Broadcasting Evolution, Prasar Bharati & Digital Media
Public broadcasting in India began with experimental radio transmissions by the Radio Club of Bombay in 1923, culminating in the establishment of the Indian State Broadcasting Service in 1930, renamed All India Radio (AIR or Akashvani) in 1936. Television broadcasting commenced under AIR in 1959 as an experimental educational telecast in New Delhi, becoming an independent department named Doordarshan in 1976 and introducing nationwide color telecasts during the 1982 Asian Games. To provide statutory operational autonomy from government control, Parliament passed the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act in 1990, which came into force in 1997. In recent years, broadcasting governance has expanded to encompass the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules to regulate OTT platforms and digital news.
Key Concepts & Examination Highlights
- All India Radio (AIR) was established in 1936; Rabindranath Tagore coined the alternative name 'Akashvani' in 1938.
- Doordarshan was separated from All India Radio as a distinct department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1976.
- Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) was established as an autonomous statutory corporation in 1997 under the 1990 Act.
- Nationwide colour television broadcasting in India was introduced in 1982 during the 9th Asian Games held in New Delhi.
- In Ministry of Information and Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal (1995), the Supreme Court declared that airwaves are public property and cannot be monopolized by the State.
- Doordarshan separated from All India Radio to become an independent national television broadcaster on April 1, 1976.
- Nationwide color television transmission and national satellite networking in India were launched during the IX Asian Games held in New Delhi in 1982.
- The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act was enacted in 1995 to regulate the operation of cable television networks and enforce a mandatory Program and Advertising Code.
- The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, established a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism for digital news publishers and OTT platforms.
- The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) is an independent self-regulatory body established by private news broadcasters to handle broadcast complaints.
- Community Radio Stations (CRS) were authorized in India in 2002 for educational institutions and expanded in 2006 to non-profit civil society organizations.
- Vividh Bharati, the commercial entertainment broadcasting arm of All India Radio, was launched on 3 October 1957 to popularize film music.
- The Chanda Committee (1966) was the first official committee to recommend granting complete institutional autonomy to Akashvani and Doordarshan.
- The B.G. Verghese Working Group (1977) recommended the creation of an autonomous National Broadcasting Trust called 'Akash Bharati'.
- Doordarshan's flagship daily news bulletin 'Samachar' and iconic agricultural broadcast 'Krishi Darshan' (launched 26 January 1967) are India's longest-running television programs.
- The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) was established in New Delhi in August 1965 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and granted deemed university status in 2024.
- The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) was set up at Pune in 1960 on the premises of the former Prabhat Film Company as a premier cinematic training institute.
- The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) was established in Kolkata in 1995 as an autonomous institution for film and television education.
- Press Trust of India (PTI) was registered in 1947 and began operations in 1949, functioning as India's largest non-profit news cooperative owned by member newspapers.
- United News of India (UNI) was incorporated in 1959 and started operations in March 1961 as a premier multilingual news agency, also launching 'Univarta' (Hindi news service).
- Samachar Bharati and Hindustan Samachar were pioneer Indian language news agencies created to provide news feeds in Devanagari script.
- The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) was established in 2000 under the TRAI Act to adjudicate disputes in the telecom, broadcasting, and cable sectors.
- The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, regulates the operation of cable television networks and mandates adherence to the Programme Code and Advertising Code.
- Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite broadcasting in India was permitted in 2000, leading to the launch of public DTH platform DD Free Dish in 2004.
- The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, establishes the statutory framework for data fiduciary obligations, consent mechanisms, and digital data privacy in India.
- Radio broadcasting in India began in June 1923 with the broadcast by the Radio Club of Bombay, followed by the Calcutta Radio Club in November 1923.
- The Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC), a private enterprise founded in 1927, commenced regular operations from Bombay and Calcutta before entering liquidation in 1930.
- The British Government took over broadcasting operations in April 1930, establishing the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS), which was renamed All India Radio (AIR) on June 8, 1936.
- Lionel Fielden was appointed India's first Controller of Broadcasting in 1935 and played a foundational role in establishing AIR's programming infrastructure.
- Television broadcasting in India began on an experimental basis in New Delhi on September 15, 1959, with financial assistance from UNESCO.
- Regular daily television transmission began in Delhi in 1965, followed by expansion to Bombay and Amritsar in 1972.
- The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), conducted in 1975-1976 using NASA's ATS-6 satellite, broadcast educational programming to 2,400 villages across six Indian states.
- SITE is widely recognized as one of the largest socio-technological communication experiments in developing countries, pioneered by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.
- National television broadcasting and color television transmission were introduced in India in 1982 during the 9th Asian Games held in New Delhi.
- Doordarshan launched its first commercial channel, DD National, in 1982, followed by the metropolitan entertainment network DD Metro (DD2) in 1984.
- The Chanda Committee (1966), headed by A.K. Chanda, first recommended granting autonomous corporation status to All India Radio and Doordarshan.
- The B.G. Verghese Committee (1977) proposed the establishment of an autonomous national broadcasting trust named 'Akash Bharati'.
- The Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act was passed by Parliament in 1990 and brought into force on November 23, 1997.
- The Prasar Bharati Board consists of a Chairman, an Executive Member (Chief Executive Officer), Member (Finance), Member (Personnel), and nominated part-time members.
- The Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill was drafted to establish an independent regulator for private broadcasting, but broadcasting remains under MIB and TRAI oversight.
- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was entrusted with regulating broadcasting and cable TV distribution tariff orders and interconnection regulations in 2004.
- The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) adjudicates disputes between broadcasters, multi-system operators (MSOs), and local cable operators.
- Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite television services were permitted in India in November 2000, with DD Free Dish launched as a free-to-air DTH platform in 2004.
- Community Radio Stations (CRS) were authorized in 2002 for educational institutions and expanded in 2006 to non-profit voluntary and civil society organizations.
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting requires Community Radio Stations to broadcast within a low-power FM transmitter radius of 5 to 10 kilometers.
- Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) standards have been adopted by All India Radio to modernize terrestrial radio transmission.
- The Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming sector in India is monitored under Part III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
- The Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the nodal agency of the Government of India to disseminate information to print, electronic, and digital media.
- The PIB Fact Check Unit was established in November 2019 to identify and debunk fake news and misinformation concerning Government policies and schemes.
- The Cinematograph Act, 1952, amended comprehensively in 2023, empowers the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to certify films across age-based categories (U, UA 7+, UA 13+, UA 16+, A, S).
Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations
8 Verified Concept QuestionsIn which year was nationwide colour television broadcasting officially introduced in India by Doordarshan on the occasion of the 9th Asian Games?
The autonomous statutory corporation Prasar Bharati, which manages All India Radio and Doordarshan, was established under an Act passed in 1990 that came into legal force in which year?
The renowned motto and operational ethos of All India Radio (Akashvani), 'Bahujana Hitaya, Bahujana Sukhaya' (For the good of many, for the happiness of many), is derived from which canonical philosophical corpus?
What is the official motto inscribed in the logo of Doordarshan, India's public service television broadcaster?
In which year was experimental television broadcasting first inaugurated in India at New Delhi with technical and financial assistance from UNESCO?
Which premier news agency, established in 1947 by Indian newspapers, took over the Indian operations of the Associated Press of India and Reuters in 1949?
In which year was Doordarshan formally separated from All India Radio (Akashvani) to become an independent directorate within the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting?
Which popular commercial radio broadcasting channel was launched by All India Radio on 3 October 1957 to cater to film music lovers and counter Radio Ceylon?