The Hindu : Front Page : The "common man's DTH" is here

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Friday, Dec 17, 2004

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Front Page

The "common man's DTH" is here

By Our Special Correspondent

The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, launching the country's first free Direct-To-Home broadcasting service, `DD Direct Plus,' at his residence in New Delhi on Thursday even as Prasar Bharati and other officials watch. — PTI

NEW DELHI, DEC. 16 . DD Direct Plus — "the world's first free-to-air direct-to-home television service" — was launched by the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, here today with the confidence that it would be another step in the "continuing process of the emotional integration of our people," and the hope of it becoming a strategic instrument in the country's social and economic development.

And, billing Doordarshan's DTH as "common man's DTH," the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Jaipal Reddy, said the United Progressive Alliance Government had again lived up to its promise of being with the "aam aadmi [common man]."

Pan-Indian phenomenon

Addressing a select gathering at his residence to witness what he called "a landmark event in the history of Indian broadcasting and communications," Dr. Singh said the telecommunications revolution like the Green Revolution and the White Revolution was a truly pan-Indian phenomenon.

While celebrating India's arrival at a milestone in development, he had a word of advice for the media in general and the public broadcaster in particular. "The media must organise content in a manner that promotes the values of our republic; in particular, the values of liberalism, pluralism, secularism and of `unity in diversity'." Without indulging in vulgar propaganda, public television, he said, must present information in a manner that encourages positive thinking and free debate.

Also, the Prime Minister threw a new challenge to Prasar Bharati; asking the public broadcaster "if Doordarshan is ready to become like BBC and CNN — a global news channel. Do we have the software capabilities? The ideas, the content, the vision and the aspiration to launch an Indian news channel for the world?'' Conceding that India had numerous problems staring it in the face, he said: "But we must think big in the realm of ideas.''

In his address, Mr. Reddy said DD Direct Plus was unique as it was the world's first free-to-air direct-to-home television service; covering the entire country except the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Since Doordarshan's DTH was cheap, the Minister was hopeful of it becoming the growth engine for DTH technology in the country.

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