DD should be the first choice of the lower half of the society: Ranjan P Thakur

[dkj]

Public broadcaster Doordarshan recently changed the name of its DTH platform from DD Direct Plus to DD’s Free Dish. As explained by Ranjan P Thakur, Additional Director-General, Doordarshan, this has primarily been done keeping in mind the less affluent sections of the society.

“Our audiences are not so affluent in comparison to the subscribers of DTH platforms such as Tata Sky, Dish TV or Airtel. The idea is to attract more customers from the semi-urban and rural areas by playing on the trump card ‘free’ and emphasise that it is a free-to-air service for life,” he added.

With digitisation panning out to Tier II and III cities after the metros, Doordarshan is now all set to increase the number of channels to about 120. The objective behind this increase is to gain maximum customers as there are a large number of free-to-air channels.

<font color=red>Video: </font>DD should be the first choice of the lower half of the society: Ranjan P Thakur

 

[srinivas33]

DD is doing great job. ohya

 

[NinadG]

All FTA channels should allowed on Freedish...:k

 

[Prashant Shridhar]

It seems this time they are serious indeed..
But no indication of avalibility of mpeg-4 (encrypted)FTA set top boxes..

 

[me_saket]

I think some this cooking on back side.

Bcoz dd don't want to loose opportunity coming with compulsory digitization to be happen on all India basis within next few years.

Dd all use new technology so that customer need to register their stb for activation.

Also chances are with new MPEG 4 they can increase channel count to 120 or by adding some old tps which sun direct not using.


Later after complete digitilization.
Dd will start asking subscription of say rs100 for all 120 channels.

Or they all come up with some 300 fee for 12 months

Or some subsidy in rs100 package .

This way govt will gets at leat rs10 as service tax or entrainment or some other tax.

Bcoz one of motto of making whole country under digitization is to increase tax revenue by govt.

Sent from my Connect-2G-2.0

 

[me_saket]

Free to air service for life will be cease to exist may be after 5 year.

Just like what dish TV gives scheme life time means 5 year in LDP

Sent from my Connect-2G-2.0

 

[NinadG]

This cann't be ruled out entirely but the goal is to provide entertainment to poorest people at min price so I think by way of auction DD is getting the money for carrying DD as well as pvt channels.

It seems DD is under hugh pressure from pvt operators to minimise its DDD+ operation as they see it as threat. This is evident from TS CEO Harit Nagpal's public statement that their main concern is DDD+ as viewers are geting free entertainment.

So pvt DTH operators will try to scuttle DD plan as 3rd phase of digitisation approaches as they fear that they will lose their cutomers if DD tries to increase no of channels.

So there will be following barriers for existing customers of DD.
1. use of mpeg4 tech to increase the no of channels will force viewers to purchase new mpeg4 compatible STB if their current STB is not compatible.
2. use of encryption will force viewers to purchase new STB/VC & going thru' process of authentication.
All these barriers may indirectly push current/potential customers to go for pvt DTH.

Here DD has to do a balancing act as on one hand they have to work as public broadcaster providing entertainment to people at min cost & on other hand there is pressure from minister/DTH operators.

Again it will be interesting to see what type of channels DD will add.

 

[me_saket]

Most of stb are still mpeg2

Sent from my Connect-2G-2.0

 

[dipak]

i think they did not charge any Rs, now its name dd freeDish, so how they charge any rs for their
services.

they can use gsat-10 or mpge-4 or other sat, whatever dd is going to 120 ch capacity within
march 2014, it is 100% sure.

 

[shawl_who]

comments like "..lower half of the society" are not gud, creates disparity in society :dodgy