Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051204550800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Prasar Bharati to premiere in U.S.

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: Decks have been cleared for Prasar Bharati to make Doordarshan channel available in the United States of America.

CEO of Prasar Bharati K.S. Sarma told a press conference here on Thursday that May 24 had been tentatively selected for launching the channel at a function in New York. He said this was a great occasion for Indians wanting to look at events in India through Doordarshan.

Responding to a question on DTH (direct-to-home), he said that by June 15, the DTH platform would be expanded to accommodate 50 channels from the present 33 that included 19 of DD's own channels. This apart, the number of radio channels too would go up from 12 to 20, starting May 15, he said. With the expansion, Prasar Bharati was now in a position to demand the Rs. 1 crore that it took to have space on a platform for a year's time, he said.