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NEW
DELHI: Even as the employees of Prasar Bharati decided to
agitate against the decision of chief executive officer B
S Lalli to go in for global tenders for coverage of the Commonwealth
Games next year, some members of the Prasar Bharati Board
feel this is being done as the broadcaster does not have the
technology for High Definition Television that is needed in
most recipient countries.
Two
members of Parliament, Communist Party of India (Marxist)
member Hannan Mollah and D Raja of the CPI, described the
move as "nothing but an attempt to destroy the Public
Service Broadcaster of the nation." Raja said that this
was an attempt to hand over the Games coverage to private
parties on contract basis.
Speaking
at a gate meeting organized by the National Federation of
Akashvani and Doordarshan Employees (NFADE), the leaders extended
full support to the employees of the pubcaster.
While
Lalli was not available for comment, some members of the Board
who did not want to be named justified the decision as they
said India did not have the technology. However, some of them
expressed unhappiness at the fact that they had been informed
about the decision to invite Expression of Interest (EOI)
from private parties after it had been taken and they had
not been consulted at the initial stage, which violated the
spirit of the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of
India) Act 1990.
Leaders
of the NFADE claimed that Prasar Bharati employees had proved
their ability to cover international events as far back as
the Asian Games of 1982, and there was enough time for the
pubcaster to get the necessary technology before the Commonwealth
Games which are being held towards the end of next year. Instead
of equipping Doordarshan with latest technical facilities
to face the new challenges which will definitely enrich the
professionalism, this is an attempt to pave the road for corruption
which may benefit some senior officers of Prasar Bharati,
they said.
The
leaders of different staff associations/unions said that such
attempt is nothing but meticulously planned mode of corruption
to play with public money. The Federation leaders called upon
the members to be prepared for a strong agitation to ensure
the telecasting of the Commonwealth Games.
The
leaders of NFADE said the employees of AIR & DD would
boycott the transmission of coverage of the Commonwealth Game
2010 if the production and coverage is handed over to private
parties and not to the professionals of Doordarshan. Such
invitation of interest by Prasar Bharati through global tender
will benefit the foreign media houses.
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