Doordarshan D-G Supriya Sahu says studying tie-ups & models as kids channel launch nearing

NEW DELHI: Doordarshan is actively working on an exclusive channel for entertainment for the young ones, and is currently preparing a detailed note in this connection.

Doordarshan director-general Supriya Sahu said the pubcaster had earlier in the year sent a concept note to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry which had now asked it to work out details.

Consequently, Sahu told indiantelevision.com that the pubcaster was presently studying possible partnerships and various models, apart from studying the availability of content. She said that she was confident that this would “materialise soon”.

Sahu also pointed out that the direct-to-home platform of Doordarshan, FreeDish, had all kinds of programming but nothing for the kids. It was therefore considered important to launch such a channel.

In fact, she said the issue had also been discussed at FICCI Frames in March this year. It was pointed out that kids’ channels in India were roughly about three per cent of the total number of channels with limited Indian content. Programming for children for television is a responsible job; sensible children’s programming has the objective of making youngsters imbibe a sense of responsibility and morality.

To strengthen the kids’ content industry and bring about sustainability, stability and growth to the artist community and other stakeholders in the industry, there was consensus that India needs a Free-to-Air Terrestrial Kids Channel. There was general agreement that, since Doordarshan is the only channel to have such a wide reach, it is the only capable broadcast channel to make kids content available on a wide scale nationally.

Sahu had given the example of a Doordarshan team which travelled extensively to villages to talk to people. Almost every house had a connection of FreeDish except for one. Sahu was told by the elders in the house that this was because there was no channel for kids. "So, it makes not only a good business sense for DD to launch a kids channel but also important from the Indian context,” Sahu had said.

She had said that at DD, they were working hard to create a dedicated Content Think Tank of experienced personalities to rope in the best content and mentor progression. Earlier in 2015, the wishlist of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry included a plea to the pubcaster to launch DD Kids.