Ms Philomena Gnanapragasam, the Director of AIBD payed a courtesy call on the Honourable Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Shri Ravi Mital, IAS  on the 15 January 2020, at the MIB Office in Shastri Bahwan New Delhi. Shri Ravi shared his insight on the changing trends of media and the Digital Age, and the further efforts by the Government of India on working closely with the international media organisation for the betterment of the Asia Pacific region.

Ms Gnanapragasam said that AIBD, as an international intergovernmental organisation, has a mandate to advise and educate its member governments and organisations on issues and trends shaping the media industry. The director added that AIBD looks forward to a more vibrant collaboration in the area of knowledge sharing in the region.

Elaborating on the AIBD ‘Anti Fake News Initiative’ the Director stated that it is important to empower the people with media literacy awareness and advocacy.

The insightful discussion ended with the Honourable Secretary agreeing to the plan of organising seminar or short conference on Fake News and Data Regulation outside Delhi. Mr Vikram Sahay, the Joint Secretary of MIB, was also present at the meeting.

Visit to Prasar Bharati House in Copernicus Marg, New Delhi

Next Ms Philomena Gnanapragasam, the Director of AIBD called upon Shri Shashi Vempati, Chief Executive Officer, Prasar Bharati. During the meeting the Director highlighted AIBD’s key activities and initiatives. Shri Vempati, discussed the many challenging factors on how to drive and monetise an organisation with an aging workforce.

The focal person for Prasar Bharati, Mr Sunil, Addl. Director General (Engineering) who is also the Directorate General Doordarshan and Mr Raman Kumar, Director in-charge of all the international relations for Prasar Bharati including Doordarshan and All Radio India, were also present for this meeting.

Visiting Doordarshan (DDI) and All India Radio (AIR)

A request to engage Indian experts for training from Doordarshan and having additional technical workshops to enhance capacity building was discussed during the meeting at Doordarshan. The Director reiterated that AIBD is happy to partner with DDI to organise such future collaborations in the region.

Meanwhile at the meeting in All India Radio, Dr Sangeeta Goel, Addl. Director General, suggested Workshop on Gender Sensitisation and Seminar on Media Literacy for future collaborations.

Visits to Broadcast Engineering Consultant (BECIL) and Consortium of Education (CEC)

The next day was reserved for the affiliate members of AIBD, with the first visit to Mr George Kuruvilla, the Chairman & Managing Director of Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), whereby both two sides discussed about possible partnerships in 2020 and beyond. The BECIL agreed to support AIBD in providing trainers/experts and consultancy for AIBD member countries in the field of broadcasting, telecommunications for the media and technology development in the region.

This was followed by a meeting in the IUAC Campus of the Consortium for Educational Communication(CEC), where Ms Gnanapragasam met Prof. Jagat Bhushan Nadda, Director CEC.

He was joined by his renowned team-Mr Nageshwar Nath, Joint Director (HW), Dr Sunil Mehru, Joint Director, Mr Navin Soi, Chief Administrative Officer and Mr K.S. Mahejan, Consultant. Prof Jagat shared the information on the establishment of CEC as one of the Inter-University Centres set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India in 1993, focussing on Digitalised Higher Education with Content Across Diverse Disciplinary Stream. Ms Gnanapragasam spoke of how honoured AIBD is to be part of CEC`s vison to illuminate the path of digitalisation of higher education, to address the issues of equity, access and quality in higher education, through broadcast and non-broadcast media in India. She added that AIBD prepared to collaborate with CEC in any training activities and initiative for digital media and technology development in the region. 

AIBD/NABM Sub-Regional Workshop on Studio & Newsroom Automation in Kingsway Camp, 13-17 January 2020

AIBD in collaboration with Prasar Bharati and NABM conducted a Sub–Regional Workshop on Studio & Newsroom Automation in Delhi from 13 to 17 January 2020.

AIBD Director, Ms Philomena Gnanapragasam, and the Compliance & Strategy Operation Officer, AIBD, Ms Lee Lai Mee were present at the certificate awarding ceremony. The Director took the opportunity to thank the CEO for the successful organisation and conclusion of the workshop. Six foreign participants of the workshop had the honour of receiving their certificates personally from the CEO in his office.

After the training concluded, AIBD team met with the Addl. Director General NABM, Gp Captain Ashok Nigam and discussed on possible collaborations in future training activities