Members of the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) are likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, exchange4media has learnt from sources.
The meeting is particularly intriguing as it coincides with a period when the news broadcasting sector is facing major challenges, such as problems with the ratings system and concerns over the reporting of national issues.
According to sources, representatives across all Hindi and English news channels, will be present during the meeting, the agenda of which is not yet known.
NBDA President and Chairman - Independent News Services Pvt. Ltd, Rajat Sharma is likely to attend the meeting along with the association’s Vice President M.V. Shreyams Kumar, Managing Director - Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd and its Honorary Treasurer Anuradha Prasad Shukla, who is the Chairperson cum Managing Director of News24 Broadcast India Ltd.
The other Board members of NBDA, who could be a part of the meeting, are Kalli Purie Bhandal, Vice-Chairperson & Managing Director - TV Today Network Ltd; Rahul Joshi, Managing Director, TV18 Broadcast Ltd; Varun Kohli, COO, Times Network; Mahesh Kumar Rajaraman, Managing Director - Sun TV Network Ltd; I Venkat, Director, Eenadu Television Pvt Ltd; Dhruba Mukherjee, Chief Executive Officer, ABP Network Pvt Ltd; Sanjay Pugalia, Whole-time Director, New Delhi Television Ltd. An official from Zeel is also expected to attend the meeting.
The news broadcasting industry is surrounded by major concerns including the challenges around the ratings system and the reporting of sensitive national issues.
Media owners are expected to seek the Prime Minister's support in shaping structural policies that could impact the industry.
The exchange could provide valuable insights into how these critical issues might be addressed and what future directions the media landscape might take.
It will be intriguing to observe the Prime Minister's interactions with media owners and the nature of the requests they may present.
The NBDA is one of the two major bodies representing broadcasters; the other one being NBF.
