NEW DELHI, Aug 31 - The Prasar Bharati has proposed that the existing North East channel be trifurcated by launching two additional 24X7 satellite channels for the North East.
The proposed new channel designated as �Arun Prabha� (Itanagar) and �Ma-Mi-Na� (Aizawl) and As-Me. The proposal is under finalisation for circulation to appraisal agencies. The proposed Arun Prabha Channel will cater to Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim and the second channel will cater to Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur and the third to Assam and Meghalaya.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, (I&B) has in an Action Taken Note (ATN) has stated that starting of three new additional 24x7 satellite channels for North East Region (NER) under the existing Plan Scheme. �Arunachal Pradesh-Sikkim (ArunPrabha); Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland - (Ma-Mi-Na) and for Assam and Meghalaya (As-Me) are going to be a software-intensive exercise as content will need to be customised to the requirement of North Eastern States.
The �ArunPrabha�, �Ma-Mi-Na� and �As-Me� are new channels in addition to those existing, which receive contribution from all eight States of the North East.
�As soon as DD-ArunPrabha�, �DD-Ma-Mi-Na� and �DD-As-Me� go on air, we will be able to telecast more and more local programmes, including films and local tribal content keeping in view the border area,� said the ATN.
The basis of the proposal for trifurcation of the North East Channels is to provide a strong platform to showcase the rich and diverse cultural and linguistic identity of the North Eastern States. The channels are armed to cater to the population of the North East India to create overall awareness and a drive for development and to play a catalytic role for the prosperity and health of the tribal community of the North Eastern India.
The ATR said that to ensure that all the States in the North East get adequate representation through the creation of three focused, 24x7 Channels instead of the existing single North East Channel, which is insufficient for the purpose.
Taking into consideration the proposal of Prasar Bharati to trifurcate the existing single 24x7 North East channel it was recommended that these projects be implemented on a priority basis and operationalised within specific time frames, said sources.
