News Broadcasting
Prasar officials resent move to hire outsiders for AIR news channel
NEW DELHI: Indian pubcaster Prasar Bharati, managing Doordarshan and All Indian Radio, oft-accused of being dull, drab and unprofessional, especially where news is concerned, now finds itself being panned for trying to get help from professionals.
Prasar Bharati’s sudden love for people from the private sector hasn’t gone down well with the Indian Information Service (IIS), cadre that is now feeling threatened with the influx of people from private channels into DD and also a decision to induct nearly 200 persons from outside government in AIR.
A meeting was held today at Prasar Bharati to dwell on the need to get more manpower to man a proposed radio news channel in short-wave, scheduled to be put on air in the first week of April.
According to information available with indiantelevision.com, today’s meeting relating to more personnel in AIR turned out to be inconclusive. Especially in the light of the fact that a rebellion is brewing in DD News where IIS-cadre officials are objecting to a memo from the information and broadcasting ministry stating that consulting editor Deepak Chaurasia’s team would be looking after the news content — a function that was primarily being carried out by IIS offers with years of stranglehold over the organisation.
Though Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma could not be reached for comments, organisation sources said hiring of people from outside has been necessitated as there is an acute shortage of trained and semi-knowledgeable professionals, including technicians, for running a radio news channel.
Surprising as it may sound, but Prasar Bharati has over 40,000 employees on its rolls and, at one time, an expert committee set up by the government itself, had suggested that the organisation should lose some flab.
The situation in DD News has reached a flashpoint where disgruntled IIS officers were almost on the verge of making their protest official by submitting a memorandum to the ministry, protesting against the move “to reduce them to just copywriters and pen-pushers, while people taken recently from private channels rule the roost.”
However, since IIS officers are government employees, the fire seemed to be waning a bit this evening as inquiries revealed that the proposed memo has not found very many signatories.
However, since IIS officers are government employees, the fire seemed to be waning a bit today evening as inquiries revealed that the proposed memo has found not very many signatories.
“We are upset as these new kids on the block are running amok, sometimes with news biased towards the government. But the big point is that submitting a memo would mean taking on these people who seem to have political clout,” one of the disgruntled IIS officer told indiantelevision.com.
On the other hand, the fact remains that government employees, on deputation in the autonomous Prasar Bharati, still treat their job as government employees are wont to do.
Critics have pointed out that if a TV news channel has to compete with private channels, then things have to move fast. There have been instances when graphics have not been ready on time for DD News.
With the general elections drawing near, expect more such controversies coming out of Prasar Bharati.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
