News Broadcasting
Would DD News oust private producers ?
NEW DELHI: Is Doordarshan News looking at axing privately produced programmes on the channel? If a certain section of the organization is to be believed, then such a move is afoot, though it may turn out to be a hot potato to handle.
Which are the top programmes on Doordarshan News, re-launched last November with a promise to make garbage of other channels? The Headlines, Rozana and
Aankhon Dekhi (the latter two being privately produced programmes).
This fact is worrying the managers of Prasar Bharati, which manages Doordarshan and All India Radio. According to sources in the organisation, some Prasar Bharati board members feel that if DD News is to gain popularity via outside producers, then it would be difficult to market the channel in-house, despite consulting editor Deepak Chaurasia and gang doing a good job on the channel within certain limitations.
A Prasar Bharati source admitted that though it may not be easy, the Corporation is contemplating pulling the plug on private producers who make current affairs programmes on DD News on sponsored slots (that means they pay DD News a pre-designated amount for 30 minutes and are free to peddle the free commercial time for the slot, which amounts to about 220 seconds), from next month when their present 26-week agreements come to an end.
One such programme on rural India and agriculture has already been denied an extension, sending signals amongst private producers that this may set a precedent, sources said.
Though Prasar Bharati has introduced a revised rate card for DD News, with approximately a 20 per cent hike for packages and a whopping 66 per cent increase in spot buy rates from 1 April, market sources do admit that because deals are being signed in bulk and the whole channel is being marketed, the effective buying rate for DD news at times hovers around Rs 1,500-Rs1,700 per 10 seconds for bulk buyers.
This is in sharp contrast to sponsored programmes, which are privately produced. For example, one of the top programmes for DD News, Rozana, sells a 10 seconds spot for a sum ranging between Rs 6,500-Rs.7,000.
The private producers are quite clear. Their contention is that unlike DD, which has to market the whole news channel and is giving heavy bonuses to bulk buyers, they only have to market their individual programmes and can afford to charge slightly higher rates.
Even as there are talks of doing away with — or lessening the number — of private producers on DD News, Prasar Bharati has gone in for a 50 per cent increase in the rates for sponsored programmes — from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 for prime time and from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,500 for non prime time.
Though some big advertisers like State Bank of India and Kodak have already signed up Rs 7.5 million and Rs 2.5 million, respectively for three months on DD News, most such clients are also demanding top programmes on DD News and DD doesn’t have control over some top rated programmes like Rozana and Bollywood News as they are produced by outsiders.
At present, about half a dozen private producers are on DD News. Would Prasar Bharati bite the bullet? Difficult to say at this moment because the issue has political overtones.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
