| NEW
DELHI:Doordarshan has launched two channels, DD India and DD News in the United
Kingdom to reach out to the large Indian community in that country and in Europe.
The
channels were launched on April 16 by Rayat Television Enterprises Ltd. following
an agreement with Prasar Bharati for the distribution of these channels in UK
for a period of five years. DD-India
has seven Hindi and six English news bulletins daily, while DD-News has 19 English
and 24 Hindi news bulletins daily respectively, information and broadcasting minister
Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told the Lok Sabha today during question hour. Doordarshan
sources told indiantelevision.com that although both these satellite channels
are free to air and could be seen anywhere in the world, this is the first time
that Prasar Bharati has entered into an agreement with a distributor to ensure
the channels reach viewers’ homes.
They said the channels are being
beamed via the BSkyB direct-to-home platform owned by Rupert Murdoch.
At present, Prasar Bharati has entered into such an agreement for local distribution
only in the UK and the United States with companies owned by persons of Indian
origin. | 
