I&B Ministry
Dasmunshi takes charge as I&B minister, sings paens to press freedom
NEW DELHI: It was the first day at the office for new information and broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi today.
Talking to reporters soon after taking charge, Dasmunshi, who is also parliamentary affairs minister, said that transparency is the watchword of the UPA Government, which is committed to protecting the freedom of the press, news agency PTI has reported.
Noting that his new job was a “very challenging” one, he said the government favours that media should get the maximum information so that it helps create an informed public opinion.
Before taking charge, Dasmunshi met his predecessor S Jaipal Reddy, who has now been shifted to the urban development ministry while retaining the portfolio of culture minister.
Dasmunshi, a career politician, also heads Indian football’s official body All India Football Federation (AIFF), which recently signed a telecast deal for domestic football with Zee Sports for an undisclosed amount.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
