DD’s return to saffron logo is just the beginning, Modi 3.0 has big plans for MIB, Prasar Bharati: Reports

If the Narendra Modi administration wins a third term in the current Lok Sabha elections, sources informed News18, it is contemplating a number of new appointments and reforms at Prasar Bharati and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).

It is only the beginning that Doordarshan is going back to its former "orange" emblem. According to sources who spoke to News18, if the Narendra Modi administration gets re-elected to a third term in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, a multitude of adjustments and new appointments are planned for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and Prasar Bharati.

An artificial intelligence (AI) hub is planned for the MIB, and a Bharat NAMAN portal will be launched to provide the general public access to media and archival material. DD India aims to become a global brand with bureaus in 15 countries. Prasar Bharati's SHABD portal aims to become a global news agency by onboarding over 1000 media entities, including foreign outlets.

A "Global Media and Entertainment Summit" is scheduled, and the "PIB Fact-Check Unit" will be expanded throughout various locations in an effort to combat "fake news". A master's program might be offered by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), the report added.
All of this is a part of a five-year and 100-day plan called "Modi 3.0", which is being developed by ministries at the request of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it added.

Doordarshan's decision to go back to an orange emblem from a blue one has sparked uproar. The BJP claims that this hue, which Indira Gandhi originally selected for the channel in 1982, has been reinstated. It is a breach of the electoral code, according to the Opposition.

Modi 3.0's Big Plans

According to reports, the main goals of Prasar Bharati are to strengthen India's soft power and provide an explanation for the international reach of Indian cinema and television.

DD India and the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will become worldwide brands as a result. The government also intends to boost the amount of channels available on "DD Free Dish" and extend its reach to adjacent nations. By adding more than 1,000 media outlets, including international ones, the newly established SHABD will grow into India's international news agency.

The extensive network of Prasar Bharati reporters, correspondents, and stringers throughout India powers the audio-visual network "SHABD", which is intended to offer subscribers daily news feeds in text, audio, video, photo, and other forms.

A master's program might be introduced by the IIMC, and the Cabinet may consider the Broadcasting Services Bill, which would establish industry regulations. Aizwal will host the 500th community radio station when it goes live in the first 100 days of the Modi administration, according to government plans.

Modi 3.0's two other major initiatives are "Jan Samvad" and "Bharat NAMAN". This will feature the National Video Gateway serving as a platform for public access to free video and an AI platform housed in the MIB for real-time translation, dubbing, subtitling, and AI-based content creation, sources told News18.