ITV

Tag: Surya Prakash

  • RSTV editor to be chosen by new panel comprising Prasar chief, MP Dasgupta and journalist Srivastava

    RSTV editor to be chosen by new panel comprising Prasar chief, MP Dasgupta and journalist Srivastava

    MUMBAI: A search-and-select panel comprising lawmakers, senior journalists, Prasar Bharati and Rajya Sabha Secretariat officials has been formed to pick Rajya Sabha Television (RSTV) editor-in-chief.

    In an attempt to bring RSTV at par with private news channels, the vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, has put the panel together.

    The committee will be headed by the Prasar Bharati chairman A Surya Prakash and consist of MP Swapan Dasgupta, TV journalist Rahul Srivastava and Prasar CEO Shashi Shekar Vempati. The panel, which will also have a senior bureaucrat as a member, will begin advertising for the position shortly, and come up with a shortlist in 10 days, it is learnt.

    A series of discussions have taken place with Naidu on revamping RSTV. The Veep had also ordered a review and rationalisation of RSTV manpower.

    The said post fell vacant after the incumbent editor Gurdeep Singh Sappal resigned following the end of the tenure of the vice-president Hamid Ansari as the chairman of the Upper House.

    In an order issued on 18 October by the Secretariat, the panel will invite applications and conduct interviews to select a suitable candidate and submit its recommendation to the  chairman. It may take at least a month to complete the formalities for the position, it was learnt.

    Naidu had earlier reviewed the functioning of RS TV and sought to know from the officials whether the channel needed a CEO since the Secretariat provided administrative support.

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    RS TV audit sought, content sharing with Prasar proposed by Veep

    Prasar Bharati CEO Vempati assumes additional responsibility of RS TV

     

     

  • Sahu to lead resources & distribution-hit Doordarshan news channels’ repositioning

    MUMBAI: DD India, the Indian pubcaster Doordarshan’s international channel, is prepared to become an English news channel. The bilingual DD News could soon air only Hindi news, PTI reported. However, the Sanskrit programming on DD News would continue.

    The idea and decision of repositioning DD’s key channels were made after Prasar Bharati board’s brainstorming meeting, sources told PTI. The discussion on the two channels was initiated by Prasar chairperson A Surya Prakash.

    After the meeting, the board directed that the channels need to be repositioned soon, and asked Doordarshan director-general Supriya Sahu, and other top officials to work in this regard.

    Owing to paucity of resources, while DD India has struggled to grow up to the level of a leading global channel, DD News has had its own issues. It is a type of hybrid channel, which delivered news in English as well Hindi.

    While many earlier expected that DD India would be ranked with the best of channels, its impact was affected by a combination of factors, including poor distribution and a resource crunch. At the meeting, it was decided that DD India will now be seen in a new form — as an English news and current affairs channel catering to both, domestic and international audience.

    The Prasar board members also came to the conclusion that DD News would be made a Hindi news channel. It was felt that viewership was affected since Hindi and English news bulletins alternate on the channel.

  • Ex-Infosys executive Shashi Shekar Vempati appointed as Prasar Bharati CEO

    NEW DELHI: The executive vacuum at the top of India’s public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati has been filled. A three member committee consisting of India’s vice-president Hamid Ansari, Press Council of India chairman Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad and ministry of information & broadcasting secretary Ajay Mittal (representing the President of India) decided to appoint Prasar Bharati part time member and technocrat Shashi Shekar Vempati as its CEO.
     
     The appointment is for a period of five years from the time Vempati assumes charge of his office.
     
    As part time member, Vempati served as chairman of the audit committee, member of finance & accounts committee, technology committee and sports rights committee, apart from HR committee.
     
    An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai, Vempati has over two decades of experience as a technocrat with specialization in corporate management, technology consulting and digital media.
     
    He also served for more than 16 years with Infosys as product strategist and digital innovator in North America. He has two patents in his name: real time business event monitoring, tracking and execution architecture” and “system and method of monitoring and management of inventory of products and assets in real time”.:.

    He spent three years as CEO of Niti Digital and was responsible for the News Media Platform NitiCentral.com – India’s first center right digital news media platform, the data and analytics platform IndiaVotes.com – India’s largest public database of electoral data and the digital campaign platform India272.com which played a pivotal role for Narendra Modi’s Mission 272+ during the 2014 Indian general elections.
     
