Doordarshan's DD India channel has now started in Europe on Eutelsat Hotbird (13 degree East): 11604, Horizontal, SR 27500 and fec 5/6. The channel will be a free-to-air channel in Europe and the programmes are mainly in Hindi and English - with subtitles where necessary. Prasar Bharati is working on distributing DD India globally and the move to telecast DD India on Eutelsat Hotbird is a little bit strange because the most Northindian channels are available on Eurobird 28A (28 degree East) for UK viewers and Southindian channels on Eurobird 9A (9 degree East).
Prasar Bharati eyes wider reach for DD India via international satellites
After revamping its other channels and its website, Doordarshan is now working towards not just revamping its international channel DD India, but to increase its reach.
Prasar Bharati sources said that efforts were being made to distribute DD India Channel globally. Doordarshan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Asian Television Network, Canada, for distribution of five DD channels in Canada. Additionally, Doordarshan has granted permission to Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation for distribution of six DD channels in Mauritius.
The pubcaster has also signed an MOU with Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany for distribution of DD India channel through EUTELSAT's Hotbird 13B satellite on barter basis, which will ensure Doordarshan will become available for the first time in the direct-to-home in a Free-to-Air basic package mode in the whole of Europe and in Arab countries with DD Freedish coming on air on EUTELSAT's Hotbird 13 B satellite.
DW will provide Prasar Bharati with a satellite capacity of 2 Mbit/s on Hotbird for the transmission of DD India signal. DD India will be available in a basic package and will be without any subscription. It will also provide the signal to DW or any other recipient determined by DW in a form suitable for receipt and transmission. DD will be responsible for the cost of delivery of the signal to DW in Germany and all cost associated with such delivery shall be paid by Prasar Bharati to the DW Licensee in India, Cabsat Channels Pvt. Ltd.
Cabsat is willing to arrange to collect the signal of DD India from the Indian satellite and arrange for the provision of the Signal to DW in Germany, and invoice Prasar Bharati accordingly.
This will help the public broadcaster project India's viewpoint to the global audience in a cost effective manner. DD will be offered in the basic package of the DTH service, which does not require any individual to either subscribe to it or to pay for viewing the channel.
Click here to read the full story.