Prasar Bharati is the public broadcast corporation of India, comprising Doordarshan, the public television network, and All India Radio (AIR), the public radio chain. Doordarshan operates a large network of channels, including nationwide, regional, state, and city-focused ones. AIR has a network of nearly 470 radio stations operating across India.
Media assets
Television: (Doordarshan): National- DD National, DD News, DD India, DD Sports, DD Bharati, DD Kissan, DD Urdu, DD Retro; Regional- DD Arun Prabha, DD Bangla, DD Bihar, DD Chandana, DD Girnar, DD Madhya Pradesh, DD Malayalam, DD North East, DD Odia, DD Podhigai, DD Punjabi, DD Rajasthan, DD Sahyadri, DD Saptagiri, DD Uttar Pradesh, DD Yadagiri, DD Kashir; State- DD Chhattisgarh, DD Panaji, DD Haryana, DD Himachal Pradesh, DD Jharkhand, DD Manipur, DD Meghalaya, DD Mizoram, DD Nagaland, DD Tripura, DD Uttarakhand; City- DD Andaman and Nicobar, DD Chandigarh, DD Dadra and Nagar Haveli, DD Daman and Diu, DD Delhi, DD Lakshadweep, DD Pondicherry; Satellite- DD India;
Radio: (All India Radio, AIR) (469 radio stations)
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Prasar Bharati is an autonomous body established in accordance with the Prasar Bharati Act of 1990. The legal provisions set forth in this act did not become effective until 1997. Prior to the enactment of the act, the company’s media operations were conducted as divisions of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Since 1997, Prasar Bharati has been legally autonomous and refers to itself as a “public media” entity. However, the ministry still maintains discretionary authority to influence the broadcaster’s operations.
The primary governing body of Prasar Bharati is the company’s board of directors, which comprises 15 members. The President of India appoints 10 members of the board, including the chair. The five exceptions are the ex officio director generals of AIR and Doordarshan, the representative of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting named by the ministry’s high officials, and two representatives of the Prasar Bharati staff appointed by the station’s employees.
Source of funding and budget
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, Prasar Bharati reported revenue of INR 49.5bn (equivalent to US$ 711m). State grants and subsidies constituted approximately 61% of the total. Commercial revenues constituted the second largest source of funding, accounting for over 24% of the total budget. The remainder was generated through license fees (paid by households) and other forms of income.
In the 2021-2022 fiscal year, Prasar Bharati generated INR 13.5bn (US$168m) in commercial revenues, representing a 13% year-on-year increase, according to a report from the Hindustan Times. The company received a state grant of INR 27.6bn (equivalent to approximately US$345m), according to a report from The Economic Times. In February 2023, the government announced its approval of a state subsidy of INR 28m for the following fiscal year.
According to media reports, Prasar Bharati received a government allocation of INR 28bn (US$ 338m) for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Editorial independence
Despite the government’s efforts to grant Prasar Bharati autonomy through a legal act (which took effect in 1997), the broadcaster has not yet achieved editorial independence. First and foremost, the law still allows the central government to “issue” various “directions” to the corporation “as it may think necessary in the interests of the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India or the security of the State or preservation of public order requiring it not to make a broadcast on a matter specified in the direction or to make a broadcast on any matter of public importance specified in the direction.”
The broadcaster’s editorial affairs are primarily controlled through the politicization of both the appointment process for the outlet’s governing structure and the hiring of journalists in the news division. Local journalists and experts interviewed for this report in February 2023 and June 2024 have noted that journalists hired to work for the DD News channel often have connections with members of Congress or other officials.
A report published as part of the Media Influence Project stated: “The Corporation lacks editorial freedom promised to it via the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act of 1990. This has led to the Corporation repeatedly being used for self-aggrandizing publicity by successive governments, besides giving preferential airtime to ruling governments and blacking out any criticism towards them.”
A review of data from 15 media outlets monitored by the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) between November 2023 and April 2024 reveals numerous instances of a lack of editorial independence and a pro-government bias in the broadcaster’s newscasts. These include repeated instances of censorship of opposition parties and politicians.
Prasar Bharati’s activities are guided by a number of domestic documents. One such document is the Citizen’s Charter (one for each Doordarshan and AIR), which outlines the commitments made by the broadcasters to their citizens (including details of the type of programs to be provided). It should be noted, however, that these documents do not include any provisions that establish the editorial independence of the broadcaster.
Additionally, the company has a designated Vigilance Wing that handles complaints regarding the broadcaster’s personnel. However, their primary focus is on addressing instances of corruption within the organization.
The broadcaster has an office dedicated to the role of the Independent External Monitor. However, the scope of its responsibilities is limited to ensuring that the procurement processes are conducted in accordance with the relevant legislation, and it does not extend to the broadcaster’s editorial independence.
September 2024