I&B Ministry
Govt’s digital channel to tell ‘India story’, Rs 75 cr investment planned
MUMBAI: The Modi government is reportedly planning to launch a digital platform which will report on international news to a global digital audience with an India perspective. It will “challenge the anti-India narrative” and present “India’s perspective on global events.”
The concept, approved by the Prasar Bharati Board, was discussed by a committee that included Prasar Bharati board members Sunil Alagh and Shashi Shekar Vempati, and Prasar Bharati interim CEO Rajeev Singh.
The 24×7 operational digital platform, with an investment of Rs 75 crore, will have correspondents across the globe. Targeted at English-speaking audience, the Indian diaspora and the global opinion makers, the channel will change the narrative that presents India as a “constant point of conflict between Hindu nationalists and so-called secularism.”
If the information and broadcasting ministry agrees to a proposal by Prasar Bharti, the country will soon have a digital channel to tell the “India story”.
Prasar Bharati chairman A Surya Prakash said that the idea was discussed by the United Progressive Alliance government.
The objective of this digital channel over the next three years will be to reach 10 million to 100 million page views a month, a million mobile app downloads and YouTube subscribers each.
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.
