By Mahtab Alam,
New Delhi: If we go by a study, recently done by a Delhi based Media Research and Training Group, the least we can conclude is that there is nothing permanent about the much hyped project of the central government, DD Urdu. In its sixth year, according to the study, “the national channel does not have any structure of its own for the production of programs”. Moreover, as the study points out, “It is interesting to note that not a single employee has been appointed for the Urdu channel at Doordarshan centers at Hyderabad, Ahemadabad, Patna, Kolkata and Lucknow”.
It further says, “As per the information received from 80 centres of Doordarshan, neither any post has been created for Urdu channel nor has any appointment been made especially for that channel. Also, these centers do not have programming facility for production for Urdu channel”.
According to DD Urdu official website, it came into existence on 15th August 2006 following a Governmental commitment in the Parliament made in response to an un-starred question No. 2026 regarding launch of Urdu Channel. The language Channel, as it exists today, is on air for 24 hours from November 14, 2007, encapsulating heritage, culture, literature, information, education & societal issues specific to a target audience. Its mandate, inter-alia, is to re-popularize the idiom, the syntax and the lingual behavior purported to have gone into oblivion over the years.
But this study done by Journalist and Media Researcher Avaneesh under the aegis of the Media Studies Group (MSG) headed by senior journalist, columnist and former professor of journalism, Anil Chamadia says, there is no point running a channel, which is totally relied on ad-hoc-ism. “Such exercise not only defeats the purpose of running a channel but also indirectly lends support to market forces,” notes the study. “Originally launched for the viewers of a particular community, Urdu channel could not shirk of its responsibility of conservation of Urdu language and its heritage”.
The study is based on the factual data, collected from various Doordarshan centers across India under the RTI act. It further reveals, “Except six posts in the office of DD Urdu channel at New Delhi, all other posts are either on temporary or contract basis. Among the permanent posts, four of them are from administrative wing and have no direct connection with program production”.
Hence, “it is obvious that DD Urdu does not produce programs for itself. A six-hour program is prepared daily and repeated thrice a day. Proposals are invited from the agencies and professionals to produce programs for Urdu channel. Even news items are borrowed from the national channel and some other agencies”.
The study sums up saying, the channel lacks both concrete policies and human resources, hence not been able to fulfil the desired goals, outlined at the time of its establishment. “The dearth of policy for program production in Urdu channel can be attributed to lack of any concrete official communication policy. The lack of policy guidelines has been evident since its emergence…At initial stage, the government and finance ministry considered it worthless exercise,” concludes the study.
The Media Studies Group is a collective of journalists, who has been involved in research and training of the students of Journalism & Mass communication and social campaigns for non-profit purposes. Over five years, the group has conducted many surveys to study media and its impact on the society. Besides this, it has published a lot of reading materials, valuable to researchers, academicians and media professionals. And it often organizes various types of public interest activities at its own level.
On 2nd April it has launched its two monthly media research journal, Jan Media (Hindi) and Mass Media (English). In English journal, the finding of the above mentioned study is published. The journals are being edited by veteran journalist, Anil Chamadia and for availing it one can contact at following address:
Media Studies Group, India
1st Floor, C/2, Pipalwala Mohalla, Badali Extension, Delhi- 110042 (India)
Phone: +91-1127853886 Cell phone: +91-9868456745,+91-9910638355
E-mail: [email protected],[email protected]