DD BOSS GIVES HIS VISION
DD is going in for a new image as it tries
to increase advertising revenues. The network is planning
new soaps, song countdown shows and English films in the
pipeline. For starters, DD has invited bids for a film-based
countdown programme due for telecast on DD2. Interestingly,
DD also proposes to provided a prime time slot for this
programme from 9 pm to 10 p.m.
The programme is scheduled to be telecast
under the sponsored category. The bidders have to provide
a sponsorship fee of Rs 520,000 for the one-hour long programme
and, in return, will get 180 seconds of free commercial
time (FCT).
The new order at the helm of affairs of
Prasar Bharati has realised that DD's falling revenues have
to be arrested and that too fast. According to additional
secretary in the information and broadcasting ministry with
the additional charge of chief executive, Prasar Bharati,
R. R. Shah, "My mandate is to attempt to make DD commercially
viable by turning DD2 into an entertainment channel." Shah
also said that his endeavour would be to have more of "such
countdown shows, soaps and and English and Hindi films on
DD2 which will attract revenue and will be a good proposition
for advertisers and sponsors."
In the case of the proposed countdown
show, DD, in a circular, has said that the "offer with maximum
bid of additional spot buys at the existing rate of Rs 60,000
for every 10 seconds will be accepted."
Shah is also not taking a chance this time
with producers of such programmes just grabbing the prime
time slot by offering higher bids. The circular notes that
only those offers will be considered where a pilot of the
proposed programme is also submitted. DD has also invited
bids for English language feature films to be telecast on
DD-2 after 11 pm on all days of the week under the sponsored
category. The sponsorship fee will be Rs 10,000 for a 30
minute slot with 210 seconds of FCT.
Says Shah: "We'll have to see what kind
of response we get. But we expect that some good films will
be offered to DD," Shah said, adding only U/UA-certified
movies will be accepted.
