Doordarshan looks to grab eyeballs with English content

Remember the 1980s when the national broadcaster, Doordarshan, used to telecast the choicest of Hollywood movies, serial, cartoons and world cinema Doordarshan is considering a proposal to revive broadcast of such niche programmes with talks currently on to get such content.

Sources said talks are on with at least 22 production houses to secure foreign content for the state broadcaster. The proposal is expected to be put before the Prasar Bharati board for its approval soon.

Doordarshan director general Supriya Sahu told this newspaper the proposal is under consideration and the move was initiated after taking feedback from viewers.

“Doordarshan viewer should not be deprived of good English programming,” Mr Sahu said.

It is understood that the proposal may be implemented by 2017 as the talks are likely to take three-four months. The infusion of new content is an attempt to cater to a niche market, which has been captured by English channels.

English programmes are also likely to be useful in increasing Doordarshan’s reach in non-Hindi-speaking states, and bringing higher television rating points and revenue.

Doordarshan claims it reaches over 90 per cent of India’s population through a network of more than 1,416 terrestrial transmitters.

Most English language content selected for telecast will have to comply with universal certification norms of the Censor Board, and be certified for television viewing.

It is learnt that Doordarshan may start a revenue-sharing model for compensating production houses under the new plan to procure content.