The Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA) has pledged to provide award-winning and acclaimed documentaries, short fiction, and animation films to Doordarshan to be telecast at prime time.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between IDPA president Mike H Pandey and Doordarshan Director-General Tripurari Sharan here this morning.

The aim of the MoU is to promote the independent documentary film movement in India, and ensure quality and credibility, apart from empowering independent producers to work up to the best international standards.

IDPA will provide Prasar Bharati programmes, which will be telecast on Doordarshan channels – the National channel, DD News, DD Bharati, and the international DD India.

The programmes will be acquired/ commissioned by IDPA from independent producers and will deal with public service issues.

Pandey later told indiantelevision that although the documentary movement was a century old and the IDPA had been in existence for 50 years, this was the first time that an agreement of this kind was being entered into.

He was particularly praiseworthy of the support shown by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni and senior Ministry officials who had facilitated the MoU. He said the objective would be to show the films “at a time when people can see them” and some films may be simulcast on other DD channels besides DD National.

The IDPA, which now presents awards annually to the best documentaries and short fiction films made in the country, will be offering films from its archives as well as contemporary films on issues that affect the country.

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