Coronavirus: NewsOnAIR app grows 125% during COVID-19 outbreak, says Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar

Public TV broadcaster Doordarshan has reinvented itself during the lockdown that began on March 25 in the wake of COVID-19 by relaunching old and popular serials such as the Ramayan, Mahabharat and Buniyad. The telecast of these all-time favourites, in line with information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar’s directions, have been lapped up by people sperate for entertainment during this period of social distancing.

However, public radio broadcaster All India Radio (AIR), commonly called Akashvani, presents a different picture. Of AIR’s three flagship radio stations – FM Gold, Vividh Bharti and Rainbow – the first had created a niche for itself as an infotainment frequency. Besides hourly news, it presented educational shows and played old songs, not later than the 80s or early 90s. But, it has now been converted to a 24-hour live news channel following the lockdown. With Vividh Bharti not offering the same kind of entertainment and old songs that FM Gold did, listeners are disappointed.