I&B Ministry
Dasmunshi to open Cwealth Broadcast Asscn meet
NEW DELHI: Whats common between I&B minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, Prannoy Roy, old BBC hand Mark Tully, ABC chairman Donald McDonald and BBC Worlds Richard Sambrook?
Well, all these TV and media personalities and many more will be sharing their views on broadcasting and latest trends in Delhi as part of the 26th general conference of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA).
The conference, which is being co-hosted by Indian pubcaster Prasar Bharati, will be held from February 15-18 where the theme is `Making A Difference in the Multi-Platform World.
The conference, to be inaugurated by Dasmunshi, is likely to be attended by more than 250 delegates from over 100 Commonwealth nations.
While Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma will deliver the welcome address, I&B secretary SK Arora will give the keynote address.
Though the list of speakers almost looks like a media list of whos who of the Commonwealth nations, the attractions include the media-shy NDTV president Roy who is speaking on the first day on `Making a Difference:
Income and Impact.
On the second day, Prasar Bharatis Sarma and Zee Telefilms director Punit Goenka are slated to speak on `New Content, New platforms.
Doordarshan DG Navin Kumar, BBC World Service and Global News director Richard Sambrook and South African Broadcasting Corporation group CEO Dali Mpofu will share their thoughts on `Survival Strategies for Public Broadcasters.
Other key speakers include the Commonwealth secretary-general Rt Hon Don McKinnon, Irene Khan, secretary-general of Amnesty International, AIRs director-general B. Singh and UNESCO additional director-general (communication & information) Abdul Waheed Khan.
Apart from live demonstrations on the emerging medium of podcasting, a 30-minute compilation of items about the Commonwealth and about Commonwealth countries and peoples, titled `Pick of the Commonwealth will be made available as a podcast.
This means that anyone can subscribe (free) to the programme, and receive automatic downloads. Full instructions and how to make use of this new service are on www.cba.org.uk/pick. It is presented by Robin White, formerly with the BBC World Service. The programme has a shelf-life of a month and is downloadable in broadcast quality.
The CBA Awards will be presented on the evening of 16 February at a dinner at which Sir Mark Tully will be the master of ceremonies.
NDTV, ABC, Bharat Sanchar Nigam, BBC World Service, Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), ONGC and the British Council in India are some of the major sponsors. Exhibitors include SHAF Broadcast, BBC World Service Trust, ABC Asia Pacific, VT Communications, Inscriber, Red Bee, Teko Telecom and Prasar Bharati.
I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
