Doordarshan (दूरदर्शन) is a Public broadcast Terrestrial television channel run by Prasar Bharati, a board nominated by the Government of India. It is one of the largest broadcasting organisations in the world in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters.

Contents 1 Beginning 2 Going national 3 Criticism 4 See also 5 External links

Beginning

Doordarshan had a modest beginning with the experimental

Going national

National programme was introduced in 1982. In the same year colour TVs were introduced in Indian markets with the Live telecast of the Independence day on 15th August, 1982, followed by the Asian Games being held in Delhi. The eighties were era of Doordarshan with soaps like Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad and mythological dramas like Ramayana (1987-88) and Mahabharat (1988-89) glued millions to Doordarshan.

Now more than 90 percent of Indian population can receive Doordarshan (DD1) programmes through a network of nearly 1400 terrestrial transmitters.

About 46 Doordarshan Studios are producing TV software. Presently, Doordarshan operates 19 channels – two All India channels, 11 Regional Languages Satellite Channels (RLSC), four State Networks (SN), an International channel, a Sports Channel and two channels (DD-RS & DD-LS) for live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings.

On DD-1 National programmes, Regional programmes and Local Programmes are carried on time-sharing basis. DD-News channel, launched on 3rd November, 2003, which replaced the DD-Metro 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 programmes in the Regional Language in prime time and non-prime time available only through cable operators. Sports Channel is exclusively devoted to the broadcasting of sporting events of national and international importance. This is the only Sports Channels which telecasts rural sports like Kho-Kho, Kabadi etc. something which private broadcasters will not attempt to telecast as it will not attract any revenues.

Criticism

The advent of cable channels and private players has eroded popularity of Doordarshan in recent years. Doordarshan has also been criticised by some, as state media and hence not completely free. The news is often accused of having the ruling party's biased point of view. The coverage of sports and other events often put it at the bottom of the pile. The content is often drab and presentation is monotonous at best. Moreover despite getting huge advertising revenues backed by government funding, the Prasar Bharati posts massive losses each year.

See also

• All India Radio
• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting