law: Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990
  12.Functions and powers of Corporation
  1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, it shall be the
  
  primary duty of the Corporation to organize and conduct public broadcasting
  
  services to inform, educate and entertain the public and to ensure a balanced
  
  development of broadcasting on radio and television. Explanation: For the
  
  removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the provisions of this section
  
  shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the provisions of the Indian
  
  Telegraphic Act, 1885 (13 or 1885)
  
  
  2) The Corporation shall, in the discharge of its functions, be guided by the
  
  following objectives, namely -
  a) upholding the unity and integrity of the
  
  country and the values enshrined in the Constitution;
  b) safeguarding the citizen's right to be
  
  informed freely, truthfully and objectively on all matters of public interest,
  
  national or international, and presenting a fair and balanced flow of
  
  information including contrasting views without advocating any opinion or
  
  ideology of its own.
  c) paying special attention to the fields of
  
  education and spread of literacy, agriculture, rural development, environment,
  
  health and family welfare and science and technology;
  d) providing adequate coverage to the diverse
  
  cultures and languages of the various regions of the country by broadcasting
  
  appropriate programmes;
  e) providing appropriate coverage to sports
  
  and games so as to encourage healthy competition and the spirit of
  
  sportsmanship;
  f) providing appropriate programmes keeping in
  
  view the special needs of the youth;
  g) informing and stimulating the national
  
  consciousness in regard to the status and problems of women and paying special
  
  attention to the upliftment of women;
  h) promoting social justice and combating
  
  exploitation, inequality and such evils as untouchability and advancing the
  
  welfare of the weaker sections of the society;
  i) safeguarding the rights of the working
  
  classes and advancing their welfare;
  j) serving the rural and weaker sections of
  
  the people and those residing in border regions, backward or remote areas;
  k) providing suitable programmes keeping in
  
  view the special needs of the minorities and tribal communities;
  l) taking special steps to protect the
  
  interests of the children, the blind, the age, the handicapped and other
  
  vulnerable Sections of the people;
  m) promoting national integration by
  
  broadcasting in a manner that facilitates communication in the languages in
  
  India; and facilitating the distribution of regional broadcasting services in
  
  every State in the languages of that State;
  n) providing comprehensive broadcast coverage
  
  through the choice of appropriate technology and the best utilization of the
  
  broadcast frequencies available and ensuring high quality reception;
  o) promoting research and development
  
  activities in order to ensure that radio and television broadcast technology
  
  are constantly updated; and
  p) expanding broadcasting facilities by
  
  establishing additional channels of transmission at various levels.
  3) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the
  
  foregoing provisions, the Corporation may take such steps as it thinks fit -
  a) to ensure that broadcasting is conducted as
  
  a public service to provide and produce programmes;
  b) to establish a system for the gathering of
  
  news for radio and television;
  c) to negotiate for the purchase of, or
  
  otherwise acquire, programmes and rights or privileges in respect of sports and
  
  other events, films, serials, occasions, meetings, functions or incidents of
  
  public interest, for broadcasting and to establish procedures for the
  
  allocation of such programmes, rights or privileges to the services;
  d) to establish and maintain a library or
  
  libraries of radio, television and other materials;
  e) to conduct or commission, from time to
  
  time, programmes, audience research, market or technical service, which may be
  
  released to such persons and in such manner and subject to such terms and
  
  conditions as the Corporation may think fit;
  f) to provide such other services as may be
  
  specified by regulations.
  4) Nothing in sub-sections (2) and (3) shall prevent the
  
  Corporation from managing on behalf of the Central Government and in accordance
  
  with such terms and conditions as may be specified by that Government the
  
  broadcasting of External Services and monitoring of broadcasts made by
  
  organizations outside India on the basis of arrangements made for reimbursement
  
  of expenses by the Central Government.
  
  
  5) For the purposes of ensuring that adequate time is made available for the
  
  promotion of the objectives set out in this Section, the Central Government
  
  shall have the power to determine the maximum limit of broadcast time in
  
  respect to the advertisement.
  
  
  6) The Corporation shall be subject to no civil liability on the ground merely
  
  that it failed to comply any of the provisions of this Section.
  7) The Corporation shall have power to determine and levy fees
  
  and other service charges for or in respect of the advertisements and such
  
  programmes as may be specified by regulations: Provided that the fees and other
  
  service charges levied and collected under this sub-section shall not exceed
  
  such limits as may be determined by the Central Government, from time to time.