DD strengthens programming; launches five new shows

The new shows are Nadiyaan Gaati Hain, Bharat Ki Shaan: Let's Dance, Earth Matters, Gaon Connection and Yatra.

Doordarshan, the national public broadcaster and a division of Prasar Bharati, has planned to ramp up its content. In an attempt to strengthen its programming line up, it has announced the launch of five new shows.

The new MIB minister Prakash Javadekar at a recent event said that one of his priorities is to make DD a success again. While the channel will definitely do a lot more to get back in the game, the first step seems to have been taken.

The channel is launching a dance reality show, a Saibaba Telefilm production, titled 'Bharat Ki Shaan:Let's Dance' on June 7. The show will be aired every Saturday and Sunday at 8.30 pm and will occupy the slot on which a game show called 'Family No.1' was being aired. Family No.1 concluded a few weeks ago.

Close Up presents 'Bharat Ki Shaan: Let's Dance' will witness performances in jodis (pairs). The interesting part is that the Jodis will be made on the show, after the participants have performed once. Each Jodi comprises a male and a female but brings together a person from one of the metros and another from a non-metro. Pony Verma and SandipSoparrkar will wear the judges' hat as RJ Aparshakti Khurrana will be seen hosting the show.

DD will launch a show called 'Earth Matters' on June 8. The show will be aired every Sunday at 10:30 am, replacing 'Sare Jehan Se Achha'. The 26-episode series will travel across India and take stock of India's rich bio-diversity and vibrant ecological heritage. Each 30-minute episode of Earth Matters will contain two-three segments/stories. Some special episodes will cover only one issue, supported by interviews with experts, scientists and more importantly, affected citizens. The show will be directed and anchored by Mike Pandey.

The next show in DD's line-up is Gaon Connection. The show will be launched on June 9 and will be aired every Monday and Tuesday at 8 pm.

On Gaon Connection, the channel explains, "We are never told, for example, that rural citizens are beginning to use mobile phones and social media sites like Facebook with as much gusto as their urban counterparts; they watch 20-20 cricket with as much passion; they dream big and want to pursue new careers. To meet this unmet hunger for information in rural India - and to inform urban India about the amazing transformation underway in the hinterland, we need to build a bridge with great content, a connection - hence Gaon Connection."

Gaon Connection is a professionally run rural newspaper that tries to break new ground and is credited as India's biggest media innovation in years. The show will take that content to the biggest platform possible, Doordarshan.

The other two shows are Nadiyaan Gaati Hain, that will be launched on June 6 and aired every Friday at 7 pm and Yatra, that will take the Wednesday 8 pm slot, June 11 onwards.