In what could be seen as a move to counter negative foreign media narrative and reporting on India, especially those related to the pandemic and its aftermath, country’s national broadcaster Doordarshan is preparing to launch DD International to be the “international voice for India”.

An expression of interest (EOI) document has been floated by DD’s parent Prasar Bharati in this regard, which will be followed by a detailed project report (DPR), after receiving feedback from “reputed global consultants with experience in advising international broadcasters/media houses on projects of this nature”.

Hang on! Don’t start rubbing your hands in glee yet at the prospect of this lucrative consultancy project. According to the EOI document, reviewed by Indianbroadcastingworld.com, bidders for this ambitious project ought to have a “consistent audited annual minimum turnover of Rs.100 crore” (approximately USD 1,36,59,600.00)or more (equivalent figures in other international currencies) for the “preceding three years”, all of which will have to be verified by submitting annual audit reports.

Now to the brass tacks. What’s the aim of establishing DD International, which would be touted as an Indian equivalent of other public broadcasters like the BBC or the DW, for example? Especially when amongst DD’s fleet of 34 satellite channels (as per the organisation’s website), there already exists a channel called DD India, which is aimed at the Indian diaspora and the world at large.

The basic objective: content (news) made in India, for the world.

Amongst the other objectives, DD International would “project India’s point of view globally on contemporary issues of both global and domestic significance” while “creating a mindshare” for India’s strategic interventions within key stakeholders across the globe from “a geopolitics and global economy standpoint”.

Of course, the channel would also strive to be the “authoritative global media source on India” through credible, exhaustive and accurate global news service.

What are the deliverables expected from the successful consultant(s)?  The following, among others:

• International best practices on overarching tone, style, editorial identity, cogent digital strategy.
• Harmonizing linear broadcast and digital output.
• Global best practices for on-air “Style Guide” that can serve as the bedrock for daily output, programming rundowns, the tonal style of anchor introductions, reporter packages and the look-and-tone of live reports.
• Global best practices on balance between domestic home country news versus international news.
• Global best practices on 24/7 programming grid capable of servicing multiple time zones to suit audiences worldwide with a “follow the sun” strategy across key regions.
• Global best practices on overall split between news and programming, to include a breakdown of the different genres of programmes in order to meet diverse audience needs.
• Global best practices on multi-country bureau infrastructure and operations.
• Global best practices in design and operation of a global newsroom.
• Global best practices in innovative, cost-effective alternatives to enable 24×7 global newsroom that can efficiently break news and monitor developing stories across the globe.
• Global best practices in building and sustaining technical infrastructure with redundancy and disaster recovery across geographies.
• Assessment of labor laws and other applicable laws, regulations in target geographies and implications factored with a proposed manpower, legal, financial models.
• Global best practices on compensation by role, skill and experience
• Global best practices on audience research.
• Global best practices on opportunities to build revenue, while preserving the editorial integrity of DD International.

Doordarshan’s current global footprint is through a combination of C-band satellite distribution, Ku band DTH distribution, bi-lateral distribution arrangements with select public broadcasters in other countries, OTT and traditional cable/DTH distribution arrangements with select third parties, apart from live streaming through Prasar Bharati’s global digital platform, NewsonAir, and live streaming and on-demand content through third party platforms like YouTube.

For more details on this ambitious project of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, please visit: https://prasarbharati.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/DG-DD-letter-dated-13052021.pdf.