PTI rejects TOI report that Prasar Bharati wanted seat on Board

The Press Trust of India on Tuesday rejected a report in the Times of India, which implied that public broadcaster Prasar Bharati had sought a seat on the news agency's Board of Directors.

In its report in Tuesday's editions, the Times of India referred to a letter Prasar Bharati had written to PTI on June 27, in which it said it is reviewing the need to continue its relationship with the news agency. Prasar Bharati, which comprises Doordarshan and All India Radio, is one of the largest subscribers of PTI's news service.

At the root of the sudden cold shoulder was an interview with the Chinese ambassador to India, and also PTI's 16-member Board's denial, so far, of a seat at the table to India's public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, the Times report said.

In a statement, a PTI spokesman noted that Prasar Bharati has never asked for a seat on the PTI Board. In any case it is not eligible for that under PTI's Memorandum and Articles of Association, which says only shareholders or independent directors with no financial links to PTI can be on the Board. Prasar Bharati does not meet either criteria