Sushmita Dev visits DDK Silchar as DSNG van departs; CEO Vempati says, “Permanent technology solution will be in place soon”

For the people of Barak Valley, Doordarshan Kendra Silchar means a lot. Simply because it is extremely difficult to get a government institution sanctioned in the periphery of the country. Each time one gets sanctioned, it is a step towards the core. The immediate future of DDK Silchar looks like the Paper Mill in Panchgram. Employees feel a closure notice is being drafted and they are headed to a dark, cold, horrifying winter.

On August 1, 2020, a Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) van, also known as an “outside broadcast” (OB) van had reached Silchar Doordarshan Kendra. Such vans have the capabilities of uplinking content enabling broadcasters to downlink the content using satellite transmission

Speaking with Barak Bulletin back then, the Prasar Bharati CEO, Shashi S Vempati said, “This is to enable DD Silchar to uplink content to the state channel. This way Silchar will get its satellite time slot.”

Surprisingly, the van left and DDK Silchar has no clue where is it now and when will it return. Mahila Congress’ National President and former MP, Sushmita Dev visited DDK Silchar to interact with the officials at the pubcaster’s local office.

“There is a lot of uncertainty and I asked them for an update. They themselves were very confused. According to them, they have not received any official order in writing so far. To get a clear idea, I will write to the Honourable Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar Ji,” said Dev.

She added that officials briefed her about new programming structure. “They said from morning 10 to 12 Silchar will get a slot in DD Assam and 3 to 6:30 for local programming. With the DSNG van gone from Silchar, how will they uplink content for telecast on DD Assam? When I asked this question to them they replied saying that they will have to transfer it manually via the internet,” Dev asserted.

She even questioned Prasar Bharati’s decision to allocate a 10-12 time slot to Silchar DDK. “We all know that nobody watches TV in the morning. After such a glamourous launch of DD Assam, Silchar is given a 2-hour-slot that too in the morning. That is a different argument altogether. But the Prasar Bharati CEO had said that DDK Silchar’s programme will be available to viewers all over the country. Why is he taking away the uplinking technology then,” questioned the Mahila Congress President?

Each time this closure argument arose, Prasar Bharati CEO, Shashi S Vempati rubbished them by saying there is no such plan and DDK Silchar will continue with its local programming. On the DSNG van’s departure, Vempati said, “DSNG vans are primarily meant for live reporting, hence will be mobile-based on coverage needs that arise from time to time.”

Reiterating his stance that DDK Silchar is not going anywhere, the CEO added, “Permanent technology solution for Silchar will be in place soon. Planning is on for the same.”

That the time-slot given to Silchar on DD Assam is far off from the Prime Time. However, is DD Silchar producing programmes that are worth a prime time slot? DDK Silchar Officials, as always refused to comment on the story.

Sources in Silchar DDK shared that when Sushmita Dev asked about programming the officials replied saying it is struggling due to Coronavirus-led pandemic. Another official at DDK Silchar informed on the condition of anonymity that officials did not even try to keep the van stationed at Silchar.

So, therefore, the question arises, do we really want to keep Doordarshan Kendra afloat and if not, then when it sinks won’t it be a collective failure?