Funds crunch nixed DD Metro revival plan

NEW DELHI: Indian pubcaster Doordarshan has finally admitted that there was a proposal to re-start DD Metro channel, which could not be carried out due to inadequate funds.

This information was conveyed by DD officials during a meeting of the Hindi advisory committee for the information and broadcasting ministry here today. I&B minister Jaipal Reddy chaired the meet. DD Metro, the pubcaster’s Hindi-language entertainment channel, had been closed down late 2003 to make way for DD News. The move had attracted criticism from various quarters, including the Hindi advisory panel on the ground that such moves work against the propagation of national language Hindi.

One of the panel members, made up of parliamentarians and academics, suggested that in order to promote the use of Hindi, some innovative approach should be adopted. Globalisation should “not be an excuse to relegate Hindi to the secondary position,” the member said disapproving of government functioning.

Though making a case for further improvement in quality, the panel members expressed satisfaction over the improvement in the language of the Hindi programmes/news telecast by Doordarshan.

The awards for best performance in the use of Hindi were also presented to the four radio/DD stations.