As government readies itself with legislation to give Doordarshan with live cricket feeds, some enquiry into the working and functioning of the giant is urgently warranted. Doordarshan covering about 89% of India's area and with about 350 million viewers, has almost an unparalleled reach. But it fares abysmally in almost all the criteria of creativity, competition and professionalism. Ironically, while it hides behind the legislation for the cricket broadcasting rights, it's 5 balls an over presentation due to packed ads has been an example of it's high greed. In most of the cases cricket telecast at best have been a 'horror show'.
In its bid to carry forward the stereotyped 'clean' broadcasting, Doordarshan has brought most ridiculous form of censorship. The 'Doordarshanised' Hindi movies have seen a different story line altogether due to its moralising editing. Its ideology, however, has shifted tremendously with shifting fortunes of the rulers in Delhi.
It's high time that Doordarshan grows out from the frame of being 'His Master's Greedy broadcaster' to be one that gets run on professional lines. After all, for the millions that unfortunately have to watch it also are entitled to quality of any kind, whatsoever.