DD to revise rate card

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 14. To attract quality software and encourage in-house production of programmes, the Prasar Bharati Board, which met here today, decided to further rationalise the Doordarshan rate card for sponsored programmes and institute annual awards respectively.

As per the new rate card, long-running serials under the sponsored category will have to pay higher telecast fees only twice during their entire run - first after 26 episodes and next after 52 episodes. Earlier, higher telecast fees had to be paid after every 13 episodes.

And to make public service broadcasting truly ``public'', the Board today approved the guidelines for setting up Programme Advisory Committees at major Doordarshan Kendras and All India Radio (AIR) stations. Each committee will comprise five to 10 members, half of them constituting women, with knowledge/expertise in fine arts, folklore, health, environment, social welfare, education, science and technology and sports.

Each committee will have a two-year tenure and the mandate to review the programmes being broadcast. Besides, it will suggest measures to improve the programme quality, planning and presentation.

Taking a cue from AIR, the Board also decided to institute awards for programmes shown on Doordarshan along the lines of the Akashvani Annual Awards. Beginning this year, awards of excellence will be given for programmes telecast during the previous year. The best programme in each category will be given Rs 25,000.

Awards have been instituted for Most Innovative Programme, Best Serial, Best Documentary, Best Telefilm and Best Programme in the fields of agriculture, women, youth and sports, not to mention a host of awards for technical excellence. Besides, there will also be an award for Best Doordarshan Kendra.

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Section  : National
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