Sudhir Chaudhary
New Delhi: Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is on the verge of finalising a Rs 15-crore per year deal with news anchor Sudhir Chaudhary for a one-hour show to be telecast on Doordarshan on weekday
A source familiar with the development stated that the deal is “certainly under consideration and will be signed soon,” adding that the broadcaster frequently hires anchors for new shows. He pointed out that Rs 15 crore a year does not exceed the rates approved by the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC).
The new show, which is expected to occupy a prime-time slot on DD News, is slated to air from May. According to a memo discussed at a recent meeting held at Prasar Bharati, the broadcaster has approved a contract to “ESSPRIT Productions Pvt Ltd, represented by Chaudhary, to produce one-hour duration exclusive show from DD News (to air five days a week) at Rs 15 crore per annum plus GST, which will be subject to escalation at the rate of 10% every year,” IE added.
A negotiation committee formed by Prasar Bharati reportedly held five meetings with Chaudhary’s company to finalise the production costs. According to a source, the Rs 15-crore deal is within the range of Rs 28.6 crore for producing one-hour programmes of 260 shows annually as per the CBC rates.
This move is seen as part of Prasar Bharati’s strategy to revitalise DD News in the competitive news market. In addition to Chaudhary’s show, several other new programmes are planned, marking a shift toward a more multimedia-driven content approach for Doordarshan, sources familiar with the developments at Prasar Bharati said.
