A new DD for a new time

Context: The controversy that erupted over Television Rating Points (TRPs) has highlighted the fundamental lack of trustworthy data and a trustworthy voice in the Indian media landscape.

Significance of Doordarshan (DD) in contemporary times:

• Essential in a democracy: In today’s time when the news has become entertainment, DD takes its viewers back to staid but solid reporting of the news.

• New age broadcaster for a new age India: India will be celebrating 75 years of Independence in 2022 and needs amplify its message on climate change to digital governance, through platforms like G20.

• Increased efficiency: Prasar Bharati has made many changes like -

• Digitization of archives;
• Cleaning up the agency’s wasteful expenditure by rationalizing existing vendor arrangements with news agencies and offering a fair play to all agencies.

• Multiple overlapping offerings: The Seven key offerings are AIR, AIR News, DD, DD News, DD Free Dish (DTH), DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television), and a digital app called News On Air.

• DD continues to produce programmes in all languages in India, across the country.
• All India Radio increased its listenership since the beginning of PM Modi’s Mann ki Baat.

Issue with DD and Prasar Bharati: Dated technology and dismal social media presence make it unattractive to India’s vast new-age youth; while tight funds exacerbate the problems.

Way Forward: 

• Introducing cutting edge technologies: Seeking the advice of software experts to develop tight security features and search engine optimization will bring DD on top searches in Google.

• Develop a web app: as this will allow users with limited phone memory to use the app and also eliminates issues of privacy faced by most government apps.

• Increase the presence in social media: Seek the help of a good branding agency can help build DD in this space and train a strong in-house communications team. 

• Study best practices of other public broadcasters: E.g. France 24’s presence in Africa has done much to retain the country’s relationships from its colonial past in the continent.

• Spread the word about Doordarshan: By inviting public broadcasting chiefs from across the world to share their experiences, through virtual conferences.

Conclusion: With the pandemic still raging, a sleek, virtual conference is a good way to welcome the world to India, in preparation for 2022 and the future.