Ministry of Information and Broadcasting launches PB Shabd free news sharing platform for registered media
Distilled Policy Brief
- PB Shabd (Prasar Bharati – Shared Audio-Visuals for Broadcast and Dissemination) was launched in March 2024 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as a free, multi-format news sharing platform for registered media organizations.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
Key features of the 'PB Shabd' platform, its parent organization Prasar Bharati, and the statutory provisions governing public broadcasting in India.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Analyze the role of public service broadcasting infrastructure in democratizing the media landscape and countering misinformation in the digital era.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to 'PB Shabd', recently in the news, consider the following statements: 1. It is a free, multi-format news-sharing platform launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for registered media organizations. 2. The platform provides news feeds in 15 Indian languages, and its free-of-cost access has been extended until March 2027. 3. It has been established as an entirely new, independent newsroom infrastructure separate from the existing network of Akashvani and Doordarshan. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- [A] 1 and 2 only
- [B] 2 and 3 only
- [C] 1 and 3 only
- [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. PB Shabd (Prasar Bharati – Shared Audio-Visuals for Broadcast and Dissemination) was launched in March 2024 as a free news-sharing platform for registered media organizations, offering content in 15 Indian languages with free access extended until March 2027. Statement 3 is incorrect because the platform is not a newly created newsroom; instead, it is an expansion of Prasar Bharati's existing news infrastructure, utilizing the same correspondents, desks, and bureaus developed over decades.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.