Roundtable on Public Service Broadcasting - South Asia

Objectives of discussions include: 1) Generating greater public debate within the region about public broadcasting, and to spread awareness among media, researchers, policy makers and general public. 2) Looking at the legal, technical, political and commercial hurdles in strengthening public broadcasting in the region and to learn from the success stories. 3) Discussing the desirability or feasibility of setting up a Mediawatch Group that can monitor, analyse and publicise the broadcasting programme quality. 4) Looking at future trends with convergence, HDTV, digital television, cable, etc and to outline strategies for dealing with their negative repercussions in South Asia.

Community Broadcasting, Public Broadcasting, Media Development.

"When the broadcast media abdicates its public service role and delivers solely escapist entertainment, its priority will be to give the public what it thinks the public wants... it will manufacture entertainment through the cheapest assembly line techniques available: movie re-runs, mini series, music videos, talk and game shows. Media then ceases to become a marketplace of ideas, it does not reflect diversity and plurality, and ultimately undermines democracy." Outcomes of the conference: 1) Proceedings produced in a high-quality illustrated book format that will be distributed to participants, governments, legislators, media, and businesses. 2) Greater understanding and awareness of the need for public service broadcasting. 3) Possibility of producing a video documentary on the subject based on interviews with participants. 4) Possiblity of setting up a Mediawatch Group with national chapters to monitor and analyse content of programming.