Date:22/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/22/stories/2008122253720400.htm

New Delhi

IGNOU to launch TV channel on science and technology

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has drawn up plans to start a television channel for science and technology from this coming Tuesday, its Vice-Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai has announced.

The test transmission of the channel will take place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on December 23 and initially the programmes will be in English and Hindi, he said.

Long time need

The science programmes would be available on Gyan Darshan-2 which is placed on the DTH platform of DD Direct Plus. This channel is also being carried by a few other DTH service providers.

On the rationale behind the channel, it is being said that for a long time, a need was being felt by IGNOU and various educational and scientific organisations for an exclusive television channel devoted to science and related areas. This channel will cater to all age groups with the objective of helping people realise the need and importance of various aspects of science and for developing a scientific temperament among the people.

All fields

The channel would cover all the fields of sciences such as aspects of sciences, application of sciences, scientific research, the history, philosophy, advancement in science, India’s heritage and social aspects. It will contain educative and entertaining programmes which would enable the people to understand issues of their concerns and address these through a participatory process.

This channel will also telecast some interactive programmes designed to assure that everybody is not a viewer, but also a contributor. The content of the programmes and time will be dynamic and would be amended with the feedback received from the viewers.