MUMBAI: Prasar Bharati chief executive K.S. Sarma has asked the pubcaster's regional channels to come up with innovative concepts. Speaking at the inauguration of DD Sahyadri's third Navratna awards in Mumbai on 14 April, Sarma praised DD Mumbai's initiative around the awards, urging other kendra's to institute regional awards too. 

DD's Sahyadri Navaratna Awards recognise the efforts of Maharashtra-originating individuals in nine spheres, right from singing to business to dance etc.

In his speech, Sarma appreciated the efforts of DD Sahyadri director Mukesh Sharma in conceiving and making the Navratna Awards a success. (DD Sahyadri and Indiantelevision.com had jointly worked on the first Sahyadri awards).

"Mumbai Dordarshan has been unique in organising such an event. Other channels from the Prasar Bharati bouquet should also try their hand at doing something like this", he said.

One of the 25 regional channels of Prasar Bharati, DD Sahyadri is the only one with no free slot in its 18 hours per day schedule, he pointed out. 

Sarma admitted that commercial pressures were increasingly impacting the pubcaster, but it was standing firm in its basic mandate of being a public service. 

Said he:"Although Prasar Bharati is getting commercialised to survive, we will always have the public's benefit at the back of our mind as the first priority. We will provide the advertisers subsidised rates for their ad space".