By Source: Himanshi Dhawan Timesofindia
New Delhi: Close on the heels of the NDTV lawsuit,Prasar Bharati is considering legal action against Television Audience Measurement (TAM) for suppression of data related to viewership for Doordarshan and its allied channels.The issue is likely to be discussed in the Prasar Bharati board meeting on August 6.
Prasar Bharati CEO Jawahar Sircar said,I am keen on taking legal action against TAM.But we are still in discussions with our legal counsel.The final decision will be taken by the board and we will abide by it.
Doordarshan has 37 channels,including DD Bharati and DD National,besides four allied channels like Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV.With its 1,415 transmitters,DD enjoys an enviable 92% coverage of the country through its terrestrial network.These would constitute a viewership of about 2.5 crore people.The state broadcaster also has DD Direct Plus that has more than 1 crore subscribers amounting to at least 3.5 crore viewers.
However,sources say that despite the largest viewership base DD has always been short-changed by TAM when it came to viewership ratings.
DD channels never notch high television rating points and our revenues have over the years suffered tremendously because of that, a source said.
Prasar Bharatis revenues have in fact stagnated at Rs 1,200-1,400 crore in the past few years.This has forced it to turn to the public exchequer to sustain itself.
