Prasar Bharati Can Now Directly Assign National Projects to Production Houses: Approved in its 163rd Board Meeting

22 October 2020

During its 163^rd board meeting on 15^th October 2020, Prasar Bharati – the national broadcaster – approved the ‘Policy Guidelines for Commissioning of Programmes under Direct Assignment Process (DAP)’, which means that it can now directly assign content production of national significance to reputed production houses or eminent independent creators in conformity with the provisions of the Prasar Bharati Act 1990.

Guidelines Applicable across Prasar Bharati

The new approved guidelines will now supersede all existing/previous policies laid down for DAP by Prasar Bharati. These new guidelines are said to be applicable across all programme formats of the national broadcaster, and gives its management the authority to zero in on reputed production houses, producers and creative directors, who have past experience and caliber to produce content of national importance.

The process of selection will be done in a systematic manner. The production houses would be required to apply for getting the projects from Prasar Bharati, and the shortlisted ones would be informed to the concerned Board Committee before the DAP process is initiated.

Further, the guidelines also states that any direct proposals from production houses or independent content creators on topics/themes/subjects of national value will also be placed before the concerned committee for evaluation.