Doordarshan [Alive]

               Ask anyone of my age (29 now), about the best soap he saw and pat comes a pick from the good old days. He would choose at least one from the list: Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Chandrakanta, Tippu Sultan, Discovery of India, Byomkesh Bakshi, Tehkikat, Hum Paanch, Mungeli lal ki haseena sapne, Nukkad, Surabhi, Shanthi and UGC. There was creativity, thought, meticulousness and quality in the stuff made in bygone-era. That was the Doordarshan era.

               Ask anyone in his teens about Doordarshan, the only time he might have watched it might be during an accidental flip of the channel. Why the channel is buried deep under? Everyone is still synonymous with brand and quality, so what is the Government doing with it? The Ministry of IT and Broadcasting should spend some time reviving it rather than waiting to wane away its sheen. (IT is not the only thing which survives in the country, Mr. Minister).

               In this day of launch-a-channel-everyday, how can Doordarshan stand out? More importantly how can it help the Government and People of India which it serviced in past (after all the tax payers should reap some benefits from this)? How can it be be trendsetter again? What can be the "evolved form" of the Doordarshan?

               So here is my take on how this channel can evolve to become another trendsetter. In this day of so many local, vernacular channels, there is no need of another soap-channel. Where it can do more justice is a place where India's voice is to be heard and heard louder. It can speak vehemently in US about the jobs created by Indian companies in US and how outsourcing has helped an average Joe get all his home products at such economical prices. It can showcase how Indians are helping the Oz-nations get their doctors in hospitals and software in working. It can showcase in Afghanistan how Indians are no different for Afghan brothers, after all both of us like Bollywood. We can show in Nepal, how India's growth is creating opportunities in their country. It should show in Srilanka and China how Buddhism came from India to other nations and how closely connected we are culturally. It can showcase in Israel, Iran and other places, how we support their cause and extend our empathy to them. It can showcase in Kashmir how a Muslim majority region like Hyderabad has made a mark on the world by accepting the integration into a rich and prosperous nation.

               So how do we do it. First it requires a strong vision and commitment from the Ministry, and I believe if it is clubbed with the IT ministry it cannot achieve this. Rather there should be a separate ministry for this with aid from External Affairs Ministry. After all, BBC programs are part funded by their Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So why not Doordarshan? The second aspect is to do aggressive marketing both in India and abroad. (uggh..my sales and marketing gene is in play now). They should pitch aggressively in the countries of interest, after all our consulates are pretty active there. Then they should also take on the private channels with all aggression. These channels have made a mock of the TV transmission and news. There is no quality or dignity in delivering the news. Peepli [Live] has expressed my thoughts on today’s private channels. I would have been most happy had Doordarshan sponsored/funded the movie.