We don't look at private broadcasters as competitors 

says Prasar Bharati CEO.

               It has been over three years that he took over as Chief Executive Officer, Prasar Bharti in 2006. Having held various key positions in various Governement organizations B. S. Lalli has had a rich experience in public service. He joined the IAS in 1971 and worked as District Magistrate after which he moved on as Director in the Department of Steel. He later joined Internal Security in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He had held the posts of Secretary and Principal Secretary in the State Government in various departments.

             A Masters in English Literature from Punjab University, Lalli is articulate and makes a good conversationalist. In conversation with TellyChakkar’s Jaahnavi P Paal, Lalli discusses the challenges DD faces, future plans, the role of a broadcaster in a multi channel world and lots more.

       It’s been three years since you took over. What have been your biggest challenges?

       Doordarshan is a part of Prasar Bharti and one has to understand the background and the current status of an organisation like Prasar Bharti. This organisation is just about 12 years old and there are several legacy issues. Actual corporatisation has not taken place so that is a major issue. The problems persist but the idea always in life is not to be deterred by problems and try to move ahead regardless.

    So within two years and six months what has happened is that we brought in a regime of discipline, a new work culture which was result oriented. I changed a number of things and tried to bring in better quality of programming, more relevant programming. Doordarshan had a tendency to mimic the private channels in its content so we had to change that.

     We have done some course correction and some more is called for. There also is the need for greater conceptual clarity at all levels, not only in Prasar Bharti even in the Government about the role of revenue earning that Doordarshan or AIR must engage in.

     How much is the earning of revenue important to a public broadcaster is a fundamental question which has to be answered. There are many countries where governments have banned the PSB (Public service broadcasters) from advertising. I have been maintaining this line that if it is not possible because of special circumstances to be classically pure let us at least a be substantial PSB.

     The kind of programming must be such that should address the concerns and the interest and the aspirations of common citizens. It could be in terms of social articulation or in cultural expositions. Particularly we have to take care of those who don’t have media options. Still in this country there are people who don’t have media options. So it is the bound duty of Prasar Bharti to take care of them in particular.

     In the last two years we have covered every district in the country and have correspondents everywhere. Developments get reported either on DD or AIR and if you listen to the radio on the net you will find the regional news has sound bytes from our district correspondents and even on the national news which was never done earlier. The look and feel, packaging, the conformity to better technical parameters are taken care of.

     I wouldn’t say we have done wonders, but we have moved forward. The organisation which was sinking isn’t anymore. In the year of economic slowdown many channels winded up but our net revenue went up.

   How did DD cope with the economic slowdown?

      We are somewhat insulated. We are not preoccupied with advertisements. Also there are some programs which must go on air. It could relate to any security issue, health matter, education, sanitation concerns of the Indians and then of course government’s own policy and programs. We are not the mouthpiece of the government but their creative partners. If there are such programs, then it’s our job to make the citizen aware of it.

     We are sort of a bridge and if there are some inadequacies without being overtly negative, in a very constructive kind of way you can suggest things. And DD and AIR in the last two to five years has done fairly extensive work on this. We have used all kinds of broadcasting formats for the public’s voice to be heard. We have been bringing ministers, public servants across. We expose ministerial developments here and we will also get DSNG’s from all over the country to at least 6-7 places and people can directly ask questions.

     What are DD’s current roadblocks ?

   I don’t like discussing my problems. But yes when you are on a path of reformation, there are people who would upset you but the idea is not to care and go ahead.

    What is your long term vision for DD?

     I would like DD to have far superior, far more relevant regional programs. I would like to see much more of Bharat than India on DD which means covering the villages, the small towns and that can be very interesting.

     They are the heroes as they lead an interesting life despite problems. And then of course there is a treasure of classics we have in various languages. I have also started something on folk tales of India. The idea was that we go back into history and focus on a fort but not on its ruins.

     Their language, dresses, culture, achievements and the sheer history of that particular place must come alive in the capsule form. We have done good work on classical music on radio in particular. DD hasn’t done much though. We are doing Jalsa now and that’s clicked quite well.

     I spoke to Gajendra Singh and persuaded him to come to DD. I am personally interested in the children of the villages as city kids have access to all kinds of entertainment.

     I have conveyed to DD that we don’t want shows on magic and adaptations from foreign comics but something which is ethnic and in lines with the traditions of storytelling in our country. I gave them an idea which has resulted in Baba Kahaniwala which will be aired soon. Also we need a better in house production and we will also outsource.

  DD’s top show Kyunki Jeena Isika Naam Hai (a UNICEF offering) has had a successful  run.    Do we see any more such shows?

    As I said my focus is the culture and history of India. If there is a show which focuses on this, I am open to it.

   If any other channel wants to telecast some of Kyunki’s episodes?

    It depends. It’s a TV serial so editing it in a particular manner may not be the best of ideas. The serial has integrity of its own so it can’t be compromised. But if the editing is good with some focused ideas then we can look at it.

     Is government funding going down?

      No. There was a big salary hike because of the sixth pay commission. I think we spent Rs 1500 crores only on salary but otherwise our expenditure is on creation of software so that is also going up, from Rs 180 crore to an approx Rs 360 crores. I have been telling people to produce more and we are ready to fund.

     We have a terrible dearth of manpower as our infrastructure is huge and our projects are scattered all over the country. Since it is terrestrial, transmissions have to be maintained. DD has a total of 1412 transmitters today which are in Ladakh and even in Port Blair. Maintenance of those and studios, 11 language channels, six national channels on DD’s side and 232 radio stations on AIR’s side.

      There have been no recruitments for nearly 17 years in many cadres. Things will get better soon because when we digitise then the need for DD’s transmitters will come down to 630 instead of 1412 which will lead to manpower reduction.

     What according to you is the role of a public broadcaster in a multi channel world?

      We don’t have a GEC as such really but it doesn’t matter. Our flagship channel DD National has considerable entertainment component.

     I would like to reduce some and come up with better documentaries maybe reality shows of different genres. Broadcasting is growing like the society’s aspirations.

    There is no reason for a public broadcaster to either shy away or to mimic the private broadcasters, they have their own role. A public broadcaster will continue to be relevant all the time. We don’t look at private broadcasters as competitors.

     Are there other ways of tackling competition? How are you going to bring the viewer back to DD?

    That is the challenge in the cable and satellite homes. But there is opportunity as well. We cannot be poor cousins to anybody. As I said we are not here to mimic anybody.

Our own programmes should have such vitality and freshness to appeal to people. Now instead of having one slot a week we will have 4-5 slots a week as we did with Kyunki. It has 3 slots a week and this is a first of its kind.
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Publishing this interview doesn't mean that  FRIENDS OF PRASAR BHARATI   endorse  the views expresses by the CEO,  PRASAR  BHARATI .