News Broadcasting
DD to begin narrowcasting tomorrow
MUMBAI: Doordarshan is commencing the broadcast of locally relevant programmes, popularly known as ‘narrowcasting’, beginning 29 October.
The programmes will be originated and telecast from 12 selected Low Power Transmitters (LPT)s spread across the country, according to the pubcaster. The narrowcasting service at Palakkad in Kerala will be inaugurated tomorrow by the Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, O Rajgopal. The second service from Amalapuram in Andhra Pradesh will be dedicated to the public by the Minister of State for Railways, Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya. Services in Bellary (Karnataka) and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) will commence from 31 October and those at Hissar (Haryana) and Nainital (Uttaranchal) from 1 November, according to an official release.
Ferozepur & Patiala (Punjab), Sagar (MP), Akola (Maharashtra), Hazaribag (Jharkhand) and Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh are the other centers covered in the first of phase of narrowcasting experiment.
At present Doordarshan originates and telecasts its programmes at national, regional and local levels through the National Network, Regional Networks and Programme Generating Facilities (PGF). While the National and Regional language channels run round the clock, the PGF stations originate programmes to a limited area for a short duration of time.
Doordarshan’s network of LPTs cover a radius of an average of 15 kms of the area. The programmes produced for narrowcasting will contain segments on agriculture and rural development, education, health etc. They will be half an hour programmes telecast at time suitable to the targeted viewers, says the release.
Originally, the programmes were proposed to be produced by Agricultural Universities or State Departments of Agriculture. The regional DDKs were to provide training to ensure technical and aesthetic quality. A Memorandum of Understanding was circulated to the agricultural universities in the service areas. The project however did not materilise as the agricultural universities were neither equipped nor had funds and trained personnel to take up the production work on their own, says the release.
Subsequently, it was proposed that the production would be taken up by the DDKs using available resources and staff. The programmes would now be produced specifically keeping the targeted area in mind, in collaboration with the agricultural universities and state departments of agriculture. In the meantime, efforts are on to empower the universities to take up production on their own in the days to come.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
