• The Information and Broadcasting Ministry plans to conduct an independent study to gauge the impact of government advertisements on people, a move aimed at drawing up a strategy for the judicious use of money for publicity.
• The initiative comes ahead of the Lok Sabha election in 2019 for which the government is expected to reach out to the people and highlight the works done by it in the past four years.
• The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) is the nodal agency of the government for advertising on behalf of various Ministries, departments, public sector firms and autonomous organisations it funds. The advertisements are carried on various platforms, including print and visual media.
• Sources said the study would help the government understand which medium to use for publicising a particular scheme for better impact.
• Last year, the DAVP was merged with the Directorate of Field Publicity and Song and Drama Division to form a new entity — Bureau of Outreach Communication — for bringing in synergy for efficient publicity works of the government.

The Hindu