Development Communication Division
‘A MODEL TO FUND PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING’
Doordarshan set up in 2001 a Development Communication Division (DCD) to discharge its social responsibility of highlighting development-oriented issues and to cater to the communication needs of government departments and public sector undertakings.
The concept was born out of a need to generate revenue by securing funds from government partners including ministries, departments and public sector undertakings. The unique revenue generation scheme envisaged flow of earnings by selling airtime at competitive rates.
Development Communication Division provides as a single window facility for
Ø marketing of Doordarshan airtime and production capability,
Ø consultancy and customized media planning,
Ø production of programmes in countrywide stations in regional languages, and
Ø feedback and research surveys to the clients.
Evergrowing expanse of satellite channels do pose a challenge to market Doordarshan channels, which are not favored by cable operators who provide connectivity in the homes of decision makers. Yet, proactive approach, ‘cando’ attitude and efficient client servicing provided by the Development Communication Division on behalf of Doordarshan is a welcome change for government clients. Nevertheless, various steps were taken to achieve desired results:
Ø Direct dealing between the client and Doordarshan (DCD) doing away with the marketing agents
Ø A special rate card, reviewed and revised periodically
Ø High volumes of bonus airtime spread across different linguistic zones
Ø Transparent systems and rates
Ø Launching of campaigns at the shortest notice – in far flung areas
Ø Coverage of clients’ events across the country at the shortest notice
And
Single window facility of a marketing outfit and creative production house
Development Communication Division functions as a creative production house with production studios spread across the country. Doordarshan’s strength of multi - lingual production capability provides a good marketing tool but the image did not inspire the clients. New initiatives of research-based and impact-oriented programming with careful choice of interactive formats for simultaneous productions in local languages and dialects in country wide stations helped make a beginning. But management of such operations is a big challenge. Production of software in the shortest possible time, and as per the clients’ needs is a new phenomenon for Doordarshan. It has been tedious since the system required major shift in attitudes and practices in the organization.
Until 2001, small amounts received from government departments were used to commission private producers on behalf of the clients. Development Communication Division revived in-house production of all such campaigns using available manpower and resources.
All productions and primary telecasts are fully paid by the clients and Doordarshan, as a Public Service Broadcaster, contributes in terms of bonus airtime. Amount of bonus ranges from 60% to 250% depending on the amount of funds a department is spending on Doordarshan in one financial year. High volumes of bonus are spread in central and regional channels, rendering ‘happening’ look to the channels while the clients get much wider audience for their campaigns, critical for creating awareness on development issues.
Thus, Development Communication Division has succeeded in widening the client base who have reposed and retained confidence in Doordarshan capability. All projects are launched and completed in time with information and feedback to the clients, unlike in the past. While increasing quantity, DCD has also sustained quality of programming leading to unprecedented revenue growth from government clients contributing up to 24% of Doordarshan’s total revenue. Development Communication Division has recorded 825%increase in revenue within five years of existence.
REVIVAL OF IN – HOUSE PRODUCTIONS
In-house production, since no more associated with the glory of past, has been neglected for long in terms of facilities, procedures and human resource development. Making such a system accountable to a funding agency for efficiency and quality is not a simple task. It requires nudging, orientation and sensitization at all levels in all disciplines of the organization namely programme, engineering, administration, finance and research.
Execution of a project means identification of dedicated teams across the country. Since Prasar Bharati has frozen recruitment for the last 15 years, there is overall shortage of personnel required for productions. However, selected teams are given orientation on government policies and programmes with policy makers, and technical know-how with subject specialists in national workshops where initiation into networking with service providers at national, state, district and village levels also takes place. Creative workshops then follow where publicity plan is also drawn. Regular quality audit, budgeting of the project and distribution of funds, impact evaluation studies and client servicing are the other jobs Development Communication Division handles. Upgradation of technical facilities through engineering wing in the headquarters and in the field, streamlining of production procedures and upgradation of creative skills of producers remain add-on jobs. During the last five years, Development Communication Division has organized and conducted more than 50 orientation/training workshops with policy makers, centre and state officials, in-house workshops for procedures and systems involving programme and engineering heads of stations and creative training programs for programme producers, and technical directors as well as researchers.
Challenges come up at each level at every step: in the area of collaboration with the client, networking, addressing credibility of media linked to service delivery – where gaps are identified during the campaign. Intra organizational issues like keeping the teams intact at stations in a transferable service, coordination among different disciplines, rigid practices and inadequate understanding of media operations by support services are faced continually.
While the content is developed keeping area specific needs in mind, maintaining synergy and authenticity in such area specific productions, produced locally in far flung areas is yet another challenge.
One major obstacle of inadequate funds for programme production in Prasar Bharati has been removed through this route of funding of productions, as the programme production has turned into a revenue generating activity. Funds have been made available to spend on certain production attributes like special sets and title tracks (composed by Bollywood artists), animated graphics and to associate local and national celebrities including film personalities for special messages and presentations. Higher field based content, better presentation and some innovations have helped retain the clients year after year who until 2001 were commissioning private producers for such productions meant for telecast on Doordarshan and elsewhere.
