Doordarshan plans to expand its DTH service

With an eye on expanding its DTH service DD Direct Plus, Doordarshan is in talks with several private television channels for including them in its ambit.

"Currently there are 59 free to air channels on DD Direct Plus... Doordarshan and Prasar Bharati officials are busy working out the modalities of this arrangement and they have also given me presentations.

"The idea is to ensure that around 200 channels are shown free to air in the country. We are working in this direction," Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni told PTI here today.

DD Direct Plus is the country's only free to air direct to home (DTH) service run by Prasar Bharati that provides satellite channels and audio programming.

It also telecasts a bouquet of All India Radio channels out of its total 59 channels.

As DD Direct Plus signals reach across the country, the number of viewers is expected to increase substantially if private channels also join the service.

Another idea behind this initiative, according to ministry sources, is to make the DTH service more viewer friendly and adequate dose of popular entertainment channels will make it more attractive.