I&B Ministry
Govt seeks professional help for DD revival
NEW DELHI: Fazed by private sector television channels’ stridency in terms of revenues and viewership in an increasingly digital India, the government is seeking outside professional help in “transformation of Doordarshan.”
A tender has been issued by an organisation under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to look for a consultant to revamp Doordarshan into a leading public broadcaster that becomes a highly successful medium of mass communication.
Amongst the objectives listed in the tender documents by the Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd. (BECIL) a stated aim is to engage a consulting firm to support Doordarshan in achieving this “transformation goal by undertaking a comprehensive view on the projects and initiatives to be executed” by the Indian pubcaster.
Pointing out that in the last couple of decades after introduction of cable television and technological changes in a country that’s now openly flirting with digital consumption of video and audio on multiple platforms, the government admitted DD’s monopoly days are over and it is not the target media for a large swathe of Indian population. “Given the potential television has, not just commercially but also as a means for socio-economic transformation, it’s critical to revitalize Doordarshan and develop it into a powerful and commercially successful organization of mass communication,” BECIL said in a note enumerating the objectives for the project.
The consultant would have to undertake a comprehensive view on the projects and initiatives to be executed by Doordarshan, engage all stakeholders to arrive at trouble-spots and prepare a solution map for addressing those difficulties. The government is hoping that the consultant will identify in medium term goals for “quick wins” and further help Doordarshan develop a long-term strategic roadmap.
The interested bidders are expected to send in their queries by 2 November 2016 and get responses in a pre-bid meeting on 4 November. The technical bids will be opened on 15 November at 1530 hours. Dates for presentations by bidders and opening of financial bids will be intimated later by BECIL.
Interestingly, Minister of State for MIB Rajyavardhan Rathore few days back had admitted at a media conference that Prasar Bharati, DD’s parent, lacked adequate programming and marketing capabilities and was open to seeking help from private players.
Doordarshan is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in the world in terms of studios and infrastructure and claims to cover 90 per cent of the total Indian population — a claim that, however, doesn’t aptly reflect in audience measurement data. DD, which offers 23 TV channels in various Indian languages, provides television, radio, online and app-based mobile services throughout India and overseas.
ALSO READ:
Prasar Bharati lacks content & marketing; open to tie-ups: MIB Minister
I&B Ministry
Press Sewa Portal digitises 1.5 lakh records, streamlines periodical registrations: MIB
Online system spans 780 districts; Rs 5.6 crore penalties, 88,315 titles cancelled
NEW DELHI: India’s print media registry has quietly moved from dusty files to digital dashboards. The government has digitised more than 1.5 lakh historical records of newspapers and periodicals and shifted registrations fully online through the Press Sewa Portal.
Introduced under the Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Act, 2023, the portal now handles all applications for registering periodicals, replacing the earlier paper-heavy system created under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which has since been repealed.
The digital shift brings a wide range of services onto a single platform. Publishers can now register new periodicals, revise registrations, transfer ownership, file annual statements, pay penalties online and apply for circulation verification without navigating government offices.
As part of the rollout, specified authorities in 780 districts across India have been onboarded onto the platform. Since 1 March 2024, the portal has processed 11,081 applications and issued certificates across different categories.
The transition has also brought stronger compliance. According to government data, Rs 5.63 crore in penalties has been collected through the portal so far. States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh account for some of the largest penalty collections.
At the same time, the authorities have carried out a major clean-up of inactive or non-compliant publications. A total of 88,315 periodicals have been cancelled nationwide, with Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi among the states reporting the highest number of cancellations.
The government says the system will continue to evolve based on feedback from users. The Press Registrar General of India (PRGI) regularly reviews suggestions to improve services and make compliance easier for publishers.
The full list of registered newspapers and periodicals is available on the PRGI website under the Registered Titles section.
The information was shared in a written reply in the Lok Sabha by minister of state for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs L Murugan, responding to a question from Damodar Agrawal.
