NEW DELHI: The role of the pubcaster is coming under review to give it a push in the wake of growth of private satellite television channels and the government?s design to make it financially self-running. The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has constituted a seven-member expert committee to review the institutional framework of public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, including its relationship with the government.

Sam Pitroda, advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations, is the chairman of the expert committee.

The committee will have Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar as its convener. It will also examine the continuing role of the pubcaster and measures needed to ensure technical upgradation of the organisation.

The timing of the setting up of the committee coincides with the recent announcements of fresh financial packages to the pubcaster, and the government undertaking to pay salaries of employees who had been employed with the pubcaster as on 5 October 2007.

The committee will review the status of implementation of the recommendations made by various committees that have undertaken study of Prasar Bharati, namely, the Sengupta committee, the Bakshi Committee and the Narayanamurthy committee and suggest a road map for enhancing the reach and potential of the public broadcaster.

It can suggest measures to sustain, strengthen and amplify Prasar Bharati`s role as a public broadcaster with special reference to its relationship with government in the emerging context.

It will also suggest measures to digitise the archival material in the possession of Doordarshan (DD) and All India Radio (AIR) including material from independence movement era, and develop enabling infrastructure, in the form of data digitalisation systems, data centers and networks, etc.

The committee will suggest ways of using the new media to deliver digital content - both in broadcast mode (DTH) and in a demand-based mode (Free on social media like You-Tube, and on payment through IPTV).

It will work out a strategy for creating a network of domestic and overseas business partners for ensuring wider reach to a worldwide audience including creating an exclusive overseas service.

The members of the committee are retired IAS officer Asha Swaroop, who had earlier served as secretary in the I&B Ministry, B K Gairola (Mission Director e-Governance), Shekhar Kapur (a member of the National Innovation Council), Professor M P Gupta of IIT Delhi; and Jitendra Shankar Mathur, additional secretary and nominated member on the Prasar Bharati Board.

MUMBAI: German broadcaster Sky Deutschland has retained the broadcast rights, internet, IPTV and mobile rights for US PGA Tour for Germany and Austria until the end of 2015.

Sky Deutschland SVP Sports Burkhard Weber said, "The extension of the rights to the US PGA Tour means that Sky will remain the number one golf broad-caster for years to come. Martin Kaymer may have moved from the European to the American tour, but his fans in Germany will still be able to watch him play in all tournaments live, exclusively on Sky."

The agreement comprises a total of 40 events, including highlights such as The Players Championship in May, the Tour Championship by Coca Cola in September and The Presidents Cup in October, the biennial tournament in which the US competes against the rest of the world minus Europe.

The first event of the New Year will take place from 4 to 7 January 2013 at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii. Sky will be on hand to offer over 12 hours of live coverage in HD.

With Sky Go, Sky customers also have the chance to experience all US PGA Tour tour-naments live when they are on the go. All broadcasts are available live and some are shown on-demand at skygo.sky.de, and on the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and the Xbox 360.

MUMBAI: The National Rugby League (NRL) has secured a new international television deal with IMG Media that will guarantee access to key markets including the UK, USA, Asia and the Pacific.

The five-year agreement with IMG Media will ensure fans overseas have worldwide access to all Telstra Premiership matches as well as State of Origin, Test matches played in Australia, AAMI City-Country and the Harvey Norman All Stars.

The international rights do not include NRL properties in Australia and New Zealand, nor do they include World Cup matches or Tests overseas.

The partnership covers free-to-air television, subscription television, IPTV, mobile, in-ship, in-flight and gaming rights, as well as access to the NRL Films archive.

IMG Media SVP Head of Asia Pacific Chris Guinness was committed to increasing Rugby League coverage across international markets. ?We are very excited about extending our relationship with the NRL over the next five years. The relationship has evolved from traditional international TV distribution to a complete 360 degree involvement covering all aspects of the NRL?s international media assets and we look forward to working closely with the NRL in this new exciting era.?