Fiktiv India - Doordarshan

Doordarshan is an autonomous public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Broadcasting Ministry of India and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. One of India's largest broadcasting organisations in studio and transmitter infrastructure, it was established on 15 September 1959. Doordarshan, which also broadcasts on digital terrestrial transmitters, provides television, radio, online and mobile service throughout metropolitan and regional India and overseas through the Indian Network and Radio India.

The channel began modestly as an experimental broadcaster in Delhi on 15 September 1959, with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. Regular daily transmission started in 1965 as part of All India Radio, with a five-minute news bulletin read by Pratima Puri. Salma Sultan joined Doordarshan in 1967, and became a news anchor.

Krishi Darshan debuted on Doordarshan on 26 January 1967, and is Indian television's longest running program.

Television service was extended to Bombay (now Mumbai) and Amritsar in 1972. Until 1975 only seven Indian cities had television service, and Doordarshan was the country's sole television provider.

Television service was separated from radio on 1 April 1976. The All India Radio and Doordarshan were placed under the management of separate directors-general in New Delhi. In 1982, Doordarshan became a national broadcaster.

National telecasts (DD National) were introduced in 1982. Colour television began in India with the live telecast of the Independence Day speech by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 15 August of that year, followed by the colour telecast of the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi. Live telecasts of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics were broadcast on its national channel, and DD Sports provided round-the-clock coverage.

On 17 November 2014, Doordarshan director-general Vijayalaxmi Chhabra introduced a pink-and-purple colour scheme and a new slogan: Desh Ka Apna Channel ("The country's own channel"). Doordarshan transmitted over a network of nearly 1,400 terrestrial transmitters in 2017, with 46 studios producing TV programmes. After the introduction of private channels Doordarshan is struggling to keep its position in the television space. Currently Doordarshan is trying to improve its studios and programmes while its primary aim is to serve the country.

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DD National (formerly DD1) is a state-owned general entertainment television channel in India. It is also called Doordarshan. It is the flagship channel of Doordarshan, India's public service broadcaster, and the most widely available terrestrial television channel in India.

On 15 September 1959, at the studio of All India Radio, Delhi, the very first TV channel in India started an experimental telecast with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. Until 1965, all the regular daily transmissions were operated by the All India Radio. Krishi Darshan, Chaupaal, Samachar, and Kalyani were the first programs on the channel.

On 15 August 1982, Doordarshan introduced a national telecast service from its own TV studio in Mandi House, New Delhi. This telecaster was named 'DD1' and started regular transmission. In 1984, DD1 started telecast of sponsored TV serials, which were produced by veteran filmmakers. Hum Log was the first sponsored TV serial of Indian television and started airing on 7 July 1984. After the success of Hum Log, many other TV producers and filmmakers created many popular shows. Some of them are mentioned below.

The Sword of Tipu Sultan, Mirza Ghalib, Akbar Birbal, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Bharat Ek Khoj, Mahabharat, Ramayan, Vishwamitra, Luv Kush Uttar Ramayan, Buddha, Malgudi Days, Surabhi, Hum Paanch, Tiltliyan, Taaraa, Yeh Jo Hai Jindagi, Star Trek, Khaandaan, 13 Panne, Air Hostess, Waah Janaab, Tamas, Vikram Aur Betal, Tenali Rama, Kirdaar, Singhasan Battisi, Guldasta, Mrignayani, Shrikant, Sadgati, Nukkad, Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Lot Pot, Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne, Bhim Bhawani, Kakkaji Kahin, Paying Guest, Ados Pados, Upannyas, Fauji, Karamchand, Vyomkesh Bakshi, Samandar, Param Veer Chakra, Wagle Ki Duniya, Buniyaad, Hum Log, Kachchi Dhoop, Chunauti, Mahanagar, Talash, Umeed, Subah, Mr. Yogi, Circus, Ek Bhool, Chote Babu, Yugantar, Kehkashan, Yatra, Rajni, Street Hawk, Udaan, Gaata Jaaye Banjara, Phool Khile Hain Gulsan Gulsan, Pingu, Circus, Taaj Mahel, Khubsuraat, and Dada Dadi Ki Kahaniya were the most popular serials of those days.

