Doordarshan

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This article is about the Indian public broadcaster. For the terrestrial television channel, see DD
National.
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Doordarshan
Broadcast, radio, television
Type
network and online
Country
India
Availability
Nationwide
Motto

Headquarters New Delhi, Delhi
Owner
Prasar Bharati
15 September 1959
Launch date
Former names All India Radio
480i (16:9 SDTV)
Picture format
720p (HDTV)
Official
www.ddindia.gov.in
website
Doordarshan (Hindi: , often abbreviated DD) is an autonomous[clarification needed] Government
of India founded public service broadcaster and a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of India's
largest broadcasting organisations in terms of studio and transmitter infrastructure. Recently,[when?]
it has also started broadcasting on digital terrestrial transmitters. DD provides television, radio,
online and mobile services throughout metropolitan and regional India, as well as overseas,
through the Indian Network and Radio India.
On 15 September 2009, Doordarshan celebrated its 50th anniversary.
For the 2012 Summer Olympics, live telecasts of the opening and closing ceremonies of the
games were broadcast on its national channel. DD Sports provided round-the-clock coverage of
sport events.[1]

Contents

1 Beginning

2 Nationwide transmission

3 Early national programming

4 Channels
o 4.1 List of Doordarshan channels
o 4.2 Closed or renamed Doordarshan channels

5 Active Doordarshan

6 International broadcasting

7 Criticism
o 7.1 Allegations of the state control
o 7.2 Commercial viability

8 Relaunch of Doordarshan

9 See also

10 References

11 External links

Beginning
Doordarshan had a modest beginning as an experimental telecast starting in Delhi on 15
September 1959, with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. Regular daily transmission
started in 1965 as a part of All India Radio. Doordarshan began a five-minute news bulletin in
the same year. Pratima Puri was the first newsreader. Salma Sultan joined Doordarshan in 1967,
and later became a news anchor. The television service was extended to Bombay (now Mumbai)
and Amritsar in 1972.
Up until 1975, only seven Indian cities had a television service and Doordarshan remained the
sole provider of television in India. Television services were separated from radio on 1 April
1976.[2] Each office of All India Radio and Doordarshan was placed under the management of
two separate Director Generals in New Delhi.
Finally, in 1982, Doordarshan took shape as a National Broadcaster. Krishi Darshan was the first
program telecast on Doordarshan. It commenced on 26 January 1967 and is one of the longest
running programs on Indian television.[3]

Nationwide transmission

Doordarshan Bhawan, Mandi House, Copernicus Marg, Delhi

National telecasts were introduced in 1982. In the same year, colour TV was introduced to India
with the live telecast of the Independence Day speech by the Prime Minister of India, Indira
Gandhi, on 15 August 1982. This was followed by the 1982 Asian Games held in Delhi. Now
more than 90 percent of the Indian population can receive Doordarshan (DD National)
programmes through a network of nearly 1,400 terrestrial transmitters. There are about 46
Doordarshan studios producing TV programmes.[citation needed]

Early national programming

The first TV serial, in 1976, was Ladoosingh Taxiwala, starring Paintal as Sardaar taxi
driver. The 1980s were noted for Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad (198687) and comedy
shows like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984).

The 1980s were noted for shows such as Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad (198687) and
Nukkad and comedy shows like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984).

Mythological shows such as Ramayan (198788) and Mahabharat (198990) paved way
for mythological and historical shows. Such was their popularity that roads would be
empty when they were aired.

Bollywood film songs based programmes like Chitrahaar, Rangoli, Ek Se Badh Kar Ek
and Superhit Muqabla.

Crime thrillers like Barrister Vinod (starring Parikshit Sahni), Karamchand (starring
Pankaj Kapoor), Aparadhi Kaun, PC 1008 (starring Kanwaljit), Police File Se, Byomkesh

Bakshi (starring Rajit Kapur), Reporter (Shekhar Suman), Tehkikaat, Janki Jasoos, and
Suraag (starring Sudesh Berry).

Shows targeted at children included the ever-popular Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and
Tom and Jerry cartoons, and also He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Talespin &
Duck Tales. The dubbed Hindi version of the Japanese anime Jungle Book was hugely
popular, especially it's introductory track, Jungle Jungle Baat Chali Hai, whose music was
composed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Shows catering to kids also included Faerie Tale Theatre,
Dada Dadi ki Kahaniyan, Ek Do Teen Chaar, Vikram Aur Betaal, Space City Sigma, The
Stone Boy, Malgudi Days, Tenali Rama, Potli Baba Ki (puppet show), Superhuman
Samurai Cyber Squad, Knight Rider, Teletubbies, Street Hawk, The Wonderful Wizard of
Oz (a dubbed English version of a Japanese anime), Batman, and The Green Hornet,
Spider-Man, Giant Robo, Ghayab Aya, Kahaniyon ke Guchhae and horror serial Kile ka
Rahasya (1989). The were also comic plays of Charlie Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy and
Didi's Comedy Show.

