Prasar Bharati trains workforce to bring AI into newsrooms and broadcasting

MUMBAI: The cameras may still roll, but the algorithms are quietly taking their positions. Prasar Bharati is stepping up its artificial intelligence (AI) ambitions with a dedicated training programme aimed at equipping officials across Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) with the skills to integrate AI into broadcasting, newsroom operations and data-driven decision-making.

According to an internal circular issued by the Directorate General of Doordarshan’s Commercial Service, the three-day programme, scheduled from July 15 to July 17 at the DG Doordarshan office in New Delhi, is designed to familiarise officers and staff with AI-powered tools that can be deployed across content creation, production, analytics and administrative functions.

The initiative reflects the public broadcaster’s broader push to modernise its operations as media organisations worldwide increasingly adopt generative AI to automate workflows, improve multilingual content production, streamline archive management and strengthen audience analytics.

Titled “Advanced Excel, Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools and Applications in Broadcasting – DD & AIR, Prasar Bharati,” the programme will introduce participants to AI fundamentals, generative AI, prompt engineering, responsible AI practices and broadcasting-specific applications.

The training will bring together Group A and Group B officers, along with officials from the Doordarshan Commercial Service, Doordarshan Kendra Delhi and zonal offices of AIR and Doordarshan. Participants have also been instructed to carry laptops, tablets and mobile devices for hands-on learning sessions.

Rather than limiting AI to back-office tasks, the curriculum signals Prasar Bharati’s intention to embed the technology across its core broadcasting functions.

Officials will receive demonstrations of leading AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, DeepSeek, NotebookLM, Perplexity, Adobe Firefly, Canva, CapCut, Riverside and Kimi. The sessions will explore how these tools can support scriptwriting, translation, summarisation, metadata generation, image and video creation, research, newsroom productivity and day-to-day broadcast operations.

Data analytics also forms a key part of the programme. Participants will undergo training in advanced Microsoft Excel, Power Query, dashboard creation, automation, data cleaning and visualisation, alongside AI-assisted analytics, enabling them to combine traditional analytical techniques with AI-driven insights to improve reporting, operational efficiency and decision-making.

Looking beyond today’s tools, the curriculum will introduce officials to predictive AI, adaptive AI and agentic AI, offering an overview of how artificial intelligence is evolving from automation towards more autonomous decision-support systems.

The programme will conclude with practical demonstrations, interactive exercises and an assessment, after which participants will receive digital certificates. Officials have been asked to register through an online portal by July 14, with nominations routed through their respective controlling officers.

As one of the world’s largest public broadcasting networks, Prasar Bharati’s latest initiative underlines its growing emphasis on AI as a strategic capability. By investing in workforce training today, the broadcaster is laying the groundwork for a future where algorithms work alongside journalists, producers and analysts to shape the next chapter of public service broadcasting.