After the entry of private channels in India, Doordarshan started facing strong competition from Zee TV in 1992. Even though in those days, cable and satellite channels were not easily available, DD1 was still ruling the chart, as it was the only channel available terrestrially. In 1993, Doordarshan launched its second channel for the metro/urban audience, DD Metro, then popularly known as DD-2

With the telecast of popular TV shows like Chandrakanta, Alif Laila, Tehkikaat, Chitrahaar, Reporter, Udaan, Byomkesh Bakshi, Farmaan, Katha Sagar, Neem Ka Ped and Chanakya, DD National retained viewers, but Doordarshan Board focused more on its DD Metro Channel, which was aimed to compete with Zee TV. In the meantime, DD Metro became one of the popular destinations of TV viewers with its shows like Junoon, Superhit Muquabala, and Azanabi. Some of the popular shows were also aired on DD National.

In 1995, when most of the channels like DD Metro, Zee TV, Home TV, STAR Plus and Sony TV started focusing on their prime time slots, DD National was still stacked with its role and responsibilities, as at the time it was the only source of news on TV. To provide more entertainment, DD National opened an afternoon slot for housewives, with the telecast of Shanti. To support the success of Shanti, many other shows like Swabhimaan, Farz, and Yug were introduced and all of them were praised.

In 1997, Prasar Bharati, the parent body of Doordarshan, was formed. While private channels like Zee TV, STAR Plus and Sony TV started airing high budget TV serials from top production houses, DD National was still doing the best in afternoon slots with Kasam, Itihaas, Agni, Aprajita, Aurat, Ardhangini, Sanjog, Deewar, Aane Wala Pal, Waqt Ki Raftaar and other programs. There were a few notable programs like India's Most Wanted, Gul Sanobar, Surabhi, Noorjahan, Om namah Shivay, Jai Ganga Maiya, and Suraag in prime time, but those were not enough to give competition to private channels.

In the late 1997, DD National started airing Mukesh Khanna's Shaktimaan, which was the blockbuster TV serial in Indian history. In 2000, after tasting success with India's Most Wanted, Jasoos Vijay and Suraag in prime time, Prasar Bharati decided to revamp both channels, and many new serials were introduced on DD National, but very few of them were successful because of a limited prime time slots of 9 to 10:30, compared to 8 to 11 for other channels. New channels like Sahara TV and SAB TV were also performing better than DD channels in prime time.

In 2002, DD offered its time slots to popular filmmakers and got some popular shows of the time. Ramanand Sagar's Aankhen, BR Chopra's Aap Beeti, Adhikaari Brothers CID Officer, Kiran Bedi's Galti Kiski, and Time's Dishayen were telecast on the channels and prized by viewers. In 2003, when DD Metro Channel was converted into DD News, Prasar Bharati focused on its DD national channels, and shows like Meher, Miss India, Kayamat, Kaanch, and Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani were introduced. Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani achieved unprecedented ratings and became DD National's biggest blockbuster during this period. In 2005, Hawayein starring Ravi Kishan and Malini Kapoor became one of the most popular shows and also won a title of Best TV Serial of the Year at the ITA Awards.

In this period, DD introduced many popular serials like Air Hostess, Wo Huye Na hamare, Kyunki Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, Tum Dena Sath Mera, Hari Mirchi lal Mirchi, Soni Mahiwaal, Wheel Smart Shrimati, Krazzy Kiya Re, Chandramukhi, Jo Kahunga Sach Kahunga, Tahreer Munshi Premchand Ki, and Kashmkash Zindagi Ki.

At prime time, DD was still not able to compete with private channels, and it also started losing its peak position in afternoon slots to re-runs on other channels. In 2012, DD started airing Ekta Kapoor's Pavitra Bandhan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saraswatichandra and a few other serials. In 2013, it reduced its window for regional telecasts to 4 PM-7 PM, and stopped airing news at night, which added one and a half hour to its prime time. To enrich the new four-hour long prime time, DD brought TV serials like Gora, Bharat Ki Shaan, Baba Aazmi's Yeh Kaha Aa Gaye Hum, Dil Jo Kah Na Saka, and Sanjeev Kapoor's Chef Ki Rasoi. It also launched a campaign for its afternoon slots, DD Dophar Aapke Ghar, by airing serials like Amrita, Anudamini, Aisa Prem Kahan, and Chupau Kaise Laaga Chunari Me Daag.

