Three more states to get Prasar Bharati 24X7 TV channels

Prasar Bharati is on a spree of launching regional channels. Public broadcaster is now exploring the possibility of running three round-the-clock channels in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. Earlier it had soft launched its channels in Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Sources said that in a meeting of the Prasar Bharati Board held here today, officials of the Board appraised the status of the four Doordarshan channels in the Hindi heartland states of UP, Rajasthan, MP and Bihar for which I&B ministry had questioned the pubcaster about receiving approval from the board before the launch. 

The four channels, which had earlier been operating only for a few hours everyday, were converted by Prasar Bharati into 24X7 channels. 

Prasar Bharati officials told the Board that three of the four channels (with DD Rajasthan being the exception) had already acquired pole position in viewership ratings from among regional channels which operate in these states. 

Officials told the Board that substantial manpower and resources were underutilised and the four regional channels, which are now running round the clock, only required a minimum investment. 

"The Board was appreciative of the efforts made by Prasar Bharati to run channels by effectively utilising the existing resources and agreed that the possibility of turning the existing terrestrial stations in Ranchi, Raipur and Dehradun into 24 into 7 channels on similar lines," a senior official said. 

On clarification sought by the ministry an official said that in a way Prasar Bharati was not starting new channels but only "ramping up" Doordarshan channels, which were telecasting content just for a couple of hours, into 24 hour channels.

Source: http://cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/3256-three-more-states-to-get-prasar-bharati-24x7-tv-channels.htmlSource: http://cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/3256-three-more-states-to-get-prasar-bharati-24x7-tv-channels.html