Date:02/05/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/05/02/stories/2004050202140500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Press academy plans digitisation of newspapers

By Our Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD, MAY 1. The Andhra Pradesh Press Academy has come up with an ambitious action plan to digitise all major newspapers and weeklies of the State by spending Rs. 1 crore on the project.

Speaking to newsmen here on Saturday, the AP Press Academy Chairman, I. Venkat Rao, gave more details about the forthcoming project. He said the academy had already taken up digitisation of old newspapers on a small scale and so far about 16 lakh pages had been digitised. A sum of Rs. 18 lakhs had been spent so far and the academy intended to take up a massive digitisation project covering all major newspapers and weeklies published from the State. A grant of Rs. 30 lakhs had been made to the academy, he said.

Mr. Venkat Rao said the digitisation of now-defunct Andhra Patrika newspaper was done at the Gautami Library at Rajahmundry. He said all newspapers which would be digitised would be preserved and compact discs would be made.

This would involve about Rs. 1 crore, he said adding the academy was serious about going ahead with the project. "We are seeking additional funds for the academy to take up the project which would be beneficial to all sections,'' he said pointing out that such an effort had been made only by the State Central Library. He said this would be first ever attempt by the academy to take up digitisation on such a large scale.

The academy chairman said the Velugu project had put a request with the Information and Public Relations department to conduct refresher courses on media relations. The Velugu project had requested for short-term courses on how to deal with the media.