Context
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) declared that ministries, departments of the central government, state governments, and union territory (UT) administrations or entities related to them would not be allowed to enter into broadcasting or distribution of broadcasting activities.
What is Prasar Bharti?
- Prasar Bharati is India’s largest public broadcasting agency.
- It is a statutory autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament and comprises the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- During the emergency time as well as other times, Doordarshan was used for government propaganda.
- Thus, the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990 was established.
- The main motive of the Act is to provide freedom to electronic media i.e. the All India Radio and Doordarshan.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is one of the vital Ministries that represent the face of the government in reaching out to the masses.
- The Ministry is entrusted with the task of disseminating information about government policies, schemes and programmes through the different medium of mass communication covering radio, television, press, social media, printed publicity like booklets; posters, outdoor publicity including through traditional modes of communication such as dance, drama, folk recitals, puppet shows etc.
- The Ministry is also the focal point as regards policy matters related to private broadcasting sector, administering of the public broadcasting service- Prasar Bharati, multi-media advertising and publicity of the policies and programmes of the Union Government, film promotion and certification and regulation of print media.
- On the public service broadcasting sphere, the Ministry overviews matters relating to All India Radio and Doordarshan through the Prasar Bharati.
- The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is functionally organized into three wings
- Information Wing
- Broadcasting Wing
- Films Wing
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