NFADE
National Federation of Akashwani & Doordarshan Employees
A Presentation on Issues
Related to the production &
Coverage of
2010 Commonwealth Games
Kulbhushan Bhatia
Secy. General
Anil Kumar.S
Chairman
Depriving Doordarshan – the
Host Broadcaster- of
production & coverage of
2010 Commonwealth games
Prasar Bharati has invited Expression of
Interest – Global Tender- for the production &
coverage of commonwealth games to be held
at Delhi in October 2010. The excuse given in
various fora are that :
Doordarshan does not have the High
definition television (HDTV) technology,
Employees are not capable to operate the
system in HDTV and
Doordarshan doesn’t have Programmers of
international Standards.
The history ..
Doordarshan –Asiad 1982 to
Commonwealth Youth Games
2008
It is a well known fact that when Doordarshan
was entrusted with the job of the covering the
1982 Asian games, that too in colour
transmission, it was in its childhood. Though
Doordarshan started its service in India in the
year 1959, it was running with skeleton
service in black & while till Asiad 1982.
The staff who were familiar with audio
broadcasting took the challenge and proved
their worth with very good coverage, even
though it was totally a new system- not only
technology but the whole concept.
Thereafter the same Doordarshan proved its
broadcasting capability for the last 27 years
with countless events of National &
International importance such as :
Independence Day, Republic Day, NAM Summit,
CHOGM Meet,
National Games,
SAF Games,
Afro - Asian Games,
Olympics, Asiads, Military Games at Hyderabad,
Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 etc..etc.
Prasar Bharati Management made its efforts
to outsource 7 out 8 events of the
Commonwealth Youth Games.
After the intervention of the then Hon’ble
Minister & Secretary for I&B it was finally
granted to Doordarshan.
We provided a flawless coverage of
International Standards, even though the
decision for the same was taken at the last
minute.
Change in Technology (HDTV)
It is told repeatedly by the Prasar Bharati
Management in various platforms that
Doordarshan is not capable of HDTV
coverage.
As on today we don’t have the equipments
for the production and coverage of the
Games in HDTV format.
But, as per our information no other TV
broadcaster in India is different in this matter.
Financial Implications:
It is learnt from one of the well known manufacturer of HDTV
system that one full unit ( OB- Outside Broadcast- van with 8
cameras, mixer, supporting equipments along with converter
for Standard Definition-SDTV) will cost upto Rs.18 crores
only. If we procure 20 units ( total places of events is 17 –
12competitive and 5 places non competitive events) the total
cost will be Rs.360 Crores only.
It has already been announced by Ministry of I&B that
Rs.430 Crores is ear marked for Prasar Bharati for the
preparation for coverage of Commonwealth Games.
Doordarshan can take a lead
for future in India:
DD – Future:
It is a golden oppurtunity for the National & Public Service
Broadcaster to procure the HDTV System for the longer
interest, as HDTV will be the system to be followed for
another 10-15 years to come. These units, after the
commonwealth games, can be deployed at 20 major
Doordarshan Kendras (preferably metros and State capitals)
for the production and coverage of HDTV programmes. This
will boost the conversion to the HDTV transmission in the
country.
It is worthwhile to note that Doordarshan will probably be the
only Broadcaster to own HDTV system and thereby will be in
position to earn a very good revenue from these units for the
years to come. It will give an upper hand to the National
Broadcaster of the country & a source of immense revenue.
Expertise to operate the
system:
There is not much difference in the operation
and maintenance of the camera and other
equipments, as the HDTV equipments are
similar to the SDTV (existing) ones with some
added facilities like super slow motion
technology and some more colour mixing
facilities.
The employees can adapt to these additional
facilities with a workshop/training for 7-10
days.
System with other
broadcasters:
As per the information available with us, the
private broadcasters worldwide do not
maintain such large number of units, instead,
they pool from different agencies for such
coverage's. This is basically because they
are depending on one or two production
houses whereas Doordarshan have 66
production centres so that we can deploy
these equipments at various DDKs even
after the Commonwealth Games.
Programmers of international
standard:
It is argued repeatedly by the management that
Doordarshan doesn’t have the programmers of
international standards. It is a blind allegation to
justify the global tender as the reality proves the
other way. We have provided international feeds for
a number of coverage's including the Military
Games held at Hyderabad and Commonwealth
Youth games held at Pune in the year 2008.
Broadcasters worldwide appreciated our
programme standards in all these coverage's. It
may kindly be noted that there is no change in
international standards when the technology is
changing from one mode to another mode.
Time needed for procurement
• The normal procedure to procure the
equipment in normal system will take one
year as the details given below.
• However the time lag can be reduced by
sincere efforts.
Where there is a will there is a way.
Time needed for various procedures
•
•
•
•
•
Time for preparation of Specifications : 1 month
Notice Inviting Tenders(by DAVP)
: 15 Days
Submission of Tenders
: 2 months
Technical Evaluation
: 45 Days
Opening of Commercial Bids/ Making : 3 months
proposals/Concurrence by Finance/ : including
Approval of Competent Authority
: approval by
: Ministry.
• Placement of Order & Delivery of
: 4 months
Equipment
Note: the specifications & other formalities has already been
prepared by O/o DG:DD during last year.
Move to declare DD
employees redundant
All of sudden it was decided that 38000
workforce working in more than 1800 stations
throughout the country are worthless to cover
this event.
It may kindly be noted that if the Prasar Bharati
Management is putting a tag on the employees
of AIR & Doordarshan, who are working across
the length and breadth of the country in the
interest of the Nation, are incapable of the
production and coverage of the proud event,
then these employees will prove their
incompetence by NOT transmitting someone
else’s baby.
We are confident that your kind
intervention will make the
difference and help grant the
production and coverage of
commonwealth Games 2010 to
the Host Broadcaster,
Doordarshan & All India Radio.