Leadership Talk with Mr Shashi Shekhar, CEO, Prasar Bharati (Doordarshan & All India Radio)

Introduction

The host introduces the guest, Mr. Shekar, CEO of Prasar Bharati and asks him about his career journey.

Career Journey

• Mr. Shekar worked at Infosys for 10 years before joining MeitY in 2013 to work on data analytics.

• He joined Prasar Bharati as a part-time member in 2016 and became CEO in 2017.

• The host asks how it is working with a government organization and Mr. Shekar talks about his experience working with public sector units early in his career.

Early Tech Experience

Mr. Shekar talks about his early experiences with technology.

First Job

• Mr. Shekar's first job was with Engineers India Limited (EIL), a public sector unit.

• EIL had an office on Parliament Street where the Prasar Bharati board also sits now.

• He talks about how email was not widely accessible back then and how he ended up becoming a typist for emails.

Learning About Tech

• Mr. Shekar learned more about tech while at EIL, setting up rudimentary websites and downloading simulation software from the US EPA website using Mozilla web browser.

• He eventually moved to Infosys where he worked in various fields before joining MeitY to work on data analytics.

Working With Government Organizations

Mr. Shekar talks about his experience working with government organizations.

Unique Challenges

• As a lateral entrant, Mr. Shekar had to manage a team where the entire hierarchy below him were regular government employees.

• He also talks about the unique challenge of working with an organization like Prasar Bharati, which has an older age profile.

Turning Around the Company

In this section, the speaker talks about how they started the process of turning around the company and creating a digital footprint.

Modern IT Setup

• The decision-making process was paper-based before.

• They needed a modern IT setup to create an enterprise IT environment.

• They were able to operate during COVID-19 lockdown because they had moved to a web-based decision-making system.

Digital Footprint

• The turnaround has begun, but it will take a few years to complete.

• As Chief Innovation Officer, the speaker focuses on innovation in economic and process areas.

• One of their unique strengths is radio commentary for live sports events.

• They did a simulcast of commentary with video and sign language interpretation during ICC World Cup.

• News on F app has more than 200 radio live streams available digitally.

Innovations in Radio Commentary and News App

In this section, the speaker talks about two innovations that his team worked on - radio commentary for live sports events and News on F app.

Radio Commentary for Live Sports Events

• Radio commentary is their unique strength for live sports events as they are the only player allowed to carry it.

• They did a simulcast of commentary with video and sign language interpretation during ICC World Cup.

News on F App

• News on F app has more than 200 radio live streams available digitally.

• It allows users to listen to practically every radio station anywhere in India and choose the language.

The Impact of DD Free Dish on Education

In this section, the speaker discusses how DD Free Dish has made a difference in education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DD Free Dish as a Platform for Tele-Education

• DD Free Dish is the only DTH platform operated by a broadcaster in the world that is free to air and open.

• It has an install base of nearly 3.5 crore households, which allows for tele-education to take place even when schools are closed.

• The Singapore Strait Times recently highlighted Thailand and India as two countries that have leveraged mass media to ensure that the school year is not wasted due to COVID-19.

Diversity of Content on DD Free Dish

• Large numbers of channels widely viewed are not available on DD Free Dish, despite its high viewership.

• Channels must participate in an e-auction process to be placed on the platform through an open transparent process.

• Many Hindi GC channels and popular Hindi news channels are available, but there could be more diversity if there was more satellite capacity.

Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics in Broadcasting

In this section, the speaker discusses opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data analytics in broadcasting.

BARC Analysis and Audience Measurement

• BARC is a multi-stakeholder organization overseen audience measurement with one set of stakeholders who are primary shareholders or investors.

• Audience measurement methodology is still panel-based measurement. An annual survey establishes what the TV universe is like in India from socio-economic demographic standpoint.

• BARC decides the ranking of channels on a weekly basis, which actually results in their revenue.

Overview of Audience Measurement

In this section, the speaker discusses audience measurement in India and the challenges associated with it.

Panel-Based Measurement

• Data is collected from meters and fed into a statistical model to generate weekly ratings.

• The limitation of panel-based measurement is that it is only as good as the sample and model used.

• English news has a small sample size compared to Hindi news, making disruptions more impactful on ratings.

• Backboard and tech committee are working on making algorithms more robust.

Sensor-Based Measurement

• Requires an intelligent box capable of measuring consumption patterns and reporting back through return path data.

• Some operators have this technology, but not everyone is willing to share data due to privacy concerns or business reasons.

• Startups are disrupting the space with ambient monitoring technology.

Motivating Students to Venture into Media Sector

In this section, the speaker talks about media as a career option for students and provides tips for those interested in pursuing it.

Career in Media

• A career in media can be attractive due to creative freedom and glamour associated with it.

• India is unique in having creative freedom among billion people countries.

Tips for Students Interested in Media

• Technology plays a significant role in media today, so students should consider learning about it.

• Students should focus on building skills that are relevant to the industry they want to work in (e.g., writing, editing, camera work).

• Networking is essential for success in media.

Aspiring for a Future in the Media Space

In this section, the speaker talks about how to prepare oneself for creative disruption in the media space.

Key Points:

• Youngsters aspiring for a future in the media space need to be prepared and predict creative disruption from day one.

• The pace of disruption is fast, and it's essential to be hands-on with tools, technology, and social media.

• It's crucial to have a personal brand and be innovative and creative because the line between technology and creativity is blurred.

• Mobile journalism has disrupted the way documentaries are made, news is reported, and it's important to know mobile journalism tools.

Startups in Broadcasting

In this section, the speaker talks about opportunities for startups in broadcasting.

Key Points:

• There is a huge startup opportunity in broadcasting as there is hardly any native technology used in broadcasting.

• Developing broadcast eCos technology ecosystem in India can help reduce dependence on imports.

• Public broadcasters are unique customers who require services that private broadcasters do not offer. This presents an opportunity area for startups to develop technology.

• Live coverages like Republic Day parade present an opportunity area for startups to develop technology.

• AI algorithms can benefit public broadcasters as they broadcast in more than 100 languages and dialects.

AI Opportunities in Mining Historical Archives

In this section, the speaker talks about the potential of using AI to mine historical archives and make content available again. The speaker mentions some examples of historical recordings that could be mined, such as the Constituent Assembly debates and every Independence Day speech ever delivered.

Examples of Historical Recordings

• The Constituent Assembly debates and every Independence Day speech ever delivered are some examples of historical recordings that could be mined.

• Indian classical music legends' involuntary recordings are also a treasure trove for mining.

Direct-to-Mobile Broadcast: A Future Technology

In this section, the speaker talks about direct-to-mobile broadcast as a future technology with great potential. He explains how it would eliminate concerns about data plans, buffering, and CDN costs.

Potential of Direct-to-Mobile Broadcast

• Direct-to-mobile broadcast is a future technology with great potential.

• It would eliminate concerns about data plans, buffering, and CDN costs.

• The speaker's organization is actively engaging with startups like Sankhya Labs to explore this area further.

• Historically, the culture has been very closed and inward-looking towards satellite broadcasting. However, they are trying to break that mindset by becoming more open.

Conclusion

In this section, the interviewer thanks the speaker for his time and summarizes his talk.

Summary

• The interview concludes with a summary of what was discussed in the talk.

• The video ends with music playing in the background.