Real broadcasting for a real public
Just as Southasia at large has failed to utilise the democratising power of radio, public television also seems a distant dream. First, this is because the government in each country does not want to let the airwaves out to anyone who seeks anything either innovative or people-friendly. Second, it is a matter of money. At the moment, who other than the private, commercial broadcasters can come up with the kind of funding required to put up a terrestrial or satellite channel? As a result, a public that makes up a fifth of humanity is kept from receiving information, gaining knowledge, being entertained at a higher plane, and being empowered.
As with radio, it is interesting that we do not even have a concept of public broadcasting in television. Because we have known only state-owned and private commercial channels, we do not even know how to demand 'public' fare. There is no doubt that Southasia as a whole, as well as each of our individual countries and societies, needs public broadcasting – but any talk on the subject gets bogged down in matters of finance and funding. Who would pick up the tab for an expensive television channel?