Hoping to cash in on the upcoming Commonwealth Games (CWG) telecast coverage, Aruna Sharma, director-general, Doordarshan
, is aiming for a makeover. In a candid chat with our correspondent, she shares glimpses of her vision for transforming Doordarshan from a procedure-centric entity to an outcome driven premier entertainment and news broadcaster in the next few years. Excerpts:
Have you signed a deal with SIS Live of the UK for high definition (HD) coverage of Commonwealth Games? If so, why is it taking time?
Everything has been sorted out. The deal should be inked in a day or two. Some administrative changes and approvals and consultations are required. SIS Live will handle the production coverage of the Games and train 300 Doordarshan staffers. Let me underline that financials of the SIS contract have not changed.
How are you planning to leverage the Games?
We will have a dedicated HD channel DD India that will carry the feed of CWG in HD format. The HD channel will be available on DD Direct Plus, our free-to-air DTH service. The coverage will also be available in standard definition formats. We are in talks with cable operators in Delhi and Mumbai who have promised to upgrade their cable infrastructure to carry DDs HD channel on their network. Consumers of DD Direct Plus will be required to buy a higher-end set top box to enjoy the HD transmission of CWG.