    He has authored many books including ‘Broadcasting Technologies in India’, ‘National Digital Security Architecture in India’, and ‘Creating a Global Media Platform out of India.”
     
    Earlier in February this year, Prasar Bharati chairman Surya Prakash wrote to the government to expedite the selection for a new CEO and member (personnel) in the pubcaster.
     
    A high-level committee headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari has to – as per protocol – meet to select a new CEO and other members.
    .
    The previous CEO Jawhar Sircar resigned prematuredly (his terms was to end in February 2017) with effect from 4 November 2016. Since then, two different officials – member (finance) Rajeev Singh and before him then member personnel Suresh C Panda (since retired) held interim charge of the post.
     

  • Expedite Prasar CEO appointment, govt urged

    Expedite Prasar CEO appointment, govt urged

    NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati chairman Surya Prakash has written to the government to expedite the selection of a new CEO and member (personnel) in the pubcaster.

    Prakash told the indiantelevision.com that he had sought from the government to ensure the vacancies are filled soon to facilitate decision-making.

    A high-level committee headed by India’s vice-president Hamid Ansari is needed to meet as stipulated in the Prasar Bharati Act 1990 to select a new CEO and other members.

    Meanwhile, member (finance) Rajeev Singh is scheduled to take over as the interim chief executive officer of the pubcaster from 6 February. He succeeds Suresh C Panda who was the member (personnel) and is due to retire on 4 February.

    The decision was taken at a board meeting held recently in Hyderabad. Panda had been appointed as the acting CEO after Jawhar Sircar demitted office on 4 November.

    Singh, who has been serving Prasar Bharati as member (finance) since April 2015, was previously with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd in different roles for a little over nine years. Singh is an engineering graduate from Nagpur University and is a post-graduate in business administration from Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.

    Singh’s appointment comes at a time when the public broadcaster is all set to revamp Doordarshan by introducing new prime time programming in February following e-auctions for these slots.

    The information and broadcasting ministry had issued an advertisement, calling applications for the post of member (personnel) and received 56 applications.

  • Expedite Prasar CEO appointment, govt urged

    Expedite Prasar CEO appointment, govt urged

    NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati chairman Surya Prakash has written to the government to expedite the selection of a new CEO and member (personnel) in the pubcaster.

    Prakash told the indiantelevision.com that he had sought from the government to ensure the vacancies are filled soon to facilitate decision-making.

    A high-level committee headed by India’s vice-president Hamid Ansari is needed to meet as stipulated in the Prasar Bharati Act 1990 to select a new CEO and other members.

    Meanwhile, member (finance) Rajeev Singh is scheduled to take over as the interim chief executive officer of the pubcaster from 6 February. He succeeds Suresh C Panda who was the member (personnel) and is due to retire on 4 February.

    The decision was taken at a board meeting held recently in Hyderabad. Panda had been appointed as the acting CEO after Jawhar Sircar demitted office on 4 November.

    Singh, who has been serving Prasar Bharati as member (finance) since April 2015, was previously with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd in different roles for a little over nine years. Singh is an engineering graduate from Nagpur University and is a post-graduate in business administration from Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.

    Singh’s appointment comes at a time when the public broadcaster is all set to revamp Doordarshan by introducing new prime time programming in February following e-auctions for these slots.

    The information and broadcasting ministry had issued an advertisement, calling applications for the post of member (personnel) and received 56 applications.

  • ‘Risk’ in FM stations airing news, apprehends Prasar head

    ‘Risk’ in FM stations airing news, apprehends Prasar head

    MUMBAI: Prasar Bharati chairman A Surya Prakash has said permitting private FM stations to air news might have security implications and that the government needed to keep that in mind if it were to give them the nod.

    From the democracy perspective, the idea of permitting them looked ‘very simple’ and ‘must be done’, but, owing to the internal security concerns and diversity of India, which had thousands of kilometres of borders, the initiative had a ‘lot of implications,’ he said, PTI reported from Hyderabad.

    As some months ago, the government auctioned frequency bandwidth, new FM channels were going to come. And, thus, he said that one needed to seriously ponder over whether to allow FM channels to air news.

    While it was correct that private TV channels had been allowed to telecast news, radio, he said, had a ‘different audience and different kind of reach.

