Why is it in the News?

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati launched a news-wire-like service to offer free content across mediums, which will be free of copyright or credit obligations.

What is PB-SHABD?

• PB-SHABD, an acronym for Prasar Bharti - Shared Audio Visuals for Broadcast and Dissemination, is a comprehensive platform designed to deliver daily news feeds encompassing video, audio, text, photos, and other formats to media subscribers.
• Leveraging the expansive network of Prasar Bharati reporters, correspondents, and stringers, the service offers up-to-the-minute news coverage spanning various regions of the country.
• Functioning as a centralized hub for news content, SHABD serves as a valuable resource for organizations, offering a wide array of news stories across fifty categories in all major Indian languages.
• Furthermore, the shared feeds facilitate tailored storytelling across diverse platforms, catering to the specific needs of newspapers, TV channels, and digital portals.
• In an inaugural gesture, the service is provided free of charge for the initial year, extending invaluable support to smaller media outlets and contributing to enhanced accessibility to news content.

About Prasar Bharti:

• Prasar Bharti functions as the nation's Public Service Broadcaster, operating under the Prasar Bharati Act established in 1997 as a statutory autonomous body.
• Its primary objective is to deliver public broadcasting services aimed at informing and entertaining the public.
• Comprising the former media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, namely the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, Prasar Bharti plays a vital role in disseminating news and entertainment content.
• Headquartered in New Delhi, Prasar Bharti serves as a cornerstone of India's media landscape, dedicated to fulfilling its mandate of public service broadcasting.