Mangalore : Radio worked as the important medium in the country to disseminate information to the people after the Independence, said Dharmasthala dharmadhikari, Dr D Veerendra Heggade.

He was speaking after inaugurating the daylong national seminar on ‘Akashavani – Then and Now’ organized by Mangalore unit of National Federation of Akashavani and Doordarshan Employees (NFADE) coordination with Karnataka Media Academy, Bangalore at SDM College of Business Management on November 4, Thursday.
Mr Heggade also said that, it is essential to strengthen the national broadcast media like Akashavani which has been playing an essential role in building national pride among people by promoting and safeguarding India’s cultural vivacity.
AIR has been doing by reaching out to people in every nook and corner of India, covering 99 per cent of geographical area which is not reached by any other media, he stated.

The news broadcasted in English and hindi language in Akashvani helped many people to learn the language. Even today, none of the television channel gives such an impact of news like Akashvani. Earlier Radio gave a lot of information and increased curiosity in people. At present we must search for kannada words in English and not English words in Kannada script in Radio.
During the Commonwealth games, all the media except Akshavani and Doordarshan have said that, the commonwealth games will be conducted with the hope.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel released the commemorative issue titled, ‘Banuliya Belaku’, on the occasion. He said that, the FM channels like Radio Mirchi and others with the slogan ‘Sakath Hot Maga’, increases anger than having excitement. To bloom ones interest in Radio, they need to listen to Akashvani itself.
The Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan in Doordarshan has succeeded in holding the captive audience for one hour, but now none of the channels can do better, he said.

In his presidential address, noted journalist and former chairman of Prasar Bharati, M V Kamath, said that the DD and Akshvani did not have foreign correspondent and now they do not afford to pay the salary for the correspondent.

The aim of Prasar Bharathi was to educate and inform the general public. Today the channels do not give information but gives only breaking news and show vulgarity, unlike Doordarshan, he said.
Prasar Bharathi is the biggest joke in the country because it does not have powers. The biggest crime of Government is to say that Prasar Bharathi is the National Public broadcasting Service, because it is only broadcasting service now, he informed.

NFADE’s local unit coordinator, Chandrashekhar M, Anilkumar S, Chairman, NFADE, New Delhi and Dr Vasantkumar Perla, programme coordinator were present on the dais.

A S Chandramouli, assistant director, Bangalore Doordarshan Kendra, and retired director of Akashvani Bangalore, H V Ramachandra Rao, will talk on different subjects at the first seminar, which is presided by the retired deputy director general of AIR and DD, N G Shreenivas.