NEW DELHI: Several advertising agencies and design shops are likely to make pitches by early next week for designing and printing, on a turn-key basis, Prasar Bharati’s programming guide. On 9 December, indiantelevision.com had reported that Prasar Bharati had decided against having another consultant on board for sprucing up Doordarshan's image and brand positioning. Instead, pubcaster DD would invite bids from advertising agencies for the same.

Prasar Bharati's programming guide, will be called DarshanAIR (deriving its name from Doordarshan and the acronym for All India Radio). It will be brought out by Prasar Bharati in an effort to publicise and popularise its programmes, apart from getting the listings published in the newspapers.

According to Prasar Bharati sources, some eight companies attended earlier this week a presentation that the former made on its requirements for DarshanAIR.

The pitches are likely to come in from medium sized design shops and ad agencies, some that were contacted by Prasar Bharati after going through the details on indiantelevision.com.

Prasar Bharati sources said that the initial print order of DarshanAIR is likely to be in the region of 2,000 for the 40-odd pages of the monthly which will carry interviews and special articles, apart from mention of DD and AIR programmes.

Taking a cue from other pubcasters like BBC and private satellite news channels like CNN, Prasar Bharati has hit upon this idea of a programming guide that will be sent as direct mailers to government
employees initially.

The Corporation is also exploring the option wherein the monthly DarshanAIR could attract advertisements and become a viable commercial proposition too.