DD Tamil

Last updated

DD Tamil
CountryIndia
Broadcast areaIndia and Global
Headquarters Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Programming
Picture format 576i SDTV (16:9) 1080p HDTV
Ownership
Owner Doordarshan
Sister channels DD Pondicherry
DD North-East
DD Odia
DD Punjabi
DD Sahyadri
DD Malayalam
History
Launched15 August 1975
ReplacedDD Podhigai
Former names
  • Madras Television Centre (1975–1994)
  • DD 5 (1994–2000)
  • DD Podhigai (2000–2024)
Links
Website http://ddpodhigai.org.in/
Availability
Terrestrial
Analogue VHF band
DVB-T2 Frequency DVB-T2
DD Free DishLCN 21
Airtel digital TVLCN 820
D2MAvailability soon in India

DD Tamil (formerly DD Podhigai) is an Indian Tamil-language state-owned public television broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by Doordarshan. [1] It is broadcast both terrestrially and via satellite. It was established on 15 August 1975. DD Tamil launched its HD version on 19 January 2024.

Contents

History

Television tower of Doordarshan Kendra, Chennai. The tower is also called as Podhigai Tower. Madras TV Tower.jpg
Television tower of Doordarshan Kendra, Chennai. The tower is also called as Podhigai Tower.

Doordarshan Kendra Chennai was inaugurated on 15 August 1975. The service had been extended to the entire state in phased manner by installing Terrestrial Transmitters of different capacities (HPTs, LPTs, VLPTs) at different parts of the state. Only one channel with limited time for regional language, that is, Tamil was telecasted, the duration of the entire telecast was not for 24 hours. During 1985, colour transmission was started; in 1988 a second channel was started. Meanwhile, in 1986 Tamil serials were telecasted for the first time. DD Chennai is one of the oldest kendras in the country, having been begun in the mid-1970s.

In addition to the Terrestrial transmission, Chennai programmes were beamed through satellite and cable networks. The channel is owned and operated by Doordarshan, a television network of Prasar Bharati Broadcasting Corporation and is based in Chennai. Prasar Bharati is an autonomous corporation of the Government of India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and comprises Doordarshan television network and All India Radio.

The early years

Employees trained at FTII in January 1975 ahead of the launch of the service. [2] The channel began broadcast on an experimental basis on 15 August 1975 on channel 4 [3] from a makeshift studio at Chennai Doordarshan Kendra in Chennai as part of All India Radio. [2] It started with 20 TV receivers in and around Chennai and transmitted one-hour educational and developmental programs twice a week. Regular daily transmission started in 1975.

At launch, it became the first television station at all to be installed in South India, as well as the fifth Doordarshan station overall, after Delhi (1959), Mumbai (1972), Srinagar (1973) and Jharkand (1974).

In 1976, the Indian government constituted Doordarshan, the public television broadcaster, as a separate department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Doordarshan Kendra Chennai has transformed from the initial setup of television base production center during 1975.

Television Base Production Center was established for SITE (Satellite Instructional Television Experiment) Project conducted from 1975 to 1976. This Experiment was envisaged by Govt. of India to Educate rural population by producing and telecasting area-specific programmes on the subjects ranging from agriculture, animal husbandry, health and nutrition, and adult education through satellite. Based on research villages had been selected to install DR Sets (Direct Reception Sets) viewing telecasts. This experiment was conducted Tamil Nadu and five other states.

These programmes were telecast through "ATS – 6" Satellite borrowed from the United States's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). On successful completion of SITE Project, these programmes were continued as INSAT project and was telecast through India's own Satellite INSAT. In addition to the terrestrial transmission, Chennai programmes were beamed through satellite and cable networks.

Later developments

As of 1983, the approval rating for the station was of 82%. Networked programming received a lower approval rate of 60%, with massive disapproval of Hindi-language news bulletins. English-language programming was still well-received. [4]

DD Chennai converted to colour between 1985 and 1986. Around this time the first Tamil serials were produced. [2] The station competed against the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation with locals preferring Rupavahini over Doordarshan. The relays were often jammed by a Doordarshan relayer in Trivandrum in Kerala by Keltron. [5] The service, which was in colour from the outset, led to a surge in colour television sets before DD Kendra Chennai converted. [6] The power of the Doordarshan transmitters was reduced after an order issued by the government in 1984. [7] After the passing of new rules following the airing of a Tamil dub of Hum Log, Doordarshan's first serial, all Hindi serials had to be dubbed in advance before airing on Doordarshan Kendra Chennai. [8] In 1985 alone, Tamil-language programming like Oliyum Oliyum and Thirai Malar topped the first Doordarshan survey in Madras. [9]

Satellite, Podhigai and rename to DD Tamil

Doordarshan Kendra Chennai's regional satellite network, DD 5, was launched on 15 April 1993. This service is viewed in India and some parts of the world. DD-5 took a new identity in Tamil and was renamed DD Podhigai on 15 January 2000. [10]

It was also a part of the 50th anniversary of the main Delhi station in October 2009, producing a cultural special for this end. [11]

DD Podhigai was rebranded as DD Tamil HD on 19 January 2024. [12] [13]

DD National, DD Podhigai and Narrow cast

DD Chennai has a three-tier programme service:

In addition, the programmes in the national and regional services are also available in satellite mode to the viewers all over the country.

