The government is undertaking a wide-ranging modernisation of public broadcasters Doordarshan and Akashvani to enhance their content quality, technological capability and audience reach in an increasingly competitive media landscape, the Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday.
Responding to a question in the House, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan said the upgradation is being carried out under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) Scheme (2021–26), with a total outlay of ₹2,539.61 crore. The scheme focuses on digitisation, replacement of legacy systems, studio and transmitter upgrades, expansion of coverage and adoption of new broadcasting technologies.
As part of content reforms, the government introduced a simplified Content Sourcing Policy in 2024 to allow wider participation and faster acquisition of programmes. Regional and state centres of Doordarshan are increasingly engaging local artists to produce programmes in regional languages, while artist and casual assignee rates have been revised to attract better talent across the network’s 66 Programme Production Centres.
Public outreach has been strengthened through live coverage of major national events, including the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, WAVES 2025 in Mumbai and ISRO satellite launches. Several Doordarshan channels are now being telecast in High Definition, and the broadcaster’s digital presence has been expanded with the launch of the OTT platform “WAVES”, which integrates DD channels and other content offerings. These platforms are also linked with digital services such as the ONAIR mobile app.
Akashvani has introduced new audio-visual podcast series, including “The Akashvani Podcast” and “Akashvani Originals”, while structural reforms have been implemented to clearly define roles for cluster heads and heads of offices, with a sharper focus on content improvement, market outreach and revenue generation.
The government is also leveraging alternative broadcasting modes such as mobile apps, OTT platforms and social media, supported by coordinated marketing and cross-channel publicity. Measures to enhance revenue include improved client engagement, multi-platform promotion and integrated advertising strategies.
According to the information shared in Parliament, Akashvani and Doordarshan together earned ₹587.78 crore from non-government advertisements during the period from 2022 to 2025, reflecting growing efforts to diversify revenue streams alongside public service broadcasting objectives.