In November 2014, Prasar Bharati relaunched DD National as 'Desh Ka Apna Channel' with a new theme and serials like Happy Homes, Khwabon Ke Darmiyaan, Khamosh Sa Afsaana, Dard Ka Rishta, Paltan, Stree Shakti, Zindagi Ek Bhanwar, and Janmon Ka Bandhan. Initially, these shows did better, but later, as TRP fell in 2016, Prasar Bharati decided to go for a slot sale policy and invited bids from makers for its 7 PM to 11 PM slot. Afternoon slots in 2016 aired serials like Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule, U-turn, and Munidhar. However, the strategy was not enough for its revival.

The primary channel of Doordarshan (DD Natuibak) has 3 major components of programme contests - information, education and entertainment. The information component consist of News and Current Affairs. The education component is drawn from the contributions from IGNOU, UGC, CIET, SIET and other sponsored programmes. Public Service Broadcasts also form a part of educational programmes which deal with programmes on women's issues and programmes produced by Public Service Broadcasting Trust. The live interactive show "Hum Hazir Hain" presents persons of eminence before the audience as a part of public service broadcast.

Question Hour in Parliament is telecast live on the National channel. Specific window is earmarked for programme in regional languages between 2.30 pm and 8.00 pm on all week days for Public Utility programmes and entertainment programmes in the regional languages and dialects. The entertainment programmes mainly consists of mid-day daily soaps between 12.00 to 2.00 pm and again between 9.00 pm to 11.00 pm. This includes feature films on Friday and Saturday and regional Award winning films on Sunday.

Doordarshan has made a significant contribution to accelerate socio-economic change, promote national integration and stimulate scientific temper. Being a Public Service Broadcaster, it strives to carry messages in its programmes on means of population control and family welfare, agricultural information and knowledge, preservation of environment and ecological balance, highlighting the need for social welfare measures for women, children and the less priviledged. It also promotes games and sports, and the artistic and cultural heritage of the country.

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Doordarshan News, usually referred to by its abbreviation as DD News, is India's only 24-hour terrestrial TV Hindi news channel. The Prasar Bharati board approved the proposal to start a 24-hour news channel in place of DD Metro, which was closing. This was subsequently approved by the Union Cabinet in a 3 October 2003 meeting.

DD Metro was converted into a 24-hour TV news channel, into DD News, which launched on 3 November 2003. Its terrestrial reach is 21.6% by area and 44.9% by population of India.

The DD News mobile app for Android and Apple was launched on 7 May 2015 by then Minister of Information and Broadcasting of India Shri Arun Jaitley. The app aims to instantly communicate news on a 24x7 basis.

DD News quickly gained popularity among the viewers, exceeding its commercial revenue target of Rs. 2 crores for 2003-04, and the channel earned Rs. 10 crores. The popularity of the channel amongst advertisers continues unabated and the revenue figures for the year 2004-05 have already crossed Rs. 10 crores. The main reason for this is that DD News is a free channel unlike the private and better channels that are pay channels.

India's public service broadcaster Doordarshan benefitted immensely from DD News's launch, as its in-house production churned out much quality content, achieving economies of scale.

Initially, after experiencing a partnership with CNN, Doordarshan launched a news and current affairs channel DD CNNi in 1995. DD was catering to an international audience via its DD International channel, and also providing English news, views, current affairs and infotainment programmings to Indian audiences via its DD3 channel. Its DD National and DD Metro channels were also delivering news content, and many private producers also had their news programs on DD channels. To encash all these, DD launched its DD News channel in late 1999, which failed due to lack of viewership and sponsors as it was not available on terrestrial mode. They converted it to DD Bharati on 26 January 2002.

Later DD again launched its DD News channel by replacing DD Metro in 2003 and assured its availability on terrestrial mode.

