I&B Ministry
I&B ministry mulls carrying DD India on BSkyB
NEW DELHI: Indian pubcaster Prasar Bharati is examining a proposal to have Doordarshan’s international channel, DD India, distributed in the United Kingdom through the Rupert Murdoch-controlled British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) pay platform.
In a written reply to the Parliament at the Lok Sabha (Lower House) today, information and broadcasting (I&B) minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “Prasar Bharati has informed that DD is currently examining the possibility of distributing DD India signals in the UK using the BSkyB platform.”
Prasar Bharati is an autonomous body that manages the affairs of DD and All India Radio (AIR).
According to Prasad, the distribution deal in the UK is being sought to be negotiated in order to “reach its programmes to persons of Indian origin and non-resident Indians” living in the UK.
The deal may move a step forward towards its logical conclusion when Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma and additional secretary (broadcasting) in the I&B ministry Vijay Singh go on an official tour to the UK next week.
According to government sources, both Sarma and Singh are expected to visit the BSkyB platform and, probably, meet up with the newly-appointed CEO of BSkyB James Murdoch.
As for today, the House was adjourned for the day (soon after the questions related to the I&B ministry were deemed to have been laid on the table) to allow the parliamentarians to keep track of the outcome of the assembly elections.
DD News launched to satisfy ‘News hunger’
In a written reply to another question in the Lok Sabha today, Prasad said the entertainment channel DD Metro was converted into DD News to fulfill a hunger for news and current affairs programming.
“Prasar Bharati has informed that the decision (of the relaunch of DD News) has been taken to fulfill a growing desire for news among the viewers, particularly among those without cable connections,” the minister stated.
The minister also denied that there is a proposal to restore telecast of DD Metro, particularly in the semi-urban and rural areas, on a free-to-air mode.
According to data made available to the parliamentarians, DD Metro’s annual revenue collection had been dropping over the years. Starting off with 1999-2000 – when DD Metro mopped up Rs 460 million – the highpoint came in 2000-2001 when the revenues went over Rs 870 million. However, in 2003-2004, till 31 October 2003, DD Metro had managed to collect slightly over Rs 100 million.
I&B Ministry
Doordarshan, ICCR sign MoU to boost global reach of Indian culture
Pact taps TV, radio and digital platforms to take cultural content worldwide
NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at taking India’s cultural story further across borders, Doordarshan under Prasar Bharati has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to expand the global reach of Indian cultural content.
The agreement, signed on April 7 at Doordarshan Bhawan, brings together the content strength of ICCR and the wide broadcast network of Doordarshan, spanning television, radio and digital platforms.
Under the partnership, ICCR will provide a steady stream of cultural programming, including performances and events organised by Indian missions abroad such as embassies, consulates and cultural centres. Doordarshan will handle production, coverage and distribution, ensuring that these programmes find audiences not just in India but across the world.
The collaboration also opens the door for recorded cultural content from overseas missions to be aired across multiple platforms, including OTT and social media, making Indian art, music and heritage more accessible to global viewers.
A notable feature of the MoU is joint ownership of content rights in perpetuity, including digital rights. This allows both organisations to archive and reuse material over time, building a long-term cultural repository while maximising reach. Doordarshan will also support pre-event promotion and cross-platform visibility to drive engagement.
Speaking at the signing, Doordarshan director general K. Satish Nambudiripad and Indian Council for Cultural Relations director general K. Nandini Singla highlighted the potential of the partnership to strengthen India’s cultural diplomacy through modern media channels.
The agreement, initially valid for three years, also allows Doordarshan to explore monetisation opportunities from the content generated, adding a commercial layer to cultural broadcasting.
As India looks to blend tradition with technology, this partnership signals a clear intent to make its cultural voice not just heard, but seen and streamed across the globe.
