NEW DELHI: Producers/production houses, who have produced at least 200 hours of general entertainment programming, including Feature Film production in any Indian language in the last three years will be eligible to apply for bidding for slots on the national channel of Doordarshan.

In a process that has started de novo, the e-auction is slated for 5 September 2016 and letter of award will be issued on 9 September 2016.

Following a revision of terms, the Prasar Bharati Board has said that production houses with a turnover of minimum Rs 3 crores per annum in the field of TV and Film production in the last three financial years are eligible to apply.

Applicants for weekend slots in the genres of Reality, Game, Quiz, should have produced 100 hrs of such content in the last 3 years.

Earlier, only those with production in television and a minimum of 300 hours had been allowed. But this has been amplified ti include film production houses and 200 hours of entertainment programming.

Doordarshan had in June announced auction of slots for its prime time but had to keep the policy under suspension after it failed to get adequate response.

DD has now floated a new RFP document with several flexible eligibility conditions to invite fresh and good quality content on its DD National as a pilot.

Successful bidder(s) will produce fresh programmes in various genres of general entertainment programme for Doordarshan adhering to the programming/broadcasting codes of Prasar Bharati.

The last date for submission of qualification bid is 19 August 2016. Bids will be opened on the same day. The final list of bidders will be announced on 30 August. The launch of programmes under the e-auction slots will commence on 31 October 2016.

The earnest money deposit is Rs 5 Lakhs for each weekdays slot. Bidders may apply for one or more slots and for those applying for three slots, the earnest money will be Rs 15 lakhs.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) of the slot sale can be downloaded from the website www.ddindia.gov.in