News Summary:
Doordarshan appointed Rina Sonowal Kouli, a 1994-batch Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, as its new Director General on August 19, 2026, following her promotion by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This appointment comes as a Parliamentary Standing Committee on August 8, 2026, sought updated measurable data from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the rollout of built-in satellite tuners in television sets and the wider adoption of DD Free Dish, which currently reaches 49 million homes with 482 channels. The committee also questioned ongoing delays and repeated extensions for mandatory tuner integration. Previously, on July 29, 2026, the iconic Malakpet TV tower in Hyderabad, formerly central to Doordarshan’s analogue broadcasts, began repurposing for digital mobile broadcasting, with trials underway to deliver channels directly to smartphones, including DD Yadagiri, DD National, and DD Sports. Earlier in July, the government extended the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) scheme until March 31, 2027, continuing investments to modernise Doordarshan and Akashvani while expanding coverage across rural, coastal, hilly, and border regions.
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