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Though religious channels like Aastha, Jagran, Maharshi Veda Vision
and God TV too have shown interest to be on the DD Direct Plus platform,
no decision have been taken yet by the pubcaster whether to accommodate
such channels or not.
The foreign channels that evinced interest include Channel News
Asia, German pubcaster DW, French TV5 and Canada’s SS TV.
The sources said that a committee would be set up soon to shortlist
the additional 17 channels that would be finally allowed on board
the DTH service for which subscribers don’t have to pay any monthly
feel.
The Indian channels who have shown an eagerness to be part of DD
Direct Plus include some Enandu family of channels, Sahara Samay
Rashtriya, Splash TV, Win TV, Zee News, Delhi-specific Total TV,
Jaya TV, interactive music channel Speed Music, CMM Music, ETC Music,
SS Music and Sur Sangeet.
“DD can accommodate another 17 channels in the next phase of upgradation
and that’s why the competition is hot amongst those wanting to be
pat of DD Direct Plus,” a source in DD’s DTH division said.
15 LAKH BOXES SOLD, AND STILL GOING STRONG
Though critics were skeptical about DD Direct Plus, considering
the pubcaster is not known to be too market savvy, the service has
proved some points. Foremost that despite proliferation of cable
TV, there are large parts of the country where people still don’t
have access to good quality transmission and variety. Second, if
local options are given at cheaper prices, then people would go
for it.
Take, Tamil Nadu’s example. The state does boast of a sizable cable
TV population, but still tops the list with maximum ( 2.5 lakh)
sale of DD Direct Plus boxes. Maharashtra follows TN with sale figures
of 1.5 lakh boxes, while in Rajasthan slightly over 100,000 boxes
have been sold.
In the north-eastern state of Assam about 50,000 boxes have got
sold, which, DD feels, is “encouraging.”
However, the state of Karnataka, DD sources admitted, is a bit
of concern with the boxes sale sluggish.
DD also is in the process of wrapping up a 117-city media outdoor
campaign, which harped on the virtues of DD Direct Plus.
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