India’s public broadcaster Doordarshan (DD) is trying a new strategy to win viewers on its DD National channel. According to India’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the broadcaster will open up key primetime slots for sale to outside content producers.

The Minister said that the current pattern of commissioning programming had resulted in a dip in viewership.  This pattern (the self-financing commissioning/SFC) had also resulted in decreasing revenues.

The new structure will see independents mounting their programming via DD channels and see DD earn a guaranteed fee for the time-slot. The producers would gain a return on their investment from selling commercials during their slot.

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