At a time when the Indian government has been widely censured by the international media for its mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis, national public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has issued a tender for a consultant to propose a plan to launch a news channel for an international audience.
As per Prasar Bharati officials, the tender has not suddenly transpired, but has been in the pipeline for a long time.
The Expression of Interest (EoI) was floated on 13 May to invite consultancy services to come up with an elaborate plan “on the establishment of DD International,” The Indian Express reported.
It stated stated: “In view of the strategic objective to build a global presence for Doordarshan and to establish an international voice for India, it is envisaged to establish DD International”.
It added that the EoI “is being issued for a Detailed Project Report (DPR) from reputed global consultants with experience in advising international broadcasters/media houses on projects of this nature”.
The tender highlights the objective of the project, which is to be the “authoritative global media source on India” to be projecting the country’s “point of view globally on contemporary issues of both global and domestic significance.”
It is also to “tell the India Story to a global audience” and notes that the news channel will be a credible, exhaustive and accurate global news service.
Prasar Bharati reportedly intends to set up bureaus all over the world, and the consultant has been asked to to identify locations, organise a roadmap, and produce plans for “24×7 world service streams” and “geography specific streams”- which will be a priority.
Prasar Bharati also wants a strategy roadmap for “a Global News Service” that is based on DD India content.
The tender comes amid the vehement backlash that the government has been facing for its lack of preparedness and evasion of warnings pertaining to the COVID-19 management. India has also been termed a “dangerous” country for journalists, and has been castigated for its alleged restraints on free speech.
Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Prasar Bharati CEO spoke to the The Indian Express saying that the company’s board granted its approval for the project in March.
In a tweet dated 25 March, he thanked the board for “key decisions,” including an initiative to develop a project blue-print for Doordarshan International.
Vempati reportedly said that he plans to get a strategy roadmap ready in 6-8 months. However, owing to the uncertainty amid the pandemic, it will be delayed by a few weeks or months.
He added that while the idea has existed for a while, the channel “finally has the blessings of everyone”.
He said what will be the exact shape of the channel and what it will cost, “that has to come out of the strategy exercise” and “once we have the input, then we will tell the govt about funding” and other details.
Vempati further stated, “at this point it will be more news oriented, like BBC World Service” but it can “evolve” with time, as a lot of international interest in India is cultural, The Indian Express reported.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)