DD launches SMS-based news service

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) Doordarshan has launched an SMS-based news service which enables mobile phone users to get the top four news headlines and cricket score updates of matches telecast live by the channel, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

In a written reply, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi said the SMS facility had become operational since April 5.

With regard to the All India Radio (AIR) network, Mr Dasmunsi said News on Phone Service or Interactive Voice Recorder (IVR) is already functional at Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Patna and Ahmedabad.

This service is expected to be commissioned at Thiruvananthapuram and Bangalore shortly. Besides, this service is expected to be launched at Raipur, Jaipur, Shimla, Lucknow, Guwahati, Imphal and Kolkata during the 10th Plan period, he said.

The SMS-based news service is expected to be commissioned in Delhi during the 10th Plan period.

Replying to another query, the minister said the Prasar Bharati Board had approved the proposal to position Part-Time Correspondents (PTC) in all those districts of the country where regular AIR correspondents are not posted.

At present, there are about 90 full-time correspondents/editors and 419 PTCs posted across the country. The process of selection of PTCs in respect of remaining 150 districts headquarters is under way.

With this, Prasar Bharati would have correspondents in all the district headquarters of the country, he said.

Doordarshan News has a network of stringers who, along with the PTCs of AIR, provides news inputs from various districts in the country. Besides, regular TV correspondents and news reporters are also deployed to gather important news from time to time for inclusion in the news bulletins telecast by Doordarshan.

''AIR and DD try to cover all important news events across the country with their limited manpower and support. Some events in far off places which are not covered due to infrastructure and manpower shortages are covered by subscribing to news agencies,'' Mr Dasmunsi said.

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