Doordarshan, India’s public broadcaster, sparked controversy with its recent logo change. The iconic red emblem, a fixture in Indian households for decades, switched to a more prominent orange hue. While some saw it as a mere aesthetic shift, others raised concerns about the “saffronisation” of Doordarshan, alleging a political tilt.
The orange shade bears resemblance to saffron, a color associated with Hinduism and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This has led critics, like former Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar, to accuse the broadcaster of compromising its neutrality. Sircar commented that the change undermines Doordarshan’s role as a public platform, potentially turning it into a mouthpiece for the government.
However, Doordarshan officials maintain that the shift is purely cosmetic. They argue that the new color scheme aligns with the branding of DD India, the broadcaster’s English news channel, which adopted a similar orange logo earlier.
This isn’t the first time Doordarshan’s content has faced scrutiny. In recent years, critics have pointed to increased coverage of events aligned with the BJP’s ideology, raising questions about editorial independence. The logo change adds fuel to these concerns, blurring the lines between public service broadcasting and potential political messaging.
The debate highlights the importance of Doordarshan upholding its journalistic integrity. In a democracy, a neutral public broadcaster is crucial for providing citizens with unbiased information. While a logo change itself might seem trivial, in the larger context, it raises concerns about potential manipulation of information and the erosion of Doordarshan’s role as a trusted source of news for all Indians.
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