Elections over: DD News makes news, yet again

With an eye on LS polls, the BJP began a news channel in November 2003 — by scrapping an entertainment channel and putting a team of 17...

With an eye on LS polls, the BJP began a news channel in November 2003 — by scrapping an entertainment channel and putting a team of 17 on board, with salaries ranging between Rs 30,000-Rs 1.25 lakh. The channel did little to change the fortunes of the party. And now, the UPA has found a way to ‘‘detoxify’’ it. So, DD-News is set for another makeover. This time, the channel, it is learnt, will partly revert to its entertainment status and air some news too. So far, Rs 174 crore has been spent on the channel. It’s still number five in the viewership race.

And the flip flop continues:

• 1999: Then I&B Minister Pramod Mahajan launches DD-News, saying the government needs a channel of its own. Nearly Rs 90 crore spent on producers reportedly close to the BJP

• 2002: Sushma Swaraj scraps the channel on January 26. DD-News becomes DD- Bharati, a culture channel, as the minister feels news failed to attract viewers. Vintage music and long-forgotten programmes culled from the National Programme of Music And Dance were aired

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• 2003: Ravi Shankar Prasad relaunches DD-News in November, by scrapping DD-Metro, an entertainment channel. His budget: Rs 53 crore. A whole new team put in place, headed by former Aaj Tak political editor Deepak Chaurasiya on a pay packet amounting to little over a lakh. His appointment angers the Indian Information Service officials, though Prasar Bharati had little say in the decision

• 2004: DD News likely to be repositioned as an infotainment channel, with 60 pc entertainment and 40 pc news content.

Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of sexually harassing 17 women, held in Agra

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A self-proclaimed 'godman' was arrested in Agra for sexual harassment and misappropriation of funds. He was accused of sending inappropriate messages and photoshopping pictures with politicians. The Delhi Police traced him to Agra and froze his accounts and fixed deposits. He was previously booked for harassing 19 women at a private institute.

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