NEW DELHI: Embarrassment has a bright side, too, as proved by the renovation effort planned for the drab His Master’s Voice public broadcaster Doordarshan. Gaffes like using footage of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in place of Narendra Modi’s on the latter’s US visit, calling Anantnag in Kashmir Islamabad and such priceless gems later, I&B minister Prakash Javadekar has decided that a revamp is in order. With the arrival of each new government in Delhi, DD gets a ritualistic face lift. This time, an expert group will be constituted to monitor content 24/7.

         Refresher courses and orientation modules for newsroom staff and motivation plans for employees are on the menu. In the age of slick private broadcasting, the government wants to make the channel competitive with new studios, better presentation and graphics, more personable anchors, varied programming, interactive shows, youth oriented programs and increased presence on social media. Doordarshan will also introduce a mobile App so that people across the country can get public news on the move. Following I&B ministry’s revamp announcement, DD has re-constituted a High Level Review Committee under the joint chairmanship of interim Director General Vijaya Laxmi Chhabra and DG (News) Archana Datta. The committee held its first meeting on Friday.

          “The mistake did happen and it happens in all channels. We have put in place a system to check it. We have put a group of officers on duty who will be watching the channel 24X7 and give feedback. If there is a mistake even in the scroll, they will immediately call the news service division to correct the mistake then and there,” Datta told The Sunday Standard. She said revamp efforts will take time as everything has to be approved by the ministry. In some cases, tenders need to be floated. DD is the only channel with bulletins in English, Hindi, Urdu and Sanskrit. “There are plans to motivate the existing staff by using their hidden talent and shifting people from one programme to one of their interest or giving them additional charge. By motivating existing staff we can improve presentation without spending any money,” Datta added.

I&B sources said that A Surya Prakash, member of the think tank Vivekananda International Foundation could soon take over as Prasar Bharati chairman. The post had fallen vacant after Mrinal Pande’s term got over. The chairperson of Prasar Bharati board conducts official meetings and decides on the future policies of Doordarshan and All India Radio. The executive power rests with the Prasar Bharati CEO as mandated under the act. Sources said the government was also keen to amend the Prasar Bharati Act that vests majority power in the CEO, to make the chairperson more powerful.

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