Doordarshan.....

gsaikripa · Sep 3, 2008

Doordarshan (or Dukad-darshan?)

Doordarshan, our national broadcaster (or narrowcaster shall we call it) were at their unprofessional best during the recently concluded Olympic Games. Not surprising at all. It is a fact that Doordarshan do not yet know how to telecast sports.

We all see how Prasar Bharti fight for telecast rights of an event (Soccer world cup, Cricket matches in India etc.) and when they get it they make a complete hash & mockery of it. It is as if they take the rights just so that no one else gets it.

Many of us have seen live telecast of Cricket matches on DD. It is only an opportunity for DD to make a lot of money from ads. They are least bothered whether there has been a no-ball or a wide bowled in an over. All they see is 6 balls bowled and that’s it, they go into an ad. They have no knowledge of how much time there is between overs and they end up showing one ad too many. Result – we miss the first ball of the next over. Sometimes at the end of an over, the commentators may be giving us some interesting information but DD is not interested Similarly when there is something interesting happening on the field like an argument, or something in the crowd, the commentators narrate this to us. But all we get to see are ads. Compare this with cricket telecasts on ESPN-STAR Sports. How professional they are. Ads will be shown only after the commentator has finished announcing the score at the end of the over. If the commentator is narrating something interesting, ads are not shown. It is sad that DD has not learnt anything yet from these channels.

DD made many goof-ups at the Olympic Games. When the National Anthem was being played, the commentator kept talking while international convention says that all must remain silent. During the 10,000 mtrs. race, they got the athlete & eventual winner’s name & country wrong till the end of the race when they realized their mistake & corrected it. The selection of events to be shown was also very bad. Handball – how many in India play the game? – was shown live. And of course, repeatedly showing members of the IOC (Kalmadi etc.). Even during the presentation ceremony, their faces were shown. Why don’t they participate in the Olympics – we will see them only once as they will be defeated and come back come.

DD can reach to many more people than other channels. Yet they do not improve on the quality of programmes. Only some programmes like “Kelviki Enna Badil” or some cookery programmes and devotional programmes on DD Podhigai are worth watching.

It is better that DD keeps out of telecasting sports events and concentrates on programmes of the types above.

Saahithya · Sep 3, 2008

saikripa

very well written post....however with the cable television and the movie hype booming up so fast....DD should find out new ways to copeup with the pressure and competition i suppose...thanks for sharing these views..

bhanuvetri · Sep 4, 2008

u r true gsaikripa
we like Sports Quiz broad casted on every Saturday night 10'clk
this program is worth watching

Saraswathipv · Sep 4, 2008

Dear Saikripa,

Its for quite sometime, that I have got to watch cricket or any sports in Doordarshan....But from your post, I understand that not much has changed in its ways of telecast..

The most funniest incident I remember was once during a cricket match..there was the audio failure(which often happens). The video was okay. And then suddenly, they put the running commentary from AIR in it. It was funBig Laughto hear radios ball by ball commentary with the all the noise and video of DD....

Bye

Shanvy · Sep 4, 2008

GS,

I am one of those persons who has still not switched to DTH or other cable providers. I get only the basic channels.

Though doordharshan, sports leaves you wanting to RantRantRant there are some good programmes that makes it bearable. The talk shows, the interviews with no nonsense of ads, in the DD loksabha, is worth all the trouble.

Me too saw, the mistakes they were making, during the telecast, and all the officials who got coverage. we can't blame them yaar, the money alloted to them, the equipments everything leaves a bitter taste to them and to us.

And regarding cricket commentary, what you say is tru.

But i still do watch dd sports for the reason, matches, games that go unnoticed by other major sports channel get broadcasted by these people.

Apart from these the regional movie that comes on dd loksabha, is something that takes me back to the 80's...and i do still enjoy a movie in any language and do get RantRant from my family for that...

Anyways let us home prasar bharti wakes up and teh information broadcasting ministry opens its eyes before it is too late....

Senorita · Sep 4, 2008

Doordarshan has always been Door------ for me to darshan! :hide:

But i remember when i was child i used to watch few programs like Mahabarath and Ramayan in DD. Also i like Hamara Bajaj ad which was regular ad that time :mrgreen:

malspie · Sep 4, 2008

Doordarshan can do much more than what private channels are doing at the moment as it is run by the Government and the funds are in plenty.

They have given us serials like SURABHI which was way ahead serial compared to what we have today. Also wonderful Marathi and Hindi Plays ( I am from Mumbai so I can say only about these two languages) but they failed to graduate from there. The plays were much better than the serials of private channels. Let us also talk about Malgudi Days. Theatre artists would perform and the quality of talent was sparkling on the screen!

I love to watch the serials of farming in Marathi telecasted through Doordarshan! Can a private channel dedicate serials on farming!!

Doordarshan can give us much more and if they think about it, they can be successful. Sadly, they have not grown from where they started!

They detoriated, it is like after the gold medal, the player stopped playing!!

gsaikripa · Sep 4, 2008

Dear all,
thanks for all reading my post.....

sowmya.madhu · Sep 15, 2008

Hi Saikripa,
I agree with your thoughts on DD. I still remember, when we were kids and DD used to be the only channel those days, the quality of programmes used to very good, be it the Lucy Show, the Disney show, or any other weekly serials...it used to be entertaining. I am sure DD can do much better in today's world when compared to other cable channels. Thanks for a good article.

Sowmya