Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati on 4
th Feb 2017 named Rajeev Singh, member (finance) as interim chief executive officer (CEO) at its board meeting in Hyderabad.
Prasar Bharati runs Doordarshan and All India Radio.
Singh will replace Suresh Chandra Panda who has been serving as interim CEO since November 2016, after full time chief Jawhar Sircar put in his papers in October.
Panda was formerly member (personnel) of Prasar Bharati and is scheduled to retire on 4 February.
Singh, who has been serving Prasar Bharati as member (finance) since April 2015, was previously with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd in different roles for a little over nine years.
Singh is an engineering graduate from Nagpur University and has a masters in business administration from Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.
Singh’s appointment comes at a time when the public broadcaster is all set to revamp Doordarshan by introducing new prime time programming in February.
The production houses Ekta Kapoor-promoted Balaji Telefilms and Saaibaba Telefilms are readying programming ranging from youth-oriented shows to family dramas and music reality shows in a bid to revive the viewership and finances of Prasar Bharati.
Currently, Prasar Bharati has two vacant top posts.
While a committee headed by the vice-president is in the process of selecting a new CEO for the public broadcaster, the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry had issued an advertisement, calling applications for the post of member (personnel).
The ministry has received 56 applications and is yet to make a decision.
