Doordarshan may go for "slot sale policy"

In order to procure content, public broadcaster Doordarshan may go for "slot sale policy" under which professionals would provide programmes in lieu of a share in the revenue that is earned from them.
Sources told PTI that a proposal seeking a new approach towards acquiring programmes came before the Prasar Bharati Board in a meeting held here today.
The proposal, it is learnt, suggested that during the 1980s, Doordarshan managed to come up with acclaimed and popular programmes like 'Hum Log' and 'Buniyaad' in which the procurement model was such that the producer created the content and also the slot price, a source said.

There were other iconic programmes like 'Ramayana', 'Mahabharat', 'Nukkad', etc which were also procured in a similar mode.
"There is much interest in the public broadcaster to be able to acquire content which can ensure that a larger number of viewers are attracted and the space lost to private TV channels is regained. That is the reason that Prasar Bharati is considering to go for a more innovative content procurement model," the source added.
Officials said that such a policy would ensure that Doordarshan does not have to spend large amounts to acquire programmes while also ensuring that the producer maintains a high quality because of the linking of his earning with the revenue that the programme generates.

They added that the programmes acquired through the Commissioning mode, where Doordarshan pays for the creation of content, have not resulted in any serials or shows which have become major hits.

"The proposal came before the Board, though a final decision is yet to be taken in this regard," a source said.
After some amendments in the Prasar Bharati Act, wide
ranging powers which were earlier vested with the Centre were shifted to the public broadcaster.
"Due to this, there has been an increase in the Vigilance related work and it was felt that the number of Zonal offices should be increased," a source said.

The public broadcaster would set up five zonal offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Guwahati. At present most of the Vigilance related work in Prasar Bharati was handled from Delhi, officials said.
Sources said that in the meeting today, the Prasar Bharati board also reconstituted some of its committees like the Vision Committee and the Business Development Committee, which look in to various aspects.
"There was need to reconstitute the committees as new members had joined the Board," a source said.