After contributing television transmission services for 44 years, Kalaburagi Dooradarshan Transmitter Centre, Karnataka’s first Analogue Terrestrial Transmitter established by Prasar Bharati, will cease its transmission operations from October 31. It is among the 152 analogue transmitters that will be closed across the country.
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Prasar Bharati authorities said that it was part of a technology upgrade initiative from the traditional analogue transmission to advanced digital transmission. Doordarshan is shifting from standard definition to high definition and the digital mode of transmission requires no regional centres and television antennas to transmit the content. The public broadcaster has also clarified that all of its television channels would be available on DTH platform at DD Free Dish.
Following anxiety over the “closure” of the centre, the authorities clarified that the transmission part of the Kalaburagi centre would cease its operations, but the centre would continue to function and contribute a half-hour content a week to Chandana television.
The process had begun a long ago with the advent of digital transmission. There were only 29 employees against the sanctioned posts of 91 for the last few years and two of them were recently transferred from the centre. The Kalaburagi centre was established way back on September 3, 1977.
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Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharathi Shashi Shekar Vempati on Tuesday said that the Doordarshan studios at Kalaburagi would continue to operate. “People are mixing up the transmitters with the kendras. What is being changed is the old analogue TV transmitters as nobody is watching the DD through the rooftop antennas,” he said.