Erosion of Prasar Bharati autonomy!

By M.Y.Siddiqui

RSS Pariwar union government’s scrutiny of All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) has eroded their autonomy completely over the last ten years despite the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990 having provided their long sought after autonomy. News bulletins in the public broadcasters begin with the Prime Minister (PM) and end with him. The imprint of PM is total as other news stories are ignored. Every day, standards and tenor of the news bulletins are set by the PMO and even BJP IT Cell. In the process, news bulletins loose its professional quality. The news bulletins are seen to be singing paean to the PM.

Earlier also, PM got prominent place in news bulletins and within that frame bulletins used to maintain professional quality and standards of the news bulletins. The AIR 9 P.M. bulletin set benchmarks for morning news headlines. There were several examples scoops in AIR news bulletin used to be quoted by BBC. AIR and DD news bulletins were begun on the pattern of BBC. But it is no longer the case now. Under the current fascist dispensation, professionalism of news bulletins is totally subverted as the PM pervades all and the other news have mostly the imprint of Hindutva and its majoritarian agenda. Composite character of news bulletins and other programmes has been dispensed with.

In violation of India’s time tested secular (religion neutral) polity and constitutional democratic governance, Doordarshan telecasts aarti of Lord Ram at 6 a.m. from Ayodhya Ram temple and ensures viewers get the full experience. It’s a full 20 minutes when both the deity and ritual are visible from every possible angle. “Now every day, Lord Ram Lalla’s divine darshan”, read DD announcement. The chat sessions in this regard on YouTube are filled with proverbial cries of Jai Shri Ram.

The Constitution of India postulates religion neutral (secular) polity and public administration within the frame of the rule of law based constitutional democratic governance to ensure diversity of our people, plurality of their religion, cultures, languages to maintain oneness of our people and oneness of the country. These require the public entities in public administration or organs of the state to desist from religion and religiosity as religion has been termed as private and personal affairs of the individuals and people.

Earlier in April this ear (2024), Doordarshan changed its logo to saffron colour, very much associated with the brand RSS Pariwar, which was received by people with happiness, bewilderment and anger. The change marked a shift in their eyes, although the signs were there. But it was now official. People took it as the country’s public broadcaster was saffronised to serve the partisan agenda of the Sangh Pariwar, more so of the PM. Doordarshan justified it by citing its aesthetic appeal.

Over three decades ago, the Prasar Bharati Act was enforced with the promise of giving the public broadcasters their long sought after autonomy. This need was felt most during the Emergency when the executive (government) brazenly misused broadcasting to its advantage. But the Act (the Public Broadcasting Corporation Act of India) brought the AIR and DD, the two arms of Prasar Bharati, firmly under government oversight. The gaze has intensified over the last ten years. Of course, AIR and DD never had the reputation of being independent. And now, there is an inordinate focus on PM the man.

AIR and DD have been the keeper of India’s history, distributer of nostalgia and a vehicle of government narratives. Now, they are trying to adjust all three identities to a fast changing media landscape, where social media reigns supreme. They have become flashier, louder, hard hitting, while growing more tightly bound to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Even Prasar Bharati’s YouTube channel dedicated to its archives favors the current PM. There is a playlist of his swearing-in ceremonies, both as Gujarat Chief Minister and as Prime Minister. No other PM has received such treatment. Even the programmes like the “issues before parliament” have been recast, as the news editors cannot invite journalists or political commentators of their choice to participate in the discussions for fear of the ire of the PMO. Participants are also scared!.




osion of Prasar Bharati autonomy!

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