused its ad spends only on DD, highlighting the brand's affordability plank.
The Kolkata-based Rs 750-crore FMCG company Emami Ltd, which makes Boroplus, Himani Fast Relief and Fair & Handsome cream said its portfolio appeals to consumers who watch only DD, where cable TV does not reach. Typically, Emami spends about 70 per cent of its budgets on satellite channels and the remaining 30 per cent on DD. It is learnt that FMCG is the highest-penetrated category in rural markets, so DD naturally figures in their media plans. Rates on DD are about 50 per cent less than that of private channels, so even if companies buy more air-time on the channel, they spend lesser in comparison.
(NEWS FROM friendsofprasarbharathi.org)
The TAM numbers have managed to establish the supremacy of DD over competing news channels like Aaj Tak and India TV and also entertainment channels like Star Plus, Colors and Zee TV in the year 2009. DD is the country's largest TV broadcaster with a penetration of 107 million households; while the number of households with cable & satellite TV are about 85 million, in comparison. Instead of using the Weekly data, the TAM presentation was backed by statistics and data for 31 weeks, from January 2009 till the beginning of August. Therefore, while private channels are ranked according to weekly fluctuations in ratings, DD was established as a top channel using the average ratings for these 31 weeks.
Taking this average data for 31 weeks in the 85 million cable homes, TAM shows DD1 was leading in the 8-8:30 pm time band with a channel share of 20 per cent and ahead of Aaj Tak (18 per cent) and India TV (14 per cent). For private news channels, the prime time news bands are 8 pm to 9 pm, and 9 pm to 10 pm.
Channel share simply means a channel-wise percentage allocation from a universe of 100 viewers, who watched various news channels in a particular time band during a week. While DD has a 24-hour DD news channel, TAM did not use this channel to compare it with private TV news broadcasters. Instead, it has compared the news during peak time with DD1
To establish the supremacy of a musical talent show on DD1 called 'Jalsa', TAM data have compared its ratings on July 12, aired between 10:30 to 11 pm, with ratings of general entertainment shows aired on private channels between 8:30 pm and 11 pm on Zee TV, Colors, Star Plus and others. Comparing the performance of the same movies on DD1 with those aired on Colors, Star Plus, Zee Cinema, Sony and UTV Movies, among others, TAM data for Hindi-speaking markets show higher ratings than those aired on private channels. The DDI rating for, say, Jab We Met, was 3.5 TRP, compared an average rating of only 1 in Colors, which had shown the movie nine times.
The research shows that movies like Jab We Met, Bhool Bhulaiyan and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna got four-five times higher television ratings on DD1 compared to the private channels. However, this was because all these blockbusters were aired only once on DD1 (between January 1 to August 8), as compared to up to nine times on private channels. Comparing sports events like the two cricket ODI series in January-February 2009 that were simulcast on both DD1 and Neo Cricket, TAM data show that both coverage's attracted a similar number of viewers. While DD1 had an all-India reach of 68 million viewers, Neo Cricket had a reach of 70 million for the same series. However, DD and its two-dozen channels do not attract more than Rs 500 crore in advertising revenue in a year compared to nearly Rs 4,500 crore generated on private channels, including the news channels, movie channels and the general entertainment channels.
Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies have more screen presence than car makers and telecom companies on all DD channels, though the latter two are pushing hard for rural sales. The top ten advertisers on all the 50 DD channels are FMCG companies. The TAM data shows that Hindustan Unilever (HUL), the country's biggest advertiser, leads the pack as the top private advertiser on DD with a 9 per cent share. HUL is followed by ITC with a 2 per cent share. Other top advertisers include Wipro, Emami, Dabur, Colgate-Palmolive, Heinz, Perfetti Van Melle, Godrej Consumer Products and Reckitt Benckiser. Telecom is the second most advertised category with media buyers saying that it is bound to find more space on DD. While FMCGs buy more volume of advertising, telecom companies buy more high-value deals at a premium.
While FMCGs consume more inventory since they buy airtime across the day, telecom companies buy air-time mostly during evening prime time. That's because FMCG advertising is aimed more at women who would watch TV through the day while telecom companies target the male audience who would typically tune in during the evenings. Companies and media buyers, however, said that DD is a medium no marketer with a rural focus can afford to ignore. Godrej Consumer Products' price warrior soap brand, Godrej No 1, crossed Rs 500 crore in value sales in June '09. Over the past 18-20 months, Godrej No 1 has focused its ad spends only on DD, highlighting the brand's affordability plank.
The Kolkata-based Rs 750-crore FMCG company Emami Ltd, which makes Boroplus, Himani Fast Relief and Fair & Handsome cream said its portfolio appeals to consumers who watch only DD, where cable TV does not reach. Typically, Emami spends about 70 per cent of its budgets on satellite channels and the remaining 30 per cent on DD. It is learnt that FMCG is the highest-penetrated category in rural markets, so DD naturally figures in their media plans. Rates on DD are about 50 per cent less than that of private channels, so even if companies buy more air-time on the channel, they spend lesser in comparison.
(NEWS FROM friendsofprasarbharathi.org)
Monday, August 31, 2009
AFFIDAVITS IN COURT
Dear All,
DG, AIR and DD, were supposed to file two separate affidavits in the contempt matter today.
