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Producers ask DD to work on promotional budgets as well
MUMBAI: Among broadcasters in India, only Doordarshan and Kalanithi Maran’s Sun Network used to follow the slot sale system, where time slots where sold to private producers for a certain amount. Marketing the show and earning moolah out of it was the producer’s headache.
Then DD decided to bid adieu to the slot sale system and started marketing the shows themselves. The initiative, which started with cricket a few years back, now covers films and almost 95 per cent of evening primetime. The pubcaster will bring the afternoon primetime slots under the purview of the new system from next month onwards and the next target is all its regional channels.
The backbone of DD’s new system is the Self Finance Scheme (SFS) targeted at the producers. The system operates like this: producers will be paid for their serials only after 90 days after their commencement and during this period, the shows should be maintaining the benchmark TRP of six. Otherwise, the shows will be taken off the air.
In this context, indiantelevision.com spoke to some of DD’s past as well as present producers for their opinion about the new system. A majority of them thought DD should have introduced this for serials and primetime shows much earlier. However, the common concern was if DD would spend more on promotions and publicity as well.
Kishan Dang, who produces the Thursday primetime (9:30 pm) show Karan the Detective for DD feels that 90 days is too short a period for a show to establish itself and deliver the benchmark TRPs. To take care of this situation, he feels that DD should start spending more on promotions and publicity.
“DD has now adopted the business model our private broadcasters have been following. Now, thinking in the same level, there is this huge gap between the promotional budgets of both the parties. For the shows to deliver within this 90-day period, DD should promote them in a big manner. There should be enough publicity and that is very crucial for the show to stand out in the crowd. Quality and publicity are interconnected nowadays and both are crucial for the success of a show,” says Dang.
Prasar Bharati deputy director general Vijaya Laxmi Chhabra feels that the worries about promotional budget don’t hold water in the present scenario since DD is not competing with private broadcasters. “Advertisers are buying from us for the terrestrial reach. The argument about promotional budgets will be valid once DD starts targeting Cable & Satellite (C&S) homes. However, we are working towards it,” says Chhabra.
Creative Eye’s Commander Das, meanwhile, feels that such a move from DD was long due. The production house, which stopped doing shows for Doordarshan in 2003, is now in fact looking for a re-union.
“Then a lot of undercutting used to happen. Our returns depended on the marketing agencies and then the middle men. One marketing agency would be marketing 10 slots to seven different people, and if my programme went down even by 0.5 TVRs, that made a huge difference to my returns. I think the present system will work for DD and the producer,” says Das.
The last programme Creative Eye had on air in DD was Ghar Sansaar. Some of the successful shows Creative Eye produced for DD include Om Namah Shivaya which ran from 1997 to 2001.
Producers are also happy because now they don’t need to face hassles like bank guarantee and other bureaucratic hurdles.
Both Das and Dang feel that the 90-days delay in payments is no big deal. “Even private broadcasters, at times, tend to delay the payments for, say three to four months. This 90-day delay from DD is manageable,” opines Dang.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
