MUMBAI: Doordarshan, which is gearing up to launch a kiddy channel as part of its bouquet, is said to be in talks with Disney for content aimed at youngsters in evening time-slots, according to a senior executive of the pubcaster.

Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Doordarshan DG Supriya Sahu, while asserting the organisation is planning a kids’ channel, confirmed that there’s a plan afoot to open a time-slot for such programming. “Some work is already on with Disney for the kids content,” she said, but hastily added, “It is (still) early to talk about it right now and an announcement would be made once things are finalized on this front.”

This time-slot on a DD channel is being created, probably, to test waters and see the appetite for kids content before the launch of a full-fledged kids channel as part of its over 30-channel bouquet. Disney India could not be contacted for comments.

According to earlier media reports, which quoted Sahu, India’s national broadcaster had drawn up a blueprint for FTA kids channel early 2017 made up of largely original and country-focused programming. She had said that the kids channel was part of pubcaster’s plans to launch FTA sports and kids channel for mainly viewers of DD FreeDish, a satellite-based service comprising DD and private FTA TV channels.

However, some independent observers opined that DD wading into the kids’ content area is also part of the government’s plans to showcase programming that would reflect the Indian culture in a better fashion compared to mostly foreign content consumed by Indian children presently.

At present, kids’ content available in India is from the stable of foreign players such as Nickelodeon, Turner, Disney, Discovery and lately Sony Pictures Network apart from some TV channels from India media companies such as Sun TV.

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