DD finds no takers for global rights.

                In what may prove a loss of face for the government, there are no takers across 50 countries for the distribution rights of public broadcaster Doordarshan and its dozen regional channels. Key potential markets include the US, Canada, UK, Australia, West Asia, and Southeast Asia. This means the country’s national broadcaster is unavailable for 30 million non-resident Indians.

                Twice in the past six months Prasar Bharati has come out with tender notices seeking global distributors of Doordarshan channels, including flagship DD National and DD News, but they drew little interest, say senior Doordarshan officials. “There has not been a response to the tenders. A third tender announcement may come soon,” said one official.

               That may result in the cash-strapped broadcaster losing a revenue opportunity of around Rs 35 crore from five-year rights. Sources in Doordarshan said that in 2005, KS Sarma, the then CEO of Prasar Bharati, had managed to secure a three-year deal with UK’s Sky Digital and Direct TV of the US to beam DD India to their respective markets. Both deals ended in the middle of 2008.

              “It is a good opportunity for Prasar Bharati to earn from the global distribution of Doordarshan channels. But it cannot push a bulk of its regional channels. The focus has to be on DD National or DD News,” said a leading media consultant.

             Prasar Bharati first floated the global tender in September last year, followed by another in December. Prasar Bharati, though an autonomous body, depends on loans and grants-in-aid from the government to fund its operational needs.

             However, its own source of revenue from advertising has been dwindling since 2005-06. It stood at Rs 946 crore in 2008-09, the lowest in four years. Its net revenue was around Rs 1,000 crore in 2005-06. In 2007-08 that figure stood at Rs 958 crore.