I&B Ministry
MIB inaugrates PIB’s Audio Visual Unit
MUMBAI: The Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, PR Dasmunsi inaugurated the Audio Visual Unit of the Press Information Bureau(PIB).
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said it has become important to meet people’s growing needs for information through 24 hour TV channels. He asserted that the audio visual cell will satiate the hunger of large sections of people concerned with information on day to day developments of the Nation.
Describing this initiative as a “big jump” and “stage II revolution” in the efforts of PIB to cater to the requirements of electronic media, the Minister for I&B expressed hope that it would provide valuable feedback to the Government and meet the needs of TV channels who do not have necessary infrastructure.
In his address, I&B secretary, SK Arora, welcomed the launch of the audio visual cell by observing that mediapersons could access authentic and accurate information about government’s activities, initiatives and policy pronouncements by visiting PIB’s website.
He also announced that several lakh rare photographs of last 50 to 60 years available with the Photo Division in a digital form will be placed on the PIB’s website shortly. He expressed hope that this measure would further increase PIB’s popularity among the media.
In her welcome address, PIB director general, Deepak Sandhu stated that the advent of television channels, especially regional and local channels have brought a new challenge to PIB for meeting the demand for visual content of Government information. AV Unit which was started by PIB in response, will disseminate important information in the audio-visual format including special interviews with senior ministers.
The format which has been adopted to start with, is to web-stream the audio-visual content on the website in a preview format and downloadable format. The video clips will be confined to a maximum of two minutes so that there is no difficulty in downloading the contents. At a later stage, PIB hopes to distribute this audio-visual material in DVD format as well.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati opens AIR to private content under new policy
NIPP introduces revenue share, sponsored and gratis models
MUMBAI: Radio may be the oldest voice in the room, but it’s learning some very modern tricks. In a bid to stay tuned to changing listener habits, Prasar Bharati has opened the doors of All India Radio to private players under a newly rolled-out content framework. The initiative, titled Notice Inviting Programme Proposals (NIPP), marks a significant shift in how the public broadcaster approaches programming moving from a largely in-house model to a more collaborative, market-aligned ecosystem. Issued by Akashvani’s Directorate General in April 2026, the policy invites private producers, content owners and aggregators to pitch programmes across formats, from radio dramas and documentaries to quiz shows, storytelling and music-led content.
At the heart of the framework lies a three-pronged participation model designed to balance creative freedom with commercial viability. The most prominent route is revenue sharing, where advertising and sponsorship income generated by a programme is split between the producer and the broadcaster. The structure tilts in favour of creators offering a 70:30 split when producers bring in advertising, and 65:35 when monetisation is handled by Prasar Bharati.
Alongside this sits the sponsored model, where producers fully fund and monetise their content, subject to compliance with advertising norms and the AIR Broadcast Code. For those less commercially inclined, a gratis route allows content to be submitted free of cost, with Prasar Bharati retaining all monetisation rights effectively turning the platform into a national distribution channel for diverse voices.
The move comes as legacy media grapples with intensifying competition from private FM networks, streaming platforms and digital audio ecosystems. By repositioning AIR as both a public service broadcaster and a content marketplace, Prasar Bharati appears to be recalibrating its role in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Importantly, the framework does not dilute editorial control. All submissions must adhere to the AIR Broadcast Code, and proposals are evaluated through a layered process that weighs storytelling quality, production capability, audience appeal and revenue potential. Only proposals crossing a defined threshold move forward, signalling that while access has widened, the bar remains firmly in place.
Operational discipline is another cornerstone of the policy. Producers are required to maintain broadcast-ready content, deliver episode banks in advance and navigate a structured approval process. Crucially, all production costs are borne by the content provider, reinforcing Prasar Bharati’s positioning as a distribution and oversight platform rather than a commissioning entity.
What elevates the initiative further is its scale. The framework spans multiple clusters and stations across India, covering both metro and regional markets, with specific language mandates and submission channels. This not only expands the content pipeline but also deepens linguistic and cultural representation, an area where AIR has historically held an advantage.
In effect, NIPP signals a quiet but meaningful transformation. AIR is no longer just broadcasting to the nation, it is inviting the nation to broadcast with it, blending legacy reach with contemporary content economics in a bid to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented audio universe.
