The information and broadcasting minister said this while delivering the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture 2017 on 'Model of broadcasting landscape for Democracies' this afternoon.
Union minister Smriti Irani on Thursday pitched for regional language broadcasters stating they should be given as much importance as those working in the national capital.
The information and broadcasting minister said this while delivering the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture 2017 on 'Model of broadcasting landscape for Democracies' this afternoon.
Pushing for a "democratic" audience measurement system, Irani said first thing that has to be done is that regional broadcasters whether news or entertainment should be given equal emphasis that what is given in the national capital or those reporting in the English language, if the broadcasting landscape has to be made powerful.
She added that it is India's public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati, that puts public interest above the profit and business interest, provides services in rural areas where private broadcasters do not venture due to lack of profits.
In her speech in Hindi and English, she asked what would Patel known for his contribution for the integration of India after Independence think of his memorial lecture being only delivered in English when Indian Constitution recognises the multi-cultural aspects of the nation.
She said Prasar Bharati serves the national interest from the perspective of news by staying away from kind of of news which would probably get more eyeballs but need not not be in the larger interest of the country.
"The biggest service we can give as a broadcaster is to give the news but not with the added element of drama," she said, adding that news today had become a "spectator sport" as technology had blurred the lines between content and broadcast.
The minister said that Mann ki Baat programme of the Prime Minister was an example of how a technology platform blended PM's message with citizen understanding and awareness of the issues highlighted by him.
Talking about social media, Irani said while some say it is "distracting" but she feels it gives new pathways to tell the stories in new ways with internet, mobile and content coming together.
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