Shaktimaan (19982005), India's first superhero, glued millions to Doordarshan as did

many other shows.

Other popular shows included Oshin, a Japanese drama series, Rajani, dealing with social
issues, Trishna, Mr. Yogi, Neem ka Ped, Circus, Dil Dariya, Doosra Keval, Shyam
Benegal's Bharat Ek Khoj, Sanjay Khan's The Sword of Tipu Sultan, Rani Lakshmibai,
Dastan-E-Hatim Tai, Alif Laila, Gul Gulshan Gulfaam, Mulla Nasiruddin, Mungerilal Ke
Haseen Sapne, Udaan, Talaash, Phir Wahi Talash, Katha Saagar, Nupur, Mirza Ghalib,
Wagle Ki Duniya, Subah, Bano Begum, Phulvanti, Kshitij Ye Nahi, Paying Guest, Phool
Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan, Show theme, Sangharsh, Farmaan, Lifeline, Kashish,
Shrimaan Shrimati, Tu Tu Mein Mein, Junoon, Ajnabi (starring Danny Denzongpa),
Zabaan Sambhalke, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Shrikant, Sansaar, Swabhimaan, Yug, Chanakya,
Shanti (launching Mandira Bedi), Sea Hawks (starring R. Madhavan), Surabhi, Aarohan,
Tana Bana, Mujrim Hazir (launching Navni Parihar), Jaspal Bhatti's Flop Show, reality
singing show Meri Awaaz Suno, Captain Vyom, Chandrakanta, and Tootne Ke Baad.

There were many acclaimed shows on Indian armed forces which aired on Doordarshan Param Vir Chakra, Samandar, Fauji (launching Shahrukh Khan).

Serials like Dadi Maa Jagi, Bibi Natiyonwali and Aur Bhi Ghum Hai Zamane Mein were
also popular.

Sarab Sanji Gurbani was the first sponsored programme on Doordarshan, sponsored by
Texla TV.

Among the earliest documentary films produced by Doordarshan in Delhi are The
Peacock Calls [Mor Machay Shor] (1968), TRS-FRS (1968), The Floods May Come and
Go (1969), and University Girls (1971).[4]

Some of the Transtel-Cologne shows that were popularly played on Doordarshan include
Telematch, The Old Fox, Derrick, Didi's Comedy Show, The Investigator, and Scene of
Crime. Doordarshan also played NBC's Knight Rider starring David Hasselhoff and
ABC's Street Hawk as part of its Sunday afternoon broadcast during the mid- and late
1980s.

Doordarshan brought to the Indian viewers geographical documentaries made by the

great marine explorer Jacques Cousteau (Secrets of the Sea) and the British naturalist
David Attenborough (The Living Planet)

Doordarshan also brought to the Indian viewers English political Comedy series Yes
Minister also American Family comedy serial Diff'rent Strokes also during 199495
Doordarshan for four hours will air programs from MTV which had the sensational Rahul
Khanna as the VJ.

Ekta Kapoor's Kayamat, Ithihaas and many other shows from Balaji Telefilms were
broadcast on this channel.

Channels
Doordarshan operates 21 channels:

Two All India channels (available terrestrially), DD National and DD News[5]

11 regional language satellite channels (RLSC), four state networks (SN), an international
channel, a sports channel, DD Sports and two channels Rajya Sabha TV and Lok Sabha
TV for live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings.

On DD National aka (DD-1), regional programs and local programs are carried on time-sharing
basis. DD News channel, launched on 3 November 2003, which replaced the DD Metro formally
known as (DD-2)'entertainment channel, provides 24-hour news service.
The regional languages satellite channels have two components the regional service for the
particular state relayed by all terrestrial transmitters in the state and additional programs in the
regional language in prime time and non-prime time available only through cable operators. DDSports Channel is exclusively devoted to the broadcasting of sporting events of national and
international importance. This is the only sports channel which telecasts rural sports like KhoKho, Kabbadi etc. something which private broadcasters will not attempt to telecast as it will not
attract any revenue.

List of Doordarshan channels

DD Bangla

DD Bharati

DD Bihar

DD Chandana

DD Chattisgarh

DD Delhi

DD Girnar

DD Haryana

DD Himachal Pradesh

DD India

DD Jharkhand

DD Kashir

DD Kisan

DD Madhya Pradesh

DD Malayalam

DD National

DD News

DD North East

DD Odia

DD Podhigai

DD Punjabi

DD Rajasthan

DD Sahyadri

DD Saptagiri

DD Sports

DD Urdu

DD Uttar Pradesh

DD Uttrakhand

DD Yadagiri

Closed or renamed Doordarshan channels

DD 2 (from 1984 to 1993) - later Renamed to DD Metro

DD Metro (from 1993 to 2003) - later Converted to DD News

Metro Gold (from October 2000 to Sep 2001) - aired on DD Metro

DD International (from March 1995 to Sep 2000) - later renamed to DD World

DD World (from Sep 2000 to Jan 2002) - later renamed to DD India

DD CNNi (from 30 June 1995 to 31 May 1997)

