AIR EARNS 113.26 CRORE COMMERCIAL REVENUE
CONSULTATIVE
COMMITTEE OF I&B MINISTRY MEETS
All India Radio has
a record revenue of Rs. 113.26 crores in the year 2002-03 net
and has kept a target of Rs. 126 crores for the current financial
year (2003-04). In order to achieve the target, AIR is making
allout efforts by contacting various Ministries/Departments and
big private clients. A number of Media Plans have also been submitted
to various departments, which are in the pipeline.
This information
was given by the Prasar Bharati officials to the Minister of Information
and Broadcasting, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad at the meeting of the
Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting,
here today. He said, AIR would completely digitalize the AIR Archives
by the year-end. The Archives are rich with the priceless and
rare recordings of maestros like Fyaz Khan, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan,
Legendary poets like Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Josh Malihabadi, Firaq Gorakhpuri,
Kaifi Azmi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni and many others.
It also has voice recordings of leaders of the freedom movement
beginning from Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru and others.
The Minister said
that news is the major Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of AIR.
AIR disseminates news and comments to listeners in India and abroad.
From just six Radio Stations in 1947, AIR has grown to network
of more than 200 broadcasting centres. News Services Division
puts out 360 (except non-daily news bulletins) news bulletins
daily from Delhi and its 45 Regional News Units. Out of these,
84 news bulletins are broadcast in the home services from Delhi
while Regional News Units put out 218 news bulletins daily in
66 languages/dialects including bulletins broadcast on FM-I and
FM-II. In the External Services, AIR broadcasts 65 news bulletins
in 26 languages (Indian and Foreign).
Shri Prasad accepted
suggestions from the members which included special programmes
for dacoit infested areas of Mainpuri (UP) and Bhind/Morena (MP),
inclusion of regional newspapers while compiling major news stories
covered, steps against music piracy, effective measures to counter
propaganda from across the border, more rural oriented programmes,
consideration of revision of remuneration of artist/writers, more
programmes to check crimes and drug use, resumption of concerts
for invited audiences and exclusive channels for classical music
etc. The other suggestions included filling up of vacancies in
regional stations, especially in the North East and J&K, setting
up of Radio Clubs and concerted efforts to increase AIR revenue.
AIR is the only institution,
which preserves and propagates all categories of music through
various eminent artists who are featured regularly in different
local and network programmes. Apart from this, all stations of
AIR broadcast Farm & Home prorammes targeted to rural audiences.
The average duration of Farm & Home broadcast is 60 to 100
minutes per day. Family Welfare units of AIR broadcast about 15,000
programmes on Health and Family Welfare in a month. AIR also broadcasts
special programmes on education, women, sports etc.
The Committee was
informed that AIR has 37,000 graded artists. The gradation certificate
enables the artists to establish themselves not only on the Radio
but also throughout the country and even abroad.
AIR has planned and
developed special packages for North-East and Jammu & Kashmir
in view of the special requirements of the regions. The programme
under these packages focus on the rich cultural heritage, changing
scenario of the state, development of infrastructure etc.
The MPs who participated
were S/Shri Balram Singh Yadav, Hannan Mollah, E. M. Sudarsana
Natchiappan, Abdul Rashid Shaheen, Balkavi Bairagi, Vijay J. Darda,
Ajay Maroo, Lalhmingliana, Dr. Ramanaidu Daggubati and Smt. Shabana
Azami.