DD News is the first terrestrial news channel in the country reaching approximately half of the population.  The channel was launched in November, 2003 and within a year of its launch; it has emerged as a force to reckon with in the fiercely competitive business of TV news channels.  It is the undisputed leader in terms of absolute viewer-ship with about 50 per cent share among TV news channels.

The bilingual (English and Hindi) DD News follows a half an hour dynamic wheel of programming. Besides round the clock telecast of news bulletins, several programmes covering business, sports, health, art and culture are broadcast regularly.  Panel discussions are held on topics of current affairs.  DD News is run by the Doordarshan News Centre in New Delhi supported by a network of 23 Regional News Units (RNUs) spread across India.

Doordarshan News gives extensive coverage to all important news events that taking place in India and abroad.  DD News mounts several informative programmes on the General Budget, demystifying the economic terminology for the common people.  The budget speech of the Finance Minister is also telecast live. The visits of foreign dignitaries to India and the visits of Indian leaders abroad are also extensively covered.

DD News also carries financial information about stocks and commodities, accessing information from the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in addition to leading commodity exchanges including the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) and the MCX Stock Exchange.

A dedicated Digital Satellite News Gathering System, including hi-tech gadgets are available for DD News, which has greatly increased its capacity in giving live inputs from the news spots.

The foremost benefit that has accrued to Doordarshan as a result of the launch of the DD News channel is the reactivation of a large volume of quality in-house production. This was achieved through a higher utilization of the in-house infrastructure than hitherto achieved.

In addition to the round the clock telecast of Hindi/English News on DD- News channel, news bulletins in Hindi/English are also telecast twice a day on the National Network of DD National. Regional News Bulletins in different regional languages are also being telecast in the regional transmissions of DD National from 23 Doordarshan Kendras. Regional News Bulletins are also being telecast in various regional language channels of Doordarshan.

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DD Sports is a state-owned TV channel telecasting from Central Production Centre Delhi. DD Sports was launched on 18 March 1998. In the beginning, it broadcast sports programmes for six hours a day, which was increased to 12 hours in 1999. From 1 June 2000, DD Sports became a "round-the-clock" satellite channel. It was an encrypted pay channel between 2000 and 2003, and on 15 July 2003, it became the only free-to-air sports channel in the country.

Besides showing live sporting events like cricket, football and tennis, DD Sports showcases Indian sports including kabaddi and kho-kho. In addition to international sporting events, important national tournaments of hockey, football, athletics, cricket, swimming, tennis, badminton, archery and wrestling are also telecast. The DD Sports channel also telecasts news-based programmes, sports quizzes and personality-oriented shows.

DD Sports telecast all ODI & Twenty20 International cricket matches played by India Men Cricket Team and this Live telecast only available on DD Free Dish DTH and on DD Terrestrial network.

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DD Bharati is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra, Delhi. It telecasts various cultural programmes and is dedicated to show India's vast culture and traditions.

DD-Bharati Channel was launched on 26 January 2002. Besides programmes on adventure, quiz contests, fine arts/paintings, crafts and designs, cartoons, talent hunts, etc., it also telecasts MERI BAAT an hour-long phone-in 'live' show with young people. Programmes emphasising on a healthy life style and focusing on prevention rather than cure, both in our traditional and modern forms of medicine are also being telecast. Classical dance/music performances by top class artists of national and international fame are also featured on this channel are programmes on theatre, literature, music, paintings, sculpture and architecture. The channel also telecast programmes in collaboration with organisations like IGNCA, CEC, IGNOU, PSBT, NCERT and Sahitya Akademi. The channel also provides extensive coverage to the AIR sangeet sammelans. Contributions made by the Regional Doordarshan Kendra's are regularly telecast live/recorded.

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DD Kisan is an Indian agriculture 24-hour television channel, which is owned by Doordarshan and was launched on 26 May 2015. The channel is dedicated to agriculture and related sectors, which disseminates real-time inputs to farmers on new farming techniques, water conservation and organic farming among other information.

