Doordarshan launches Rs 14.5 crore project for end to end 4K workflow

MUMBAI: The small screen is getting a much sharper future. Doordarshan is pressing play on its next phase of technological evolution, launching a Rs 14.5 crore project to build a fully integrated 4K (Ultra High Definition) production ecosystem as it modernises its broadcast infrastructure for the next generation of content creation.

The Directorate General of Doordarshan has floated a tender for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning (SITC) of an End-to-End UHD File-Based Workflow Facility, designed to overhaul how programmes are produced, edited, stored and transmitted across the DD network.

Rather than focusing solely on cameras or studio upgrades, the project seeks to create a unified digital production backbone where the entire content lifecycle from media ingestion and editing to quality control, asset management, archiving and playout operates within a seamless 4K workflow.

Once operational, video content will be ingested into a central storage system, allowing multiple editors to work simultaneously on the same files while integrating quality control and media management into a single, streamlined production environment. The project is expected to be completed within six months of the contract being awarded.

The transition to a file-based workflow is expected to significantly improve production efficiency by reducing turnaround times, simplifying collaboration across production teams and making long-term digital archiving more efficient than traditional tape-based broadcast systems.

As part of the procurement process, Doordarshan has also revised its bidding schedule. In a notice issued on July 7, the broadcaster extended the deadline for technical bid opening from July 17 to July 21, citing administrative reasons, while leaving all other tender conditions unchanged.

The initiative forms part of a broader technology modernisation programme underway at the public broadcaster. Alongside the UHD workflow project, Doordarshan has invited bids for robotic cameras, robotic heads, track dollies with elevation columns and full-frame mirrorless cameras, signalling parallel investments in both front-end production equipment and backend infrastructure.

As broadcasters worldwide shift towards file-based production and Ultra High Definition workflows, Doordarshan’s latest investment lays the digital foundation for expanding 4K content creation across its network. While the broadcaster already operates HD channels, the new infrastructure is expected to future-proof its production capabilities as audience expectations and broadcast technology continue to evolve.