Surya Prakash appointed Prasar Bharati chairman

After weeks of delay, Prakash’s appointment was cleared by a three-member committee headed by Vice-President Hamid Ansari and comprising Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju and Information & Broadcasting Secretary Bimal Julka.

Prakash’s candidature was preferred over those of Swapan Dasgupta and Balbir Punj both of whom were in the running for the top job, government sources told The Indian Express.

Prakash has held key positions in several print and electronic media organisations. He was editor at Zee News, executive editor at The Pioneer, India Editor at Asia Times — a business and political daily published from Bangkok and Singapore — political editor at Eenadu Group of Newspapers and Chief of Bureau at The Indian Express, New Delhi.

He is also the founder-director of the Film and Media School at the Institute of Integrated Learning in Management, New Delhi, and founder-director of the Pioneer Media School.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Prakash said, “Public service is the key for a public service broadcaster, but in today’s environment, there is great scope for Prasar Bharati to be there competing in a professional way. Also, All India Radio and Doordarshan are far more credible in today’s times than they were when they existed as mere government departments. I feel a lot can be done, especially on the look and feel of our channels. Prasar Bharati just needs a good professional approach.”

Correction: The print version of this copy and two earlier copies wrongly mentioned P K Mishra as a member of the VIF. The error is regretted.