The Hindu Business Line : Prasar Bharati eyes Rs 1,000-cr revenues

PRASAR Bharati is aiming at augmenting its revenues and has set itself the target of touching the Rs 1,000-crore mark during the current financial year (2005-2006), said the company's CEO, Mr K. S. Sarma.

At a press meet here on Sunday, Mr Sarma said that Prasar Bharati had earned a record Rs 825 crore during 2004-2005, Rs 665 crore through Doordarshan and the rest through All India Radio (AIR). "We are aiming at the Rs 1,000-crore target this year, Rs 800 crore through DD and the rest through AIR," he said.

He added that Prasar Bharati would tie up with the various Government Departments and also tap other sources for augmenting its revenues. "Our annual expenditure is around Rs 2,000 crore. Our aim is to be completely self-sufficient."

Mr Sarma said the Union Agriculture Department had granted Rs 311 crore to the Prasar Bharati for two years to improve agricultural coverage. Prasar Bharati has identified 36 clusters in the country, with each cluster having five high-power transmitters to telecast region-specific agricultural programmes for farmers.

"In Andhra Pradesh, there would be five such clusters — two apiece in the Andhra and Telangana regions and one in Rayalaseema," he said.

Scrolling will be introduced this year to telecast local commercials. "We expect to earn at least Rs 100 crore more through this manner. On an experimental basis, we introduced scrolling at Salem in Tamil Nadu and earned roughly Rs 1 lakh a month."

Answering a question as to why the Doordarshan is unable to attract the youth, he said that as a public broadcaster,

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