Prasar Bharati prepares strategy to boost revenue

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Trying to give a fresh lease oflife to the public broadcaster, the Prasar Bharati Board hasdecided to take concrete steps to further its revenue,including renting out unused equipment and asking ministriesto pay up for social message slots.

The Group of Ministers on Prasar Bharati, which met lastmonth, had decided to share the burden with the publicbroadcaster on a 50:50 basis to ease its financial worries.

PB chairperson Mrinal Pandey today said that the boardhas asked ministries to give money for the various slots theyget on DD and AIR. "We have also asked them to explore whetherthey want to set up individual channels for theirdevelopmental programmes," she added.

She said that Prasar Bharati has a large number ofequipment which lie unused specially in small centres. Theseequipment can be rented out to private players who need it forat least three-four hours a day.

Apart from this, the board was also considering aproposal to allow its trained human resources to be outsourcedto others.

The proposals which are part of a vision documentprepared by a four-member committee, headed by Pandey, alsoinclude setting up training centres for private players.

"We are ready to hire some people with specialised talentto guide us in these ventures," she said.

Both AIR and DD also have an immense treasure house ofarchives which she said can be utilised to generate furtherrevenue.

The proposals have been prepared by a four-membervision committee comprising Pandey, PB Acting CEO Rajiv Takru,Muzaffar Ali and Suman Dubey.

The vision document is likely to be placed before thePrasar Bharati Board on it next meeting on March 16.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni saidthe government has sanctioned Rs 142 crore for the publicbroadcaster in the 11th five-year plan.

She said hiring for various new centres opened forPrasar Bharati was also in full force and the recruitment aswell as other employee-related problems would be sorted outsoon.