(a): whether Doordarshan telecast the channels through DTH to TV channel operators free of cost;
(b): if so, the details thereof;
(c): whether these operators are charging money from public for viewing these channels;
(d): if so, the reasons for allowing them to use DTH free of cost; and
(e): the corrective measures being taken by the Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI P. R. DASMUNSI)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.233 FOR ANSWER ON 8TH DECEMBER, 2005 ON TELECASTING THROUGH D.T.H.
(a) and (b): Yes, Sir. The list of channels included in the bouquet of Doordarshan’s D.T.H. service, free of cost at the moment, is given in Annexure.
(c) to (e): No, Sir. They are not charging money from the public for showing these channels in as much as they are free-to-air channels on the DTH platform of Doordarshan. The carriage of private TV channels free of cost is only an interim measure to boost the popularity of Doordarshan’s DTH service, permitted only for a period of two years.
ANNEXURE
LIST OF CHANNELS INCLUDED IN THE BOUQUET OF DD’S DIRECT PLUS
DD CHANNELS PRIVATE CHANNELS RADIO CHANNELS 1. DD National Aaj Tak Vividh Bharati 2. DD News Headlines Today AIR FM Rainbow 3. DD Sports BBC World AIR FM Gold 4. DD India Jain TV AIR Hindi 5. DD Bharati Star Utsav AIR Bangla 6. DD Kashir Zee Music AIR North East 7 DD Punjabi Smile TV AIR Oriya 8. DD North East ETV, Marathi AIR Gujarati 9. DD Bangla Sun TV AIR Marathi 10. DD Oriya Kairali TV AIR Telugu 11. DD Gujarati Aakash Bangla AIR Tamil 12. DD Sahyadri (Marathi0 ETC Punjabi AIR Kannada 13. DD Saptagiri (Telugu) M.H. - 1 14. DD Chandana (Kannada) TV-9 15. DD Podhigai (Tamil) 16. DD Malayalam 17. DD LS (Lok Sabha) 18. DD RS (Rajya Sabha)
Educational Channel 19. Gyan Darshan