The results, have been rewarding not only for the number of projects undertaken and completed or for sustaining the quantity along with the quality of productions but for having been able to achieve the higher goal of social communication for creating impact among the target audiences.
RURAL DEVLOPMENT CAMPAIGN
The Development Communication Division made a promising start with a bi – media, radio and television campaign for the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). The rural development campaign was on a large scale. It was conceptualized with the objective of optimum utilization of resources in Prasar Bharati (programme, engineering and research) while building on the strengths of the network in terms of reach and access to rural audiences. The Division took on this huge challenge to rediscover the role of the Public Service Broadcaster and tap creative in - house potential.
Capacity building workshops were organized at the national, regional and State level. Nearly 2500 persons were oriented and trained to use electronic media along with the officers of MoRD and concerned State governments. Following these workshops, weekly coordination meetings of Directors of AIR and DD were organized to share experiences and benefit from each others strengths. Success stories worth recording, weekly pre testing schedule, bi media publicity plans were some of the major issues discussed during these meetings.
The prime objective of the rural development campaign was to create awareness among the target audience. It focused on creating awareness about various schemes of the ministry in areas as housing, roads, drinking water and sanitation. As many as 150 stations of All India Radio and 32 Kendras of Doordarshan were involved in producing and broadcasting content to create awareness about a dozen schemes of the ministry that targeted 6,00,000 villages through programmes in 29 languages and dialects.
The effort resulted in production of 1008 programmes. Doordarshan also experimented with the production of public service advertisements. Exchange of success stories across various linguistic regions and cultural zones contributed to the success of this campaign. It also encouraged viewers to follow practices for preserving natural resources.
The Audience Research survey indicated awareness generation among 69.4% of the target audience on the rural development schemes of the ministry following the campaign.
Among many formats used, a tele drama on rural development by the Jaipur Doordarshan Kendra fetched Doordarshan the Annual Award for the best serial in 2002.
A 15 minute programme on rural development has been on air since then from 22 stations of Doordarshan.
ADDRESSING HIV/AIDS
DOORDARSHAN - BBC – NACO PARTNERSHIP
Development Communication Division entered into partnership with the British Broadcasting Corporation World Service Trust (BBCWST) and the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) in 2001. The collaboration aimed at promoting social development through the effective use of media. To begin with a campaign on HIV/AIDS was launched in Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The campaign was first telecast in June 2002 and included public service advertisement (spots), production and telecast of a detective drama serial “‘Jasoos Vijay’” and a Youth television show “ Haath Se Hath Milaa”. Development Communication Division took the initiative to bring ‘Jasoos Vijay’ to the National channel on prime time slot. This marked the commercial success of Jasoos Vijay. The division introduced regional language versions of Jasoos Vijay to reach every nook and corner of the country. Currently in its third phase, the programme is dubbed in seven languages.
GLOBAL MEDIA AIDS INITIATIVE
The DCD also enjoys the distinction of being a partner in the Global Media AIDS Initiative (GMAI) launched by the UN Secretary General Kofi Anaan in January 2004. It was also actively involved in the National Summit on HIV/AIDS chaired by the Prime Minister of India. Internationally acclaimed cinestar Richard Gere attended the Summit as a special invitee. In his presentation, the Prasar Bharati, CEO highlighted the achievements of Kalyani and Jasoos Vijay. Appreciating Doordarshan’s initiatives, the Union Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Culture said, “other media should emulate Doordarshan in HIV/AIDS communication”.
While collaborating with GMAI, DCD also partnered with the Heroes project. A short documentary on Ricky, a Person Living with HIV/AIDS was produced in Shillong, Guwahati and telecast in Kalyani from Assam. The documentary was also dubbed in other languages.
Development Communication Division has been a partner with UNICEF, Kaiser Family Foundation, Asian Institute of Broadcast Development, Ford Foundation and European Union. These partnerships continue to focus on capacity building and exchange of best practices undertaken by organizations to fight against HIV/AIDS.
KALYANI
The Development Communication Division launched ‘Kalyani’ on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in May 2002. It was initially launched for one year as a weekly programme on the eve of World No Tobacco Day, in Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to create awareness on malaria, HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, Iodine deficiency, tobacco related and water borne diseases. In the subsequent years, other issues such as leprosy, blindness’ control and food safety were added.
Highly interactive, innovative formats, unique presentation style, integrated approach and pioneering initiative of setting up kalyani health clubs proved the efficacy of the campaign in no time. It paved the way for another weekly programme, Kalyani II on reproductive child health in October 2002. Kalyani II marked the addition of the hill State of Uttranchal to eight other Kalyani receiving states. Presently, Kalyani is telecast four times a week with two repeats from 21 stations of Doordarshan in three languages and six dialects.