DD 3 (from 1995 to 1996) - later merged With DD Movie Club, and the new channel was
named as DD3-Movie Club

DD Movie Club (from 1995 to 1996) - later merged With DD 3, and new channel was
named as DD3-Movie Club[6]

DD3-Movie Club (from 1996 to 1998) - later converted to DD Sports

Active Doordarshan
It is an interactive service of Tata Sky to show TV channels of Doordarshan which are not
available on Tata sky as normal channels. Active Doordarshan channels are DD Kashir, DD
Podhigai, DD Malayalam, DD Punjabi, DD Sahyadri, DD Chandana and DD Girnar.
DD has its own DTH service called DD Free Dish.

International broadcasting

DD India is broadcast internationally via satellite. It is available in 146 countries worldwide;

however, information on receiving this channel in other countries is not easily available. In the
UK, DD India was available through the Eurobird Satellite on the Sky system on Channel 833
(the logo is shown as Rayat TV). The timing and programming of DD-India international is
different from that of India. Transmissions via Sky Digital ceased in June 2008 and those via
DirecTV in the United States in July 2008.

Criticism
Allegations of the state control

Prasar Bharati is parent body of Doordarshan, has all board members appointed by the
Government of India acting through the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.[7]

It had been actively used especially during the Emergency for government propaganda.[8]

During Operation Blue Star in 1984, only government sources were used for reporting the
story. Here, Doordarshan was complicit in the production of a video that claimed acts of
violence which when investigated by independent journalists were found to be false.[9]

In 2004, it censored the airing of a controversial documentary on Jayaprakash Narayan,

one of the opposition leaders during the Emergency.[10]

When Doordarshan broadcast the 70-minute-long Vijayadashami speech of Mohan

Bhagwat, the leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Narendra Modi
administration and the BJP were criticized for "misusing" the public broadcaster. While
Director General of DD, Archana Datta issued a clarification on speech and said, "Speech
was like any other news event therefore we covered it."[11][12][13]

Commercial viability

After private television channels were allowed in 1991, Doordarshan has seen a steep
decline in viewership in homes, due to general public acceptance of cable and satellite
television, which in 2002 was just at 2.38% for DD National.[14]

While it earns significant advertising revenue due to the compulsory feed given to it by
the highest bidder to national events, including cricket tournaments,[14] there has been a
proposal to give it funds by imposing a license fee to own a television in India.[15]

Relaunch of Doordarshan
On 17 November 2014, Doordarshan relaunched with a new theme of pink and purple,
accompanied by a new punchline Desh Ka Apna Channel, meaning "the country's own channel".
It was announced by Vijayalaxmi Chhabra, Director General, Doordarshan.[16]

See also

List of programs broadcast by DD National

All India Radio

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)

DD Free Dish

Lok Sabha TV

Rajya Sabha TV

References
1.
"Doordarshan to live telecast London Olympics opening and closing ceremonies". The Times
of India. 25 July 2012.
Development of Television
Sharmila Mitra Deb, Indian Democracy: Problems and Prospects, Anthem Press, 2009,
ISBN 978-81-907570-4-1, the well-known program Krishi Darshan, which started its telecast on
January 26, 1967... 'informing' and 'educating' the farmers about improving agricultural
productivity
SCREEN, New Delhi, 19 March 1971, & The Sunday Standard, Bombay, 10 June 1973.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/irregular-doordarshan-appointmentsquashed/article634149.ece
[2]
http://ddbhopal.nic.in/RTI/32.pdf
"Channel war drives DD to shelve bias". New Delhi: The Telegraph. 26 January 2004.
Retrieved 29 May 2012.
[1] Archived 17 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
Kuldip Nayar Posted: 9 November 2004 at 0012 hrs IST (9 November 2004). "Censoring
his own past". Indian Express. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
"Doordarshan telecasts RSS chief's speech live, stirs controversy". The Times of India. 3
October 2014.
Kalbag, Chaitanya (3 October 2014). "A dangerous line was crossed when Doordarshan
telecast Bhagwat's speech live". Quartz.
"RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's speech covered just like a news event: Doordarshan". The
Indian Express. 3 October 2014.
"DD leads viewership sweepstakes &#151 Tops among all homes nationwide, but lowest
in C&S". The Hindu Business Line. 23 July 2002. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
Himanshi Dhawan (10 July 2007). "Govt mulls 'licence fee' on every colour TV". The
Times of India. Retrieved 29 May 2012.

 "DD National to be relaunched as 'Desh Ka Apna Channel'". 15 November 2014.