Doordarshan recently reverted to its “orange” logo, however, interestingly it is only the beginning for the Modi government as several new appointments and reforms are planned at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and Prasar Bharati for the ruling dispensation’s third term following the Lok Sabha election, reported News18.
With bureaus in fifteen nations, DD India aims to become a global brand. Prasar Bharati’s SHABD portal, on the other hand, intends to grow into a worldwide news agency through onboarding over 1000 media entities, including foreign outlets. The MIB is also planning to build an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub, and a Bharat NAMAN portal will be launched to provide the general public with access to media and archives. A “Global Media and Entertainment Summit” is scheduled, and the “PIB Fact-Check Unit” will be expanded throughout various locations in an effort to combat “fake news.” A master’s program might be offered by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC).
The report stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed departments to create a five-year and 100-day plan for “Modi 3.0” which includes all of the aforementioned developments. According to sources, the principal objectives of Prasar Bharati are to strengthen India’s soft power and provide a footprint for the international reach of Indian cinema and television. DD India and the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will develop into global brands as a result.
The government is also interested in increasing the number of channels available on “DD Free Dish” and extending its reach to neighbouring nations. Through the induction of more than 1,000 media platforms, including international ones, the recently created SHABD will evolve into India’s worldwide news agency. The extensive network of Prasar Bharati reporters, correspondents and stringers throughout India powers the audio-visual network “SHABD” which is designed to offer subscribers daily news feeds in text, audio, video, photo and other formats.
A master’s program could be introduced by the IIMC and the Cabinet might consider the Broadcasting Services Bill which would establish industry regulations. Aizwal will host the 500th community radio station when it goes live in the first 100 days of the Modi government, according to the administration’s plans.
According to insiders, Modi 3.0’s two other major projects are “Jan Samvad” and “Bharat NAMAN.” This will feature the National Video Gateway serving as a platform for public access to free video and an AI platform housed in the MIB for real-time translation, dubbing, subtitling and AI-based production of content. The “Bharat NAMAN” will be formed as a national platform for media access and archiving, with the inclusion of iconic documents, images and publications in several languages. The same will be monetized through access to producers and filmmakers for commercial use.
BJP put forward facts as DD News under fire from opposition over saffron logo
Doordarshan’s decision to change of the color of DD News logo to orange has sparked an uproar. It is a violation of the electoral code, according to the opposition. ON the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party asserted that the colour late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi originally selected for the channel in 1982 has been reinstated. All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the Modi government and labelled the decision as “crude”. She also questioned the Election Commission for not preventing the move.
She charged, “I am shocked at the sudden saffronisation and change of colour of our Doordarshan logo when the national elections are taking place across the country! It is absolutely unethical, grossly illegal, and speaks loudly of the pro-BJP bias of the national public broadcaster! How could the Election Commission of India allow this crude, pro-Saffron violation of the Model Code of Conduct when the people are in the electoral mode?! ECI must immediately stop it and reverse the change to go back to the original blue colour of the logo of Doordarshan!”
I am shocked at the sudden saffronisation and change of colour of our Doordarshan logo when the national elections are taking place across the country! It is absolutely unethical, grossly illegal, and speaks loudly of the pro-BJP bias of the national public broadcaster!
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 20, 2024
How… pic.twitter.com/3JnfDhR3Ca
AITC Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar who was the CEO of Prasar Bharati between 2012 and 2014 claimed, “As ex-CEO of Prasar Bharati it hurts to see the saffronisation of Doordarshan’s logo just before elections! It will influence voters, by overlaying the colour one religion and Sangh Parivar colour with a ‘neutral’ Public Broadcaster and a biased government/regime!”
As ex CEO of Prasar Bharati it hurts to see the saffronisation of Doordarshan’s logo
— Jawhar Sircar (@jawharsircar) April 20, 2024
— just before elections!
It will influence voters, by overlaying the colour one religion and Sangh parivar colour with a ‘neutral’ Public Broadcaster and a biassed Govt/Regime! pic.twitter.com/g7m0PH9nMf
Manish Tewari, former Information and Broadcasting minister and Congress Lok Sabha MP criticized the switch claiming it was an attempt to bolster the BJP government’s control over public broadcasting. He alleged, “As Former Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting I wish Prasar Bharati would focus more on improving the content of the Public Broadcaster rather than play paint box with the logo. It demonstrates an obsession with semantics over substance.”
He added, “This is an attempt on the part of the govt to saffronise and capture the govt institutions. The said move clearly undermines the neutrality and credibility of India’s public broadcaster.”
As Former Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting @MIB_India I wish @prasarbharati would focus more on improving the content of the Public Broadcaster rather than play paint box with the logo.
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) April 21, 2024
It demonstrates an obsession with semantics over substance. pic.twitter.com/xxc643nM5x
However, the BJP reacted fiercely to the accusations and countered them. The party’s IT Cell chief Amit Malviya promptly replied that the change was tested years ago in 1982 calling the move a “homecoming for the national broadcaster.” He replied, “Thanks for not abusing. Your language of late has been crass and disgusting. The prospect of losing election is showing. On Doordarshan’s saffron colour, it was tested way back in 1982. So, don’t be shocked and find out who changed it to blue. This is nothing but homecoming for the national broadcaster,” while responding to Mamata Banerjee.
Thanks for not abusing. Your language off late has been crass and disgusting. The prospect of losing election is showing.
— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) April 20, 2024
On Doordarshan’s saffron colour – it was tested way back in 1982. So, don’t be shocked and find out who changed it to blue.
This is nothing but home coming… https://t.co/0PDQQe9Fbj pic.twitter.com/UzfBsrkigo
Journalist Kanchan Gupta also gave a brief history of the logo for “saffron haters” and denounced Mamata Banerjee for her allegations. He highlighted, “Doordarshan’s original ‘Eye’ logo was designed by Devashis Bhattacharyya of NID. It was selected by PM Indira Gandhi who was concurrently I&B Minister (1971-73). Doordarshan went colour on Independence Day 1982. PM Indira Gandhi chose the logo colour: Saffron. I&B Minister Vasant Sathe implemented it. The 1982 colour has been restored as part of an overall revamp of Doordarshan by Prasar Bharati.”
He added, “Footnote: In 1982 Mamata Banerjee was clawing her way up the lower rungs of the Congress ladder. She would have been clueless about Indira Gandhi’s astute politics of the 1980s (when she took to wearing a Rudraksha mala)”
𝗗𝗗 𝗟𝗼𝗴𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻-𝗛𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
— Kanchan Gupta (Hindu Bengali Refugee)🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) April 20, 2024
📌Doordarshan’s original ‘Eye’ logo was designed by Devashis Bhattacharyya of NID.
📌It was selected by PM Indira Gandhi who was concurrently I&B Minister (1971-73).
📌Doordarshan went colour on Independence Day 1982.… pic.twitter.com/AaIiDf9Vrz
Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO of Prasar Bharti also maintained that the channel’s branding and aesthetic update included the use of vivid, eye-catching colours. He noted, “The colour is orange, not saffron. It’s not just the logo that underwent change, the entire visual identity has been revamped. It’s regrettable that people are reading more into this than necessary. We’ve been working on revitalising DD’s look and feel for the past six to eight months.”
Devashish Bhattacharya, a student at the National Institute of Design created the logo for the national broadcaster which was founded on 15th September 1959. The broadcaster explained that the aesthetic appeal and history of the symbol are the main reasons for the colour change. It was pointed out that the original design, selected by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the time and unveiled in 1976 had an orange colour scheme set against a green background with theme music composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Ahmed Hussain Khan.
