News Broadcasting
Research Advisory Council to guide DD, AIR
NEW DELHI: The Indian government has so far earned a total revenue of Rs 1550.12 million from open auctions of FM radio stations, which includes earnest money, but excludes bank guarantees lying with the government. Auctioning for licences for 40 cities has been conducted thus far.
This was stated in Lok Sabha (Indian Parliament’s Lower House) on Thursday by the information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj in a written reply to a query put up by fellow parliamentarian, Dr N Venkataswamy.
The minister also informed Lok Sabha that pubcaster Doordarshan has constituted a Research Advisory Committee consisting of eminent personalities in the field of communication research to advise it on strengthening in-house research and improving quality of programme content.
Quoting facts given by Prasar Bharati, which oversees the functioning of both DD and All India Radio, Swaraj said the rating agencies’ sample does not adequately represent the viewership of Doordarshan as the sample size of the outside rating agency is limited to only 27 cities/towns, whereas the reach of Doordarshan lies in smaller cities and villages also.
According to the minister, Doordarshan’s research unit is being revamped suitably to facilitate proper assessment and to incorporate a feedback mechanism to enable restructuring of content and format of programme, according to viewers’ needs and preferences.
To meet the challenges posed by changes in the market scenario, Doordarshan has taken various steps in order to increase viewership and boost revenue during the coming years. These include improvement in the quality of content and presentation of channels, improvement in the quality of transmission, usage of more flexible rate card to meet challenges of the competitive market environment, introduction of effective system of advertising of Doordarshan’s channels and programmes, Swaraj told Parliament.
Steps have also been taken to exploit full commercial potential of various programmes. Doordarshan has created its own marketing set up and a separate Development Communication Division to look after business of various government ministries/departments and Public Sector Undertakings, the minister added.
News Broadcasting
India Today Group sweeps top honours at Ramnath Goenka Awards
Journalists recognised for fearless investigative and civic reporting.
MUMBAI: India Today Group just turned the Ramnath Goenka Awards into its own trophy cabinet because when your reporters dig this deep, even the judges have to award a clean sweep. India Today Group journalists have secured multiple top honours at the latest edition of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, reinforcing the network’s legacy as the gold standard of Indian journalism. The awards were conferred by vice president C. P. Radhakrishnan at a ceremony held on 27 March 2026.
Sreya Chatterjee won in the ‘Investigative Reporting – Broadcast’ category for her powerful India Today TV report ‘Operation Illegals: The Alarming Rise in Bangladeshi Infiltration Across India’s Fragile Eastern Frontier’. The investigation stood out for its depth, on-ground rigour and national relevance.
In the ‘Civic Journalism – Print/Digital’ category, Sreya Chatterjee along with Arvind Ojha were honoured for their indiatoday.in report on unregulated water extraction and the ‘Tanker Mafia’ in Delhi’s Bawana Industrial Area. The story exposed critical systemic gaps and environmental challenges affecting daily life.
Additionally, aajtak.in was recognised in the ‘Investigative Reporting – Print/Digital’ category for its hard-hitting exposé ‘The Surrogate Mother Market’, which highlighted the human, legal and ethical dimensions of the surrogacy ecosystem.
India Today Group emerged as the only network honoured in Investigative Journalism across both Print/Digital and Broadcast categories. The wins reflect the strength of its multi-platform newsroom and its unwavering commitment to credible, high-impact reporting that informs public discourse and drives accountability.
In an era when speed often trumps substance, these awards remind us that the most powerful stories are still the ones dug out with courage, told with clarity, and delivered with conscience, one fearless byline at a time.
