Doordarshan ready to compete with private TV channels

Patna, July 10 (UNI) In an attempt to compete with private channels while also performing its duties as public broadcaster, Doordarshan has decided to telecast serials under 'self financed and sponsored programmes'.

Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharti cum Director General of Doordarshan Navin Kumar told mediapersons here today that several top film personalities had been assigned the responsibility to produce TV serials under the new policy of self financed and sponsored programmes.

He said yesteryear's actors like Sachin and Saira Bano would be given the responsibility to prepare quality programmes.

Mr Kumar said that earlier Doordarshan used to telecast the serials produced by private parties on fixed rate charged by it while commercial rights were given to the programme producers.

He said that private producers had the opportunity to earn through the commercial rights but under the new policy, Doordarshan would produce the programmes and sponsor the telecast of the same.

Recalling the hold hit serials 'Humlog', 'Buniyad', Yeh hai Zindagi, 'Ramayan' and 'Mahabharat', he said that all the programmes were produced by the private parties. ''Ownership of such serial were with producers and Doordarshan can not re-telecast it without permission from its producers,'' he added.

He saidKatha Sarita series of 811 episodes would be telecast in fifteen languages. Renowned producers like Shyam Benegal, Girish Karnad, Amol Palekar, Basu Chatterjee, Muzaffar Ali has been entrusted with the responsibility to produce the stories under Katha Sarita.

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