GECs
DD Arunprabha invites proposals in seven categories
NEW DELHI: Programme proposals in seven different categories have been invited by Doordarshan for its new DD Arunprabha channel being launched for North East states.
The proposals from reputed producers/production houses are under Fixed Budget Mode of Commissioned Programmes Category and the episodic price ranges between Rs 800,000 to Rs One Million.
DD-Arunprabha will be a 24×7 satellite channel originating from DDK, Itanagar. Programmes on DD-Arunprabha would show richness, variety and diversity of local culture. The channel would seamlessly integrate NER with the entire country. The channel’s USP will be to attract young people of NER with contemporary entertainment shows embedded with informative content.
The invitation is part of efforts of Prasar Bharati’s special efforts in North East Region (NER) to promote and nurture talent, provide a platform to deserving
producers/artistes from NER as well as from outside to encourage production of better programmes for DD viewers.
Proposals have to be received by 17 January 2017 and no proposals sent after that date would be accepted. Preference will be given to Programmes based on themes and subjects relevant to NER.
Programme proposals for DD-Arunprabha are invited for the following:
No. Genre Duration in Minutes) Episodic Price
1. Daily Soap/Serials 30 Rs 5,00,000
2. Thrillers 30 Rs 5,00,000
3. Mythological Serials 30 Rs 5,00,000 +40% additional
towards sets and higher
production value
4. Telefilms 30 Rs 5,00,000 (and higher duration
on a pro-rata basis)
5. Quiz Shows/Magazine
Formats with celebrity
Anchorperson 30 Rs 5,00,000 + Actual cost of
hiring of Anchors
6. Travelogue:
(a) Documentary format 30 Rs 5,00,000
(b) With Celebrity 30 Rs One Million
7. Reality Shows 60 Rs One Million
The rates are exclusive of service tax.
All programmes have to be submitted in HD format only. Submissions in any other format will be summarily rejected. (iv) Proposals should be submitted only in Hindi/English.
Proposals have to be in the application format specified on ddindia.gov.in with a non-refundable processing fee of Rs 25000 for each proposal in the form of a Crossed Bank Draft in favour of ‘PBBCI, Director General, Doordarshan, New Delhi’ (payable at New Delhi).
A fresh show reel of the programmes for 3 to 5 minutes duration on
DVD/CD/pen drive on given genre or theme will also be submitted along with the proposal, except in the case of Reality Shows. But episodic break-up and details of set backdrop/Anchor/Judges profiles and criteria of selection are required with the proposal.
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
