Redefining PSB Mandate

Public service broadcasters need to redefine their mandate for the future and ensure they offer relevant content and earn the trust of audiences to survive and grow in the digital landscape. This becomes more urgent as they face tough challenges brought about by the fast changing technology and global realities.

Public service broadcasters need to redefine their mandate for the future and ensure they offer relevant content and earn the trust of audiences to survive and grow in the digital landscape. This becomes more urgent as they face tough challenges brought about by the fast changing technology and global realities.

Ms. Sally Ann Wilson, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA), delivered this message to participants of the AIBD/CBA/UNESCO seminar on ‘Creating and Enabling Environment for Public Service Broadcasting (PSB)’ that began today in Bangkok.

She said as audiences are exposed to many entertainment programs in various delivery platforms, they begin to ponder on their relevance to their lives. “ What public service broadcasters should do is to create relevant content that engages audiences,” she said.

She stressed the need for a common shared public space that public service broadcasting provides for sharing defining moments and triumphs in music, culture, and sports, among others.

Another speaker was Ms. Sultana Siddiqui, President of HUM Network Ltd, Pakistan, who said that they will focus on expanding access to new media and help in improving media literacy in the country.

Mr. TMG Chandersekara, Director at Sri Lanka Rupavahini TV Corporation also spoke, and highlighted the need for more relevant educational programs in public service broadcasting.

Mr. M Hamid, Director-General of Bangladesh Television, reminded participants to focus, among others, on protecting language and culture in the age of globalization. “Out of 10,000 languages across the globe, we have lost 4,000 already, and we should stop this decline,” he said.

Ms. Noora Ali, Secretary-General of Maldives Broadcasting Commission stressed the need for educating the public and the people within the public service broadcasting about the nature and purpose of this mode of broadcasting.