The response to Kalyani has been overwhelming as is evident from its impact on the target audience across nine most backward and densely populated States. Kalyani is now running successfully in its fifth year.
COLLABORATION WITH MTV
Development Communication Division also collaborated with MTV, the music channel for World AIDS Day Summit. This was an exciting collaboration as it offered a meeting ground for two channels with diametrically opposite characteristic, one known for its sobriety and other for plain fun and entertainment. The collaboration also witnessed repackaging and adaptation of software and locations.
Continuing its efforts to promote health literacy, the Division has been producing programmes for campaigns on Pulse Polio and blood donation. Besides interactive programmes on World AIDS Day were telecast in 21 states.
The high visibility, wide reach and multi lingual base assured by the powerful media platform of Doordarshan has attracted the attention of several Central ministries and departments.
CASCADING QUALITY GOVERNANCE
Another partnership that deserves a mention was in 2001 was with the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions for the production and telecast of a series of documentaries on best practices in e-governance in India. It was titled ‘Cascading quality governance’. The campaign was aired in 2003 and included 12 documentaries. These documentaries were telecast on DD National and in 12 States in an equal number of languages through Doordarshan Kendras. The kendras that documented these documentaries were Bangalore, Guwahati, Mumbai, Kolkatta, Bhubaneshwar, Srinagar, Thiruvanthapuram, Jalandhar, Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
ISSUES OF INSURANCE
On behalf of Insurance Regulatory Development Authority, DCD launched a campaign to create awareness among people about benefits of insurance. The campaign was telecast by 10 kendras in 10 States in an equal number of languages and dialects.
‘PAISA HAMARA FAISLA HAMARA’
The Department of Company Affairs, Ministry of Finance commissioned DCD for a campaign called “Paisa hamara faisla hamara” on investor awareness and education.
‘Paisa Hamara Faisla Hamara’ was an interactive phone - in programme with investors at one end and experts at the other. The programme was designed for addressing grievances of the investors.
The programme focused on themes such as safe investments, companies where investments should be avoided, difficulties faced by the investors, agencies for redressal of grievances and rights of investors. It was telecast across six Kendras in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkatta, Lucknow and Mumbai.
JAAGO GRAHAK JAAGO ( Wake up Consumers)
DCD also initiated a multi - media campaign for the Department of Consumer Affairs to generate awareness on consumer rights. The campaign features the popular programme “Jago Grahak Jago” which has done great public service. The programme has apprised consumers of the tricks used by mischievous persons, traders, businessmen and service providers to cheat them.
The campaign also informs consumers about product safety, product defects, food adulteration, and environmental hazards. This programme has been on air since May 2005. In addition, several public service advertisements on consumer rights are telecast from eight Kendras in eight States in an equal number of languages and dialects.
OTHER CAMPAIGNS
The other meaningful campaigns being handled by the Development Communication Division are for the Department of Birth and Death under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The campaign is aimed at generating awareness on the importance of Birth and Death registration. Under the campaign, a series of programmes were produced and telecast from four kendras in four states. Twenty one Kendras were linked to provide inputs for yet another series of ‘Jan Kerosene Yojana’.
The Division has also been entrusted with campaigns for the departments of ranging from Elementary and adult education (Ministry of HRD), science and Technology, women empowerment, trafficking, tribal affairs, petroleum conservation, water conservation, environment and forest, productivity council and income tax.
Campaigns
From five partners and nine campaigns in the year 2001-2002, the Development Communication division has come a long way with 61 campaigns in the year 2005 –2006. This seven-fold increase in just five years is noteworthy. The government campaigns by the division during this period have contributed to 850% growth in revenue.
Achievements
The programmes produced by DCD have brought Doordarshan national and international acclaim through Gates Malaria Partnership, Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) Awards (2004), nomination for the prestigious Rose d’Or Award, 2005 (HIV/AIDS), 31st RAPA (Radio and Television Practitioners and Advertisers Association Award), 2005. All these honors have been conferred on DCD for Kalyani. Other awards for the programmes of Development Communication Division include the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Awards, 2003 (HIV/AIDS; Haath se Haath Mila), Indian Telly Awards, 2004 (Best public service spots, HIV/AIDS), Indian Telly Awards, 2003 for Best thriller (‘Jasoos Vijay’, HIV/AIDS), Doordarshan Annual Awards for best spot of the year, 2002 (Anti – tobacco) and best serial of the year, 2002 (Rural Development).
DCD’s potential was recognized within two years of its inception by the then Information and Broadcasting Minister. Replying to a question in Lok Sabha in April 2003, the then I & B Minister said that the campaign by DCD has resulted in qualitative and quantitative improvement of in house productions using Doordarshan’s creative talent and infrastructure.
In the process of strengthening in - house production capabilities, the division also assumed responsibilities for upgrading skills of creative teams and improving coordination among various wings as programming, engineering, administration and research at the headquarters and in the field. Fifty such training workshops have been designed and conducted by the division, some with BBC trainers, and at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.