DD National
Encyclopedia
DD National or DD1 is Doordarshan
's flagship channel and the most widely available terrestrial television
channel in India
.
as part of All India Radio
. It started with 20 TV receivers in and around Delhi and transmitted one hour educational and developmental programs twice a week. Regular daily transmission started in 1965.
In 1976, the Indian government
constituted Doordarshan, the public television broadcaster, as a separate Department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
.
Its symbol resembles with Angara,Gondwana and Sea of early timing of earth formation.
which were covered by the channel. To increase the channel's reach, the government launched a program to set up low and high power transmitters that would pick-up the satellite distributed signals and re-transmit them to surrounding areas. By 1983, television signals were available to 28% of the Indian population. Fueled by the success of the channel's commercialization and increased revenue from advertising, the channel's reach and popularity continued to grow and in 1990, the channel reached more than 90% of the Indian population.
For the first few years after its inception, the channel only aired educational and informative programs with news being one of the biggest draw. Once the national feed started in 1982, the channel started airing regional and local shows on time-sharing basis. For most Indian states, this meant one national and one local news telecast. The channel soon started airing entertainment shows and popularity of some of the earliest series such as Hum Log, film-based shows such as Chitrahaar
and Hindi
movies resulted in a gradual increase in entertainment and commercial programming. Rangoli is the oldest programme on DD National, dedicated to Classic Hindi songs.
Till mid-80s, channel transmission was limited to evenings only. On February 11, 1987, the channel introduced morning transmission with a two hour telecast. This included ten minute news bulletins in Hindi
and English
apart from other short shows. On January 1, 1989, afternoon transmission, aimed at housewives and children, was launched.
The channel's educational programming includes distance learning shows for UGC
and IGNOU
as well as learning shows for kids sponsored by NCERT
.
Since late-90s, the channel broadcasts from 4:30 am IST
till 2:00 am terrestrially while the satellite feed is available 24 hours a day.
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
's flagship channel and the most widely available terrestrial television
Terrestrial television
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
channel in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The Early Years
The channel began broadcast on an experimental basis on September 15, 1959 from a makeshift studio at Akashvani Bhavan in New DelhiNew Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
as part of All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
. It started with 20 TV receivers in and around Delhi and transmitted one hour educational and developmental programs twice a week. Regular daily transmission started in 1965.
In 1976, the Indian government
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
constituted Doordarshan, the public television broadcaster, as a separate Department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is a branch of the Government of India is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to information, broadcasting, the press and films in India....
.
Its symbol resembles with Angara,Gondwana and Sea of early timing of earth formation.
Growth in the 80s
In 1982, all of Doordarshan's regional stations were networked using INSAT 1A and a national feed called National Programme was introduced. Later that year, Delhi played host to Asian GamesAsian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
which were covered by the channel. To increase the channel's reach, the government launched a program to set up low and high power transmitters that would pick-up the satellite distributed signals and re-transmit them to surrounding areas. By 1983, television signals were available to 28% of the Indian population. Fueled by the success of the channel's commercialization and increased revenue from advertising, the channel's reach and popularity continued to grow and in 1990, the channel reached more than 90% of the Indian population.
Programming
For further information: List of programs broadcast by DD NationalFor the first few years after its inception, the channel only aired educational and informative programs with news being one of the biggest draw. Once the national feed started in 1982, the channel started airing regional and local shows on time-sharing basis. For most Indian states, this meant one national and one local news telecast. The channel soon started airing entertainment shows and popularity of some of the earliest series such as Hum Log, film-based shows such as Chitrahaar
Chitrahaar
Chitrahaar is a television program on DD National, most widely watched in the 1970s. The word literally means 'a garland of pictures'. It airs for half an hour every Friday on prime-time where the videos of the latest songs in Hindi film music are televised...
and Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
movies resulted in a gradual increase in entertainment and commercial programming. Rangoli is the oldest programme on DD National, dedicated to Classic Hindi songs.
Till mid-80s, channel transmission was limited to evenings only. On February 11, 1987, the channel introduced morning transmission with a two hour telecast. This included ten minute news bulletins in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
apart from other short shows. On January 1, 1989, afternoon transmission, aimed at housewives and children, was launched.
The channel's educational programming includes distance learning shows for UGC
University Grants Commission (India)
The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory organisation set up by Union government in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It provides recognition for universities in India, and provides funds for government-recognised...
and IGNOU
Indira Gandhi National Open University
The Indira Gandhi National Open University , known as IGNOU is a national university with its headquarters in New Delhi, Delhi, India. Named after former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 with a budget of 2000 crore, when the Parliament of India passed...
as well as learning shows for kids sponsored by NCERT
National Council of Educational Research and Training
The National Council of Educational Research and Training is an apex resource organization set up by the Government of India, with headquarters at New Delhi, to assist and advise the Central and State Governments on academic matters related to school education.it was Established in the year of...
.
Since late-90s, the channel broadcasts from 4:30 am IST
Indian Standard Time
Indian Standard Time is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a time offset of UTC+05:30. India does not observe daylight saving time or other seasonal adjustments, although DST was used briefly during the Sino–Indian War of 1962 and the Indo–Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971...
till 2:00 am terrestrially while the satellite feed is available 24 hours a day.