    Also Read:   

    TV Today not selling 3 FM stations to ENIL; seeks MIB nod for migration

    Big FM, India Today deals: Zee Media seeks shareholder nod for loans

    Highlight women’s rights, broadcasters told

     

  • ‘Risk’ in FM stations airing news, apprehends Prasar head

    ‘Risk’ in FM stations airing news, apprehends Prasar head

    MUMBAI: Prasar Bharati chairman A Surya Prakash has said permitting private FM stations to air news might have security implications and that the government needed to keep that in mind if it were to give them the nod.

    From the democracy perspective, the idea of permitting them looked ‘very simple’ and ‘must be done’, but, owing to the internal security concerns and diversity of India, which had thousands of kilometres of borders, the initiative had a ‘lot of implications,’ he said, PTI reported from Hyderabad.

    As some months ago, the government auctioned frequency bandwidth, new FM channels were going to come. And, thus, he said that one needed to seriously ponder over whether to allow FM channels to air news.

    While it was correct that private TV channels had been allowed to telecast news, radio, he said, had a ‘different audience and different kind of reach.

    Also Read:   

    TV Today not selling 3 FM stations to ENIL; seeks MIB nod for migration

    Big FM, India Today deals: Zee Media seeks shareholder nod for loans

    Highlight women’s rights, broadcasters told

     

  • Int’l TV Fest: A-Pac Broadcasting Union’s two India teams to participate

    Int’l TV Fest: A-Pac Broadcasting Union’s two India teams to participate

    NEW DELHI: The ‘Aamad’ group and ‘Sadhya’ group from India will compete in the grand finale of the first edition of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) International Television Dance Festival (AIDF) in the city of the ‘Char Minar’ Hyderabad on 15 January 2017.

    Public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati is hosting the first edition of this mega event at Shilpakala Vedika in the hi-tech part of Hyderabad.

    AIDF will showcase traditional and contemporary dance performances by artistes of more than ten counties across the Asia- pacific region. The Dance Festival is conceptualised to bring the cultural diversities from across the world into limelight, by breaking cultural barriers. It will unveil the sacred occasions when people dance, and the joys that varied communities across the Asia Pacific region feel as they dance.

    Information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the AIDF festival. Telengana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao will be the Guest of Honour. Telengana Culture and Tourism Minister Azmeera Chandulal and Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash will also be present in the presence of other top officials of the I&B Ministry, Prasar Bharati and Telangana Government.

    Countries that have so far confirmed participation are Maldives, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, The Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Fiji and Indonesia.

    Two declared finalists from each country; one in ‘contemporary’ dance form and the other in ‘traditional’ dance form, will participate in the grand finale. All participating dance groups are between the age group of 18 to 25 years.

    Prasar Bharati had started the selection process in June last year to select the teams that will represent India in the grand finale. In order to select the final entries, artistes were invited and they were asked to submit DVDs of their work in traditional or contemporary dance, for shortlisting purpose. These submissions were made online and offline as well.

    A total of 453 entries were received, out of which 389 were made on-line and 64 were by post. Eventually, 210 videos were selected by the first Screening Committee.

    After the final screening, 29 entries were chosen from the two categories.
    The Festival is planned to be telecast live on DD India, DD Bharati, DD Urdu, DD Saptagiri and DD Yadagiri from 5:30 p:m onwards on 15 January 2017.

    The pubcaster has created a dedicated website aidf.prasarbharati.org and is available on social media at facebook.com/DanceFestABU and twitter.com/DanceFestABU.

  • Int’l TV Fest: A-Pac Broadcasting Union’s two India teams to participate

    Int’l TV Fest: A-Pac Broadcasting Union’s two India teams to participate

    NEW DELHI: The ‘Aamad’ group and ‘Sadhya’ group from India will compete in the grand finale of the first edition of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) International Television Dance Festival (AIDF) in the city of the ‘Char Minar’ Hyderabad on 15 January 2017.

    Public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati is hosting the first edition of this mega event at Shilpakala Vedika in the hi-tech part of Hyderabad.

    AIDF will showcase traditional and contemporary dance performances by artistes of more than ten counties across the Asia- pacific region. The Dance Festival is conceptualised to bring the cultural diversities from across the world into limelight, by breaking cultural barriers. It will unveil the sacred occasions when people dance, and the joys that varied communities across the Asia Pacific region feel as they dance.

