India’s Broadcast Engineering Society, an organisation of broadcast professionals, has suggested to regulator TRAI that the private sector should chip in to amplify dissemination of public service broadcast, apart from what national broadcaster Prasar Bharati is already doing.

It also has proposed that funding through corporate social responsibility (CSR) be allowed in the country’s media sector to boost acquisition and distribution of public service content.

In a wide ranging submission to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on a consultation on National Broadcasting Policy (NBP), BES India has said public service broadcasting needs to be supplemented through participation of private broadcasters to make it more effective.

While admitting that Prasar Bharati is officially India’s public service broadcaster fulfilling its primary role till now appreciably, BES pointed out that the broadcasting eco-system has undergone a change, which necessitates Prasar Bharati’s efforts being boosted or supplemented by private sector players in the realm.

It said: “The broadcast industry has undergone sea change, which includes the consumption patterns, and its form has also changed and taken a shape where public service broadcasting content being broadcast by Prasar Bharati may not reach all, and it is therefore important that all mediums and methods which are used to reach audience are mandated to carry content of public service broadcasting to meet the aspirations of ever dynamic population of the country especially considering its demographic.

In the past there has been push back from the private sector broadcasters when the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) directed them to carry public service messages on specific topics for a certain period of time daily, and reporting compliance of the same.

In January 2023, in an advisory MIB had said that companies (read TV channels) granted permission under uplink/downlink regulations may undertake public service broadcasting for a minimum period of 30 minutes in a day on themes of national importance and of social relevance.

BES, in its submission, seems to be pushing for a similar rule or even widening the mandate.

“To strengthen this argument, the examples of education and health industry may be cited here, and these subjects are of equal importance. In both these sectors, Government of India has made it mandatory for participation of private industry by reserving facilities for economically weaker sections. Similar efforts are required for fulfilling the mandate of public service broadcasting. Therefore, there is a strong need to impose overlapping mandates on the private sector like education and health sectors,” BES said.

Interestingly, BES also suggested that expenditure done by corporate houses as part of their social responsibility (CSR) should be allowed in the media sector too.

“Presently, media activities are prohibited to be funded through CSR funds. BES, however, is of the opinion that the content of greater public importance being produced or being acquired by public service broadcaster should be allowed to be part of CSR activities to amplify the efforts of public service broadcaster and to enable it to cover more social issues through CSR funding,” it stressed.

Dwelling on the importance of encouraging indigenous R&D and partnerships between industry and academia, BES said that such moves are paramount for India becoming a developed nation.

“R&D needs lot of funding as its results are not immediate and therefore it cannot be left alone on government or public service broadcaster. There is a need to institutionalize various elements of R&D by creating a large pool of non-lapsable funds sourced from various stakeholders.

“This would ensure that the industry grows in line with the vision of the country and is not restricted to the growth of individual stakeholders. There is also a need for global standards, patents and IPRs to emerge out of India,” BES submitted.