Doordarshan has launched a Rs.14.5 crore project to establish an end-to-end 4K (Ultra High Definition) production ecosystem, marking a significant step in modernising its broadcast infrastructure and strengthening its capabilities for next-generation content production, The Storyboard18 reported.

According to a tender floated by the Directorate General of Doordarshan, the broadcaster plans to set up an End-to-End UHD File-Based Workflow Facility for the Doordarshan network. The project will create an integrated digital production system that supports the complete content lifecycle—from media ingestion and editing to storage, quality control, archiving and transmission—within a 4K production environment.

Unlike conventional broadcast upgrades that primarily focus on studio equipment, the project is aimed at developing a unified digital production backbone. Under the proposed workflow, content will be ingested into a centralised storage system, enabling multiple editors to access and work on the same media files simultaneously. The workflow will also integrate media asset management, quality control and playout into a single, streamlined production ecosystem.

The project is expected to be completed within six months from the date of award.

Once operational, the new file-based workflow is expected to improve production efficiency across the broadcaster’s network by enabling faster content turnaround, better collaboration among production teams and more efficient management of digital archives. The transition is also expected to provide the technological foundation for large-scale UHD programme production across Doordarshan’s television services.

As part of the procurement process, Doordarshan has extended the deadline for bid submissions. In a bid extension notice issued on July 7, the broadcaster said the opening of technical bids, originally scheduled for July 17, has been postponed to July 21 due to administrative reasons. All other terms and conditions of the tender remain unchanged.

The UHD workflow project is part of a broader technology modernisation programme underway at Doordarshan. Alongside the new digital production infrastructure, the broadcaster has also invited bids for robotic cameras, robotic heads, track dollies with elevation columns and full-frame mirrorless cameras, signalling simultaneous investments in both front-end production equipment and backend broadcast systems.

The initiative comes as broadcasters around the world continue to adopt file-based workflows and Ultra HD production technologies to improve operational efficiency and future-proof content creation. While Doordarshan already operates several HD channels, the new project is expected to establish the digital infrastructure needed to support wider deployment of 4K production capabilities across its network.