DD Chennai is the only regional language terrestrial channel, that has sixteen hours Program from 11 p.m. to 3 p.m. link to Delhi DD National. In the terrestrial mode, that has eight hours Program from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., has DD Podhigai. DD Chennai reaches 94 percent of the population of Tamil Nadu. The channel originates its programmes in Chennai.

DD Chennai was launched on 15 August 1975 and the network features some original programming, such as dramas, comedy-series, talk shows, documentaries, and some times re-runs of popular TV shows from other Tamil television channels. In addition, the channel also shows dubbed programs from other Indian languages, such as Urdu, Punjabi, Tamil, and so forth.

Program sourcing

Programmes for different channels of DD Chennai are sourced from:

Programming coverage

Transmitters at various locations in Tamil Nadu

HPTs - 9, Power - 10, K.W Range - 70 km

LPT - 54,100 W Range 15 km Ambasamudram, Ambur, Arani, Arcot, Attur, Cheyyar, Chidambaram, Coimbatore, Coonoor, Courtalam, Cuddalore, Denkanikotta, Erode, Gudiyatam, Kallakuruchi, Krishnagiri, Marthandam, Mayuram, Nagapattinam, Nagarcoil, Nattan, Neyveli, Palani, Pattukottai, Peranampet, Pollachi, Pudukkottai, Rajapalayam, Salem, Shankaran Kovil, Thanjavur, Thiruvaiyaru, Tindivanam, Tiruchendur, Tiruchirapalli, Tiruneiveli, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Tuticorin, Udagamandalam, Udumalpet, Vandavasi, Vaniyambadi, Vellore, Villupuram.

UHF) 20 K.W Range 70 km Coimbatore (DD News), Erode (DD News), Madurai (DD News), Salem (DD News), Tiruchirapalli (DD News), Tirunelveli (DD News), Tirupattur (DD News), Tuticorin (DD News), Vellore (DD News)

VLPT - 7 Gingee, Kanchipuram, Mettupalayam, Tiruvanamalai, Valliur, Valparai, Vaza Padi XSER - 1 Dindigul

HPT - 1 Pondicherry (int) LPT - 3 Karaikal, Pondicherry, Pondicherry (DD News) VLPT - 2 Mahe, Yanam

DD sister channels

Tamil
ChannelTypeNotes
DD Podhigai Tamil General Entertainment Channel
DD Sports Sports Channel
DD News and DD India News Channel
DD National Hindi General Entertainment Channel

Technology

The country's largest public broadcaster, Doordarshan Kendra Chennai was under the process of modernization during the forthcoming commonwealth games, DD would relay its signals on latest technology of High Definition. Process of establishing four Regional DD studios including, DD Delhi, DD Mumbai, DD Kolkata and DD Chennai is ongoing. The high-definition studios would help to relay digital signal to all the viewers of DD as it would drastically improve the quality of picture and sound of the channel.[ citation needed ]

Process of digitalization of the transmission system was already under process and it was expected that in the years to come the process would be completed, DD adding that for the modernization of the DD, new equipments were being purchased.[ citation needed ]

History of channel name

The name Podhigai was suggested by the viewers themselves. It is named after the Podhigai Hills situated in Tirunelveli district. This hill range is part of the Western Ghats of Southern India. This hill range is famous for its association with Sage Agastya. Legend has it that Agastya created Tamil in this hill. The Thamirabarani River originates here.

The channel offers a variety of programmes with films, infotainment programmes, news, dramas and current affairs being most prominent. The first Tamil Weekdays serial was telecast on 7 November 1995 as Viluthugal. It is the only regional language satellite channel with terrestrial transmission. Terrestrial transmission is limited to major cities in Tamil Nadu.

Programming

Fiction series

Premiere dateSeriesTiming
Week Day Series
14 April 2025Sarojini09:05
19 January 2024Shakthi IPS09:00
06:30
Budget Kudumbam 08:00
Thayamma Kudumbathaar 08:30
Week End Series
21 January 2024 Mahakavi Bharathi 09:00

Non-fiction

Premiere dateSeriesEpisodes
4 June 2023Dhinam Oru Kadhai270
17 September 2023Aram Namam Ayiram200
19 January 2024Thirumanthiram120
Valikku Vazhi120
28 January 2024Amudham Aharam16

See also

References

  1. "Regional Language Satellite Service". Doordarshan. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "40 years of good ol' Doordarshan Kendra". The Hindu. 6 August 2024. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  3. "Television Factbook" (PDF). 1977. p. 1109-b. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  4. "When Indians see red". The Straits Times. 24 August 1983. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  5. Rupavahini preferred. Vidura. 1983.
  6. Sreedhar Pillai (31 March 1982). "Colour TV comes to Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu before it does to rest of India". India Today. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  7. "Producing TV(s): The Multitudinous Life of Television in South India" (PDF). University of Michigan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  8. Southern Comfort, TV and Video World, September 1985
  9. TV and Video World, January 1986
  10. "About the Kendra". Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  11. Celebrating a milestone
  12. "'டிடி தமிழ்' ஆனது 'பொதிகை' தொலைக்காட்சி - நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் என்னென்ன மாற்றங்கள்?". www.hindutamil.in (in Tamil). 19 January 2024.
  13. "'கேலோ' மட்டுமல்ல- டிடி பொதிகை சேனல் பெயரை டிடி தமிழ் என மாற்றி தொடங்கி வைக்கும் பிரதமர் மோடி!". tamil.oneindia.com (in Tamil). 18 January 2024.