THE STORY OF TV IN ODISHA

THE STORY OF TV  IN ODISHA

The Story of Television in Odisha brings back to the period of Narrow casting and technological advancement. When the People of India are entering into the era of color Tv and Digital TV technologies, Odisha was waiting to have its own TV channel. Even the Public broadcast system also prevents us to see our artists and news programs on our Tv Set.

But the Time has changed a lot. The Story of narrow casting is moving fast towards broadcasting. The first ever TV Channel which has claimed to be the first TV news Channel in the Capital City has moved ahead and now it is claiming to have more TRP, i.e, more number of viewers.   

Similarly more and more Pvt Companies are floating their money in the name of business, glamour and influence in this sector.  So this industry is booming like anything.

In 1994 the only TV channel in Odia language was Doordarshan Odia i.e., DD 6. This is the only 24 hour TV channel available freely through its terrestrial transmission service by the antenna and boosters. The Service included both entertainment program and News Bulletins   with a regional taste. Now DD Odia is claiming 29% of the Revenue Market and has a reach of 23%.

In 1996-97 the Cable TV in Bhubaneswar started showing the local happenings in the form of regular bulletins. Industrialist Baijayant Panda & his wife Jagi Mangat Panda started this through his own network called Sky View. Further this company renamed as Ortel Communications and started telecasting OTV as especially dedicated Cable TV channel. In a few years it spreads its wing to various small towns and urban areas of the state like Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Rourkela, Berahampur etc as the parent cable network spreads. Now OTV has made itself a separate Company and started broadcasting through satellite since the year 2006.

Before this, in the year 2001, Ramoji Rao promoted ETV has given a broad view of News and Entertainment to the viewers of Odisha with a separately dedicated Odia channel called ETV Oriya. This is the channel which has developed professionalism in the state. And explained that separate entertainment programs, Serials can be made in Odia language and in Odisha there is ample scope for business and attracting viewers. Again this can be explained that ETV Odia is the only channel which has created serious professionals in the field of entertainment. The dying acting culture also got a new life with the entrance of ETV Odia. Therefore in a few days, ETV Odia becomes a familiar and household name through out the state. It also encouraged the interested personnel to come forward and invest in this sector. Influenced by ETV Mr. panda and his Associates started their new venture to convert their own cable Tv to a Satellite TV and OTV became a satellite channel.

Like wise, the time has invited many interested people to enter in to the sector of entertainment, glamour and influence.  

Then NK Media venture’s Naxatra News came into existence. Promoted by Mr. Prabhat Malick it has added competency in quality broadcasting and coverage of new stories. The modern equipments and graphics system used in this TV has influenced a lot to other competitors. And become popularized.  

Then the queue started and options added to our remote to control choice. MBC, Tarang, Lakshya, Kamyab, Sarthak, Kanak TV, STv, Prarthana, Tarang music has put a lot to make the stories unbiased and entertained the odia viewers.

When you search for Odia TV channels in wikipedia you’ll find a number of TV channels, you may not have heard about that. They include 36 numbers of Channels categorized under Public channels, Movies, General Entertainment, DTH, cable, news& current affairs Channels.  Moon movies, U movies, UBO Movies and Laxmi TV. These Channels are famous for their narrowcasting activity and known as the Cable TV channels in Certain areas. Similarly other Cable TV Channes may include M-xpress Tv, OMM TV, Balasore  AAMA-NEWS, Balasore, Pratidhwani-NEWS of puri,  Moon TV Oriya, OBO TV-Movies, UCV Entertainment & News at athgarh, Utv (Uttkal tv) of Berahampur, Laxmi TV Laxmi Cable Visionof Marshaghai.  These Local TV channels do not have the appropriate permission of the Ministry. But have a good impact as in certain places they are promoted by some reputed Journalists. The Local administration also helps them in accumulating information and news.

The House hold names in regard to the news and current affair brand of Odisha may include OTV, ETV, MBC, Kamyab, STV, Kanak Sambad, Naxatra News. These channels are permitted by the ministry of I&B to telecast news and Current affair programs in Odia Language. Similarly Tarang music, Tarang, Ollywood, Prarthana are some other channels running here in Odisha as general entertainment Channels.

But this is not the end of the story. Odisha is going to the next Electronic Media Hub in the Country. National and multi national promoters are showing their interest in promoting their subsidiary TV channels in Odisha to attract viewers and revenue. In this context Channel V and Star group has applied to have permission for telecasting Odia language Shows in different Channels. Horizon News of New Delhi also had shown interest in this regard.  Kolkata based Brand Value Communication has planned for NEWS ODISHA and MUSIC ODISHA, Crystal Phosphates ltd planned and apllied for Crystal Odisha TV, Dreams entertainment applied for formal satellite licence and permission, New delhi based international TV Pvt ltd applied for Odiya TV. Including these list the Ministry of I & B website shows a pending list of 348 channels awaiting to get the licence and permission since 2009. The Total number of TV Channels permitted in India is 825 as on January 2012.  

In Odisha part, Soumya Ranjan pattnaik promoted Eastern Media Ltd has got the licence for broadcasting another channel named Manjari in GEC category. Similarly Naxatra opted licence for Naxatra Barnali and Naxatra Saptaranga. It has applied for other language like Jharkhand, Bihar, Marathi, Chhatishcargi, National and North East.

Siksha O Anusandhan Group promoted Summa real Media also planned to broadcast three different channels in the name of News 7, Prameya Cartoon and Prameya TV. These three channels have been permitted and hopefully coming to the TV set this year.

The List of proposed TV channels in Odisha is growing day by day. But not the Human Resource. Skilled manpower is a continuing problem for each and every TV news and program production room. Therefore, the quality and standard is compromised.

Hence, it is the time to create more and more skilled manpower to cope the industry. Some of the industries like Sambad, Dharitri, Naxatra are doing a lot in creating skilled manpower but no body is running a syllabus fit to the TV industry. The time has come to look in to the matter otherwise it may hamper to the entire business community.

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