Continued support to Prasar Bharati urged

NEW DELHI, Feb 28: The Government must continue the budgetary and plan support for DD despite its autonomous nature as its revenue through commercials would fulfill only a fraction of its requirements, according to a parliamentary standing committee.

In its eighth report on Doordarshan 8211; Production of Programmes, In-house and by Outside Producers8217;, the standing committee on communications headed by Member of Parliament Somnath Chatterjee said DD has gradually reduced8217; its role because of a conflict between its objectives as public broadcaster on the one hand and profit on the other. There was need to balance its role as a public broacaster and as revenue earner, consistent with the necessity of raising adequate resources without affecting the quality of the programmes.