The government has said that over 700 millions viewers watched Doordarshan’s TV channels in 2022, adding that steps have also been taken to improve quality of content across the public broadcaster’s slate of channels.

“Prasar Bharati (Doordarshan’s parent) has informed that as per the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC India), viewership data of subscribed Doordarshan (DD) channels for 2022 is 724.3 millions,” Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur told Rajya Sabha last week.

The Minister added that Doordarshan has taken several steps for increasing viewership of its channels, including regional and State-specific TV channels of the north-eastern States.

“Doordarshan has been continuously revamping the content of its channels both at national and regional levels according to need and taste of audience. The steps taken so far in this regard are revamp of content, strengthening of marketing vertical, opening of portal inviting proposals for fresh programmes from reputed production houses, etc,” Thakur said in Rajya Sabha (Upper House) on August 10.

He was responding to a query from a fellow parliamentarian on the BARC India viewership data in the last one year for channels like DD National, DD News, DD Bharati, DD Kissan, DD India, DD Sports and the regional channels of the north eastern States. MIB was also asked about the ways Prasar Bharati was planning to increase the DD’s viewership.

Thakur concluded his reply by stating that a number of mega shows have been launched along with other new serials, which are in the pipeline, to attract viewers across different socio-economic segments.