1. The lawyer asked for 2 weeks more time (to verify records)..... The court granted them time till 18th September 2009.
2. The Lawyer also asked that both DG,AIR and DG,DD be permitted to file a single affidavit. This was protested by us. We maintained that it was important that both the DG's file separate affidavits as only then the truth can emerge. The judge also agreed that two separate affidavits can be filed as there can only be one truth.... and also since if contempt needs to be established it has to be against a particular individual.
Regards
Jose
DG, AIR and DD, were supposed to file two separate affidavits in the contempt matter today.
1. The lawyer asked for 2 weeks more time (to verify records)..... The court granted them time till 18th September 2009.
2. The Lawyer also asked that both DG,AIR and DG,DD be permitted to file a single affidavit. This was protested by us. We maintained that it was important that both the DG's file separate affidavits as only then the truth can emerge. The judge also agreed that two separate affidavits can be filed as there can only be one truth.... and also since if contempt needs to be established it has to be against a particular individual.
Regards
Jose
Friday, August 21, 2009
CVC PROBE IN TO PRASARBHARATHI LEGAL BILL
As Jose has pointed out many times in the past, our fortunes are not likely to improve unless we get good lawyers to represent us. Mr. Rajappa's presence in court on our behalf has made an obvious difference to our case.
But take a look at the legal forces whistled up by the opposition: several retired Supreme Court judges, two former Chief Justices... and the lowest fee paid by Prasar Bharati to their lawyer per hearing is Rs.1 lakh. That's probably our entire legal budget.
Sajan
CVC probe into Prasar legal bill
Nagendar Sharma and Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, August 20, 2009
Doordarshan (DD) paid Rs 4.25 crore (Rs 42.5 million) to government law officers for appearing in court cases during the last two years, recording a six-time increase in a year.
At a board meeting on Tuesday, the apex decision-making body for DD and All India Radio, Prasar Bharati, asked the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to probe the “payment of exorbitant fees”.
The board was informed that the amount was paid to government lawyers since 2007 till June this year, while between 2004 and 2007, DD’s annual legal expenditure was only around Rs 40 lakh (Rs 4 million).
The DD documents, in possession of Hindustan Times, said this violated the rule on prescribed fees for law officers hired by the organisation.
But CEO of Prasar Bharti B.S. Lalli said that the payments were as per rules.
The Prasar Bharati board prescribed fees for a government lawyer is Rs 4,500 per hearing, whereas the documents show that the lowest amount paid was Rs 1 lakh.
The board’s decision to probe the payment was made on a complaint by DD director-general Aruna Sharma, who said six law officers were paid Rs 1.10 crore in cases related to shutting out some private channels from the DD’s direct-to-home (DTH) service.
“So much money was spent to defend such a trivial issue,” said a DD official, not willing to be identified.
Prasar Bharati board chairman Arun Bhatnagar confirmed that the matter had been referred to the CVC for a probe. But Lalli said the probe decision was illegal since the agenda was only for the information of the board.
He said, “Three members of the board have also challenged the way the agenda item (on exorbitant fees) was introduced in the meeting.”
The documents presented before the board showed several former Supreme Court judges, including two former Chief Justices, as beneficiaries of the Rs 4.5 crore payment.
The law ministry, however, said autonomous organisations were free to hire top law officers, whose salary is paid by the government. “Every department has a fixed criterion and we don’t interfere on the fees issue,” said a senior law ministry official.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/CVC-probe-into-Prasar-legal-bill/H1-Article1-445359.aspx
But take a look at the legal forces whistled up by the opposition: several retired Supreme Court judges, two former Chief Justices... and the lowest fee paid by Prasar Bharati to their lawyer per hearing is Rs.1 lakh. That's probably our entire legal budget.
Sajan
CVC probe into Prasar legal bill
Nagendar Sharma and Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, August 20, 2009
Doordarshan (DD) paid Rs 4.25 crore (Rs 42.5 million) to government law officers for appearing in court cases during the last two years, recording a six-time increase in a year.
At a board meeting on Tuesday, the apex decision-making body for DD and All India Radio, Prasar Bharati, asked the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to probe the “payment of exorbitant fees”.
The board was informed that the amount was paid to government lawyers since 2007 till June this year, while between 2004 and 2007, DD’s annual legal expenditure was only around Rs 40 lakh (Rs 4 million).
The DD documents, in possession of Hindustan Times, said this violated the rule on prescribed fees for law officers hired by the organisation.
But CEO of Prasar Bharti B.S. Lalli said that the payments were as per rules.
The Prasar Bharati board prescribed fees for a government lawyer is Rs 4,500 per hearing, whereas the documents show that the lowest amount paid was Rs 1 lakh.
The board’s decision to probe the payment was made on a complaint by DD director-general Aruna Sharma, who said six law officers were paid Rs 1.10 crore in cases related to shutting out some private channels from the DD’s direct-to-home (DTH) service.
“So much money was spent to defend such a trivial issue,” said a DD official, not willing to be identified.
Prasar Bharati board chairman Arun Bhatnagar confirmed that the matter had been referred to the CVC for a probe. But Lalli said the probe decision was illegal since the agenda was only for the information of the board.
He said, “Three members of the board have also challenged the way the agenda item (on exorbitant fees) was introduced in the meeting.”
The documents presented before the board showed several former Supreme Court judges, including two former Chief Justices, as beneficiaries of the Rs 4.5 crore payment.
The law ministry, however, said autonomous organisations were free to hire top law officers, whose salary is paid by the government. “Every department has a fixed criterion and we don’t interfere on the fees issue,” said a senior law ministry official.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/CVC-probe-into-Prasar-legal-bill/H1-Article1-445359.aspx
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