Lok Sabha Question No. 2676 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-02
Subject: Viewership Market
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: S. Ramalingam, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2676

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2022)

## VIEWERSHIP MARKET

2676. SHRI RAMALINGAM S.:

SHRI T.R. BAALU:

Will  the  Minister  of  INFORMATION  AND  BROADCASTING  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that TV viewership of the Doordarshan has come down drastically for the last many years as  they  are  unable  to  withstand  competition  from  the  private  TV channels;
- (b) if so, the details thereof of viewership market share of Doordarshan vis-à-vis private TV channels along with the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has any proposal to improve the quality of programmes telecast on the Doordarshan so as to compete with the other private channels in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of investments made by Doordarshan/ Government during the last three years and other action taken to improve the quality of transmission and programmes of Doordarshan to make it at par with private TV channels?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

(a) & (b) Prasar Bharati has informed that Doordarshan Channels have overall  maintained  almost  same  positions  in  their  genres  vis-a-vis private channels in the last three years as per  Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) ratings. As per BARC data for the subscribed DD channels, Gross Unique viewership across the Network  for  last three years and the current year (upto week 28), is as under:

| Year   | Gross Unique Viewership (in Millions) for DD Channels (SD only)   |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2019   | 760.4                                                             |
| 2020   | 747.0*                                                            |
| 2021   | 684.9*                                                            |
| 2022#  | 633.1                                                             |

* Viewership data for DD News and DD India till 02.10.2020 and then from Dec. 2021 and March 2022.
- # Till second week of July, 2022 (week 28)

Prasar Bharati is the public broadcaster and its primary duty is to carry out public broadcasting services to inform, educate and entertain the public and to ensure a balanced development of broadcasting on radio and television.  Its purpose is not solely commercial but to reach those areas where no private broadcaster would venture.

(c)  &  (d)  Doordarshan  is  committed  to  quality  content  and  have accordingly taken several steps to produce and acquire high quality programmes for its network.  DD has also launched Content Sourcing Portal for submission of suo-moto proposals under Direct Assignment Process (DAP) by production houses.

Doordarshan stations across the country are also upgraded with the introduction of latest equipments, video walls etc. for quality production.  The  quality  of  program  production,  post  production  and telecast/broadcast has improved with the modernization/upgradation.

The  Broadcasting  Infrastructure  and  Network  Development  (BIND) scheme introduced in the year 2017-18 has inter-alia components for modernisation and augmentation of capital infrastructure of Doordarshan to improve the quality of transmission and programmes.

Year-wise allocation and expenditure is given below:

Figures in Rs. crore

| Financial Year   |   Funds Allocated | Expenditure   |
|------------------|-------------------|---------------|
| 2019-20          |            235.4  | 289.02*       |
| 2020-21          |            183.03 | 201.65*       |
| 2021-22          |            175    | 161.60        |
| Total            |            593.43 | 652.27        |

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