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A The new look, , to be effective from 2 February, would
include a slightly modified logo, new graphics, montage and
several brand new shows. And giving finishing touches to the
makeover is the Noida-based Beehive Systems, which has clients
like CNBC TV 18.
Being the only surviving bilingual news channel in operation
at present --- Star News gave up this slot to become an all-Hindi
channel --- DD News would be introducing a half hour `dynamic
wheel’ with news on the hour every hour in Hindi, interspersed
with English news bulletins every half hour.
The Headline News will be repeated in the middle, which ensures
that no headline news is more than 15 minutes away.
The new programme schedule has been drawn up with ‘flexibility’
as the core word, though it has to be seen whether the strategy
succeeds, according to Prasar Bharati, which manages DD and
All India Radio. The focus will be on bringing as many events
live as possible.
Ever since its launch, DD News has been having a good run
on the viewership chart. Being a terrestrial-cum-satellite
channel, it quickly managed to corner 61 percent viewership
in all-TV homes.
Known more for being a dull and drab government mouthpiece
and less for good packaging and racy presentation, DD News,
however, surprised critics by emerging the second most watched
channel after Aaj Tak, in the fiercely competitive C &
S (cable and satellite) homes. Over the last few weeks, DD
News has moved down to third position among 15 + viewers in
C & S homes, but Prasar Bharati officials expect the situation
to change , again, for the better as it unveils a slew of
new programming and packaging initiatives.
The new shows being introduced are as following:
* A bilingual new breakfast show, to be anchored by Sanjiv
Paliwal, Anisha Nayyar, Kartikeya Sharma and Ume Qul Sum.
Politics and business will be part of it, but the main focus
will be on entertainment, lifestyle, sports and international
news.
- Chunav Ki Halchal : This programme is already on
air at 10.30 p.m. in place of a sponsored programme of Rajat
Sharma, which has since discontinued.
- Jan Vaani : A Sunday interactive talk show featuring
a celebrity guest with invited audience and phone-ins and
SMS inputs. With election fever gripping the country, the
guests would be mostly politicians from different walks of
life.
- Chhoti Moti Batein : Another programme aimed at a
specific target audience, the youth between 18-20 years, who
are going to vote for the first time in their lives. This
will be an edutainment show aimed at creating political consciousness
among the youth and air in the evening on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Kahi Unkahi (Said Unsaid) : Addresses issues concerning
minority communities on Sunday afternoons. This programme
will be broadcast on DD National also.
- Rajya Nama : Another election-oriented programme,
where poll scenario is dissected and analysed state by state
during weekdays at 7 pm.
- Global Challenges : A programme on international
affairs hosted by journalist Arati Jerath. The programme is
supported by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Other popular programmes like Rangtarang (culture
round up) and Sports Talk would continue to be on air
after a revamp, including a new montage and better packaging.
With more people from Aaj Tak channel joining DD News (subse
tez channel's news director Uday Shankar would join Star News
some time in February after a break from Aaj Tak), the pubcaster
is gearing up to cover general elections in a big way.
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