Ahead of 2014 Indian general election, the BJP had declared that if they come in power they would try setting up a dedicated channel for Indian Farmers. The public broadcaster Prasar Bharti which currently runs the Krishi Darshan program on Doordarshan is one of the longest running programmes on DD National. It was launched on 26 January 1967.

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DD Urdu is an Indian free-to-air television channel broadcasting from Doordarshan Kendra in Delhi. It broadcasts entertainment, cultural, news and infotainment programming in Urdu.

With their shared linguistic origins in northern India, Hindustani and Urdu are spoken by more people in the world than Arab, English, French or Spanish – this despite invaders and colonialists taking their language out of their boundaries and spreading it, even with modern, invincible television networks.

The numbers of Urdu language speakers and lovers are growing and not entirely because of any population boom, but because of the appeal of the language and the mesmerising literary history it encompasses.

The Urdu language is part of the Indian nation. It signifies Persian meld with Hindi and sounds sweet to the ears, just like the anecdotal spoon of sugar added to a cup brimming with milk to sweeten it. Urdu is also part of our national treasures, what with royalty bestowing its practitioners with privileges and leading to sparkling literature.

That literature is still growing and at DD Urdu, where Doordarshan brings together the literature of the past and the art of its present-day practitioners in audio-visuals, giving an eloquent display of the rich cultural history of India.

DD Urdu was launched on August 15, 2006 as Doordarshan’s Urdu Channel. Conceived as a heritage channel to catalyse the preservation and promotion of the great cultural heritage and literary aspect of this rich language. DD Urdu has segments on entertainment and enrichment for cultural and information.

When the channel was launched, it was envisaged that with the combined force of globalization and television, DD Urdu would aid reaching the Urdu language and its literary and cultural legacy to every nook and corner of the world.

Urdu is a pan Indian language. Urdu slogans motivated and inspired India’s struggle for freedom and Independent India has seen how the language promoted the concept of unity in diversity. Urdu’s rich literature and cultural tradition date back to several centuries. Different genres of Urdu, including poetry, satire and Sufi literature have left their indelible mark on the literary and cultural history of India. The language’s popularity increased over the decades, particularly with the birth of cinema and broadcasting in India.

Realising that Urdu is a symbol of the rich, cultural and literary mosaic of our country, DD Urdu works to strengthen the civilizational foundations of the country and promote unity.

The language Channel, as it exists today, is on air around-the-clock, encapsulating heritage, culture, literature, information, education and societal issues specific to its viewers, re-popularising the idiom, its syntax and a lingual behaviour purported to have gone into oblivion.

The broadcasting availability of DD Urdu is in India and parts of Asia, China and also the Gulf Countries. The theme dominating the transmission relates to modernizing educational and social out-look of its audience, document and show a comparative study of societies in the South-Asian neighbourhood, underling India’s democratic social structures. Besides conserving literary and cultural traditions identified with Urdu and its portrayal as one of the modern Indian languages, this channel from Doordarshan also contributes to demystifying and popularising science, technology and IT.

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DD Retro is a Hindi TV channel of India. It was launched by Prasar Bharati on 13 April 2020. It is a free to air general entertainment channel on which old classic serials of Doordarshan are telecasted.

DD Retro channel has been added to Doordarshan's DTT Service which is available in 19 cities of India.

DD Retro is primarily dedicated to show Doordarshan's old classic shows including Ramayan, Mahabharat, Shaktimaan, Sankat Mochan Hanuman, Chanakya, and many more.

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DD India is an Indian satellite television channel which is marketed towards Indian audiences living abroad, and offers an update on the social, cultural, and political aspects of India.

The channel was launched on 14 March 1995 as DD International, and is available in 146 countries throughout the world. It was renamed as DD World in year 2000 and finally rebranded as DD India in 2002. The channel is owned and operated by Doordarshan, a television network of Prasar Bharati Broadcasting Corporation and is based in New Delhi, India. The network features some original programming, such as dramas, comedy-series, talk shows, documentaries, and re-runs of popular TV shows from other Indian television channels. In addition, the channel also shows programmes in other Indian languages, such as Urdu, Punjabi, Tamil, etc.

In the United States, the channel was launched on 26 July 2007, and is available on DirecTV through Genesis Networks.