    Information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the AIDF festival. Telengana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao will be the Guest of Honour. Telengana Culture and Tourism Minister Azmeera Chandulal and Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash will also be present in the presence of other top officials of the I&B Ministry, Prasar Bharati and Telangana Government.

    Countries that have so far confirmed participation are Maldives, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, The Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Fiji and Indonesia.

    Two declared finalists from each country; one in ‘contemporary’ dance form and the other in ‘traditional’ dance form, will participate in the grand finale. All participating dance groups are between the age group of 18 to 25 years.

    Prasar Bharati had started the selection process in June last year to select the teams that will represent India in the grand finale. In order to select the final entries, artistes were invited and they were asked to submit DVDs of their work in traditional or contemporary dance, for shortlisting purpose. These submissions were made online and offline as well.

    A total of 453 entries were received, out of which 389 were made on-line and 64 were by post. Eventually, 210 videos were selected by the first Screening Committee.

    After the final screening, 29 entries were chosen from the two categories.
    The Festival is planned to be telecast live on DD India, DD Bharati, DD Urdu, DD Saptagiri and DD Yadagiri from 5:30 p:m onwards on 15 January 2017.

    The pubcaster has created a dedicated website aidf.prasarbharati.org and is available on social media at facebook.com/DanceFestABU and twitter.com/DanceFestABU.

  • Unicef-BBC’s societal issues show launched on DD

    Unicef-BBC’s societal issues show launched on DD

    NEW DELHI: A ‘coming of age’ action drama series for social change AdhaFULL intertwined with the journey of growing up in a small town has been issued as a series by UNICEF India and BBC Media Action India.

    The launch was attended Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash, UNICEF India Representative Louis-Georges Arsenault, Doordarshan Director General Supriya Sahu, BBC Media Action country director Priyanka Dutt, officials from the Government, senior members from the media,civil society partners and adolescents themselves.

    AdhaFULL is a 78-episode TV series conceptualised by UNICEF and created and developed by BBC Media Action. AdhaFULL follows three adolescents—Kitty (16), Tara (11) and Adrak (15), who form the AdhaFULL gang, as they solve a new case each week. The mysteries are such as under-age marriage, nutrition, stereotyping of girls and boys, continuing education, peer pressure, school drop-outs and exam blues and gender-based violence are creatively depicted in the narrative.

    The half-hour-long episodes of AdhaFULL, will be telecast on Doordarshan National on Friday, Saturday and Sunday every week from 7.30 pm starting 21 October.

    The television series will be supported by a 78-episode-long radio show called Full on Nikki, as well as a mobile game, an inter-personal toolkit, graphic novels and DVD omnibuses.

    Sahu stressed that as a public service broadcaster, DD has always strived to reach out to its viewers through meaningful and impactful programming. The telecast of the series AdhaFULL on DD is the fulfilment of its commitment.

    Unicef India representative Louis-Georges Arsenault said, “India is home to 243 million adolescents. This series portrays adolescents who stand up for their rights. Through a mix of social drama, action, energy, fun, humour and emotions, this edutainment package discusses existing social norms and showcases transformation from a culture of silence to a culture of change and freedom”

    Prakash said: “Doordarshan has the largest reach in India. We are happy to be the first channel to broadcast a dedicated programme for adolescents, engaging them so that they can reach their full potential”.

    AdhaFULL, the Hinglish name of the series, reflects the hybrid nature of both a society in transition and adolescence. The AdhaFULL gang episodes swing between its ruralavtaar of the past and its present small town persona with urban trappings.

    BBC Action Media national creative director & executive producer Radharani Mitra said: “Young lives and aspirations are about the 3Cs – curiosity, challenge and creativity. They are willing to re-evaluate, to take chances but often feel limited. Through AdhaFULL’s story and its characters, we want to engage our young viewers and their parents in a journey of change, so that they feel they can negotiate and work with the 3Cs. For us, it’s been an exciting, enthralling journey – I hope it would be the same for our audiences”.

    AdhaFULL is a ‘creative magnifier’ – it brings to life, in a thoroughly entertaining way, everything that deserves a place in a series about adolescence.

    The action- packed series is being produced by Sunshine Productions, complete with pyrotechnics, chases, stunts, stylised lighting and filming, original sound tracks to accentuate drama and suspense.