I&B Ministry
Govt sets up COVID-19 Fact Check Unit to counter fake news
MUMBAI: In the wake of influx of misinformation that the government says is being spread through social media, the press information bureau of the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has set up a portal, COVID-19 Fact Check Unit, which will be operational from morning of 2 April to receive messages by email and send its response in quick time.
PIB will release a daily bulletin at 8 pm every day to inform government decisions, developments and progress on COVID-19. The first bulletin was released on Wednesday at 6.30 pm.
The bulletin has been established after the supreme court gave a directive on controlling fake news during the pandemic. One of the reasons for the mass migration of labourers was a rumour that the lockdown would continue for more than three months.
The solicitor general of the government said that an official bulletin would be published via all media avenues, including social media; other media outlets should use only the official data. The apex court clarified that although it won't interfere with free discussion, the media should refer to the official version of the developments.
The ministry of health has set up a technical group consisting of professionals from AIIMs, etc., to clarify any doubts in the minds of the general public on any technical aspect of COVID-19.
The cabinet secretary has written to all the state governments informing them of the constitution of 11 empowered groups under the Disaster Management Act with clear-cut mandate to decide on various aspects of management of COVID-19, with a request to develop a similar mechanism at the state level.
Moreover, the health department has issued detailed guidelines to deal with psychological issues amongst migrants. State governments have been requested to engage volunteers to supervise the welfare activities of the migrants.
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.
