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DD National (formerly DD1) is an Indian state-owned entertainment television channel, founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It is the flagship channel of Doordarshan, launched on 15 September 1959. India's public service broadcaster, and the oldest and most widely available terrestrial television channel in India.
DD's regional news opt-outs aired on regional stations as a breakaway from programming from New Delhi would plant the seeds for the expansion of the network from one channel to many in the years to come.
On 9 August 1984, as Doordarshan launched its second channel for the metro/urban audience called 'DD2'. The existing first channel was renamed 'DD1' and started regular transmission of nationwide satellite broadcasts. In the same year, DD1 started telecast of sponsored TV serials which were produced by established filmmakers and many film production firms for the channel. These drama series were sponsored b Indian companies. DD1's Hum Log was the first sponsored TV serial of Indian television and started airing with its series premiere on 7 July 1984.
After the success of Hum Log, many other TV producers and filmmakers produced many memorable series aired on DD-1. Some of them, together with the acquired foreign language programming of the period, were Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Buniyaad, Malgudi Days, Shrikant, Ramayan, Bharat Ek Khoj, Mahabharat, Mirza Ghalib, The Sword of Tipu Sultan, Chanakya, The Great Maratha, Vishwamitra, Uttar Ramayan, Buddha, Surabhi, Tiltliyan, Taaraa, Star Trek, Khaandaan, 13 Panne, Air Hostess, Wah Janaab, Tamas, Vikram Aur Betal, Tenali Rama, Kirdaar, Singhasan Battisi, Guldasta, Mrignayani, Shrikant, Sadgati, Nukkad, Lot Pot, Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne, Bhim Bhawani, Kakkaji Kahin, Paying Guest, Ados Pados, Upannyas, Fauji, Karamchand, Byomkesh Bakshi, Samandar, Param Vir Chakra, Wagle Ki Duniya, Buniyaad, Kachchi Dhoop, Chunauti, Mahanagar, Phir wahi Talash, Umeed, Subah, Mr. Yogi, Circus, Ek Bhool, Chote Babu, Yugantar, Kehkashan, Yatra, Rajni, Street Hawk, Udaan, Gaata Jaaye Banjara, Phool Khile Hain Gulsan Gulsan, Pingu, Circus, Taaj Mahel, Khubsuraat, and Dada Dadi Ki Kahaniya. Many of these productions ended up being high rating successes for DD-1. Of these, Ramayan ended up not just being DD-1's most expensive Indian TV drama of the 80s, but also the highest rating drama of its time.
DD National served as the home for NDTV's smash Friday news program The World This Week from 1984 to 1995. During those years, DD National also aired NDTV-produced network coverage of federal and state elections and budget deliberations of Parliament.
With the telecast of popular TV shows like Chandrakanta, Alif Laila, Tehkikaat, Chitrahaar, Udaan, Byomkesh Bakshi, Farmaan, Katha Sagar, Neem Ka Ped and Chanakya, DD National retained viewers and the high ratings, but Doordarshan Board focused more on its sister channel, DD Metro, which was aimed to compete with Zee TV. In the meantime, the channel became one of the popular destinations of TV viewers with its shows like Junoon, Superhit Muquabala, and Azanabi, many of its programming being also aired on DD National either on simulcast or tape delay.
In 1995, when most of the channels like DD Metro, Zee TV, Home TV, STAR Plus and Sony TV started focusing on their prime time slots, DD National was still stacked with its role and responsibilities, as at the time it was the only source of news on TV. To provide more entertainment, DD National opened an afternoon slot for housewives, with the telecast of Shanti. To support the success of Shanti, many other shows like Swabhimaan, Farz, and Yug were introduced and all of them were praised.
In 1997, Prasar Bharati, the parent body of Doordarshan, was formed. While private channels like Zee TV, STAR Plus and Sony TV started airing high budget TV serials from top production houses, DD National was still doing the best in afternoon slots with Kasam, Itihaas, Agni, Aprajita, Aurat, Ardhangini, Sanjog, Deewar, Aane Wala Pal, Waqt Ki Raftaar and other programs. There were a few notable programs like India's Most Wanted, Gul Sanobar, Surabhi, Noorjahan, Om namah Shivay, Jai Ganga Maiya, and Suraag in prime time, but those were not enough to give competition to private channels.
In late 1997, DD National started airing Mukesh Khanna's Shaktimaan, which was the blockbuster TV serial in Indian history. In 2000, after tasting success with India's Most Wanted, Jasoos Vijay and Suraag in prime time, Prasar Bharati decided to revamp both channels, and many new serials were introduced on DD National, but very few of them were successful because of a limited prime time slots of 9 to 10:30, compared to 8 to 11 for other channels. New channels like Sahara TV and SAB TV were also performing better than DD channels in prime time.
In 2002, DD offered its time slots to popular filmmakers and got some popular shows of the time. Ramanand Sagar's Aankhen, BR Chopra's Aap Beeti, Adhikaari Brothers CID Officer, Kiran Bedi's Galti Kiski, and Time's Dishayen were telecast on the channels and prized by viewers. In 2003, when DD Metro Channel was converted into DD News, Prasar Bharati focused on its DD national channels, and shows like Meher, Miss India, Shikwah, Kayamat, Kaanch, and Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani were introduced. Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani achieved unprecedented ratings and became DD National's biggest blockbuster during this period. In 2005, Hawayein starring Ravi Kishan and Malini Kapoor became one of the most popular shows and also won a title of Best TV Serial of the Year at the ITA Awards.
In this period, DD introduced many popular serials like Air Hostess, Wo Huye Na hamare, Kyunki Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, Tum Dena Sath Mera, Hari Mirchi lal Mirchi, Soni Mahiwaal, Wheel Smart Shrimati, Krazzy Kiya Re, Chandramukhi, Jo Kahunga Sach Kahunga, Tahreer Munshi Premchand Ki, and Kashmkash Zindagi Ki.
In November 2014, Prasar Bharati relaunched DD National as 'Desh Ka Apna Channel' with a new theme and serials like Happy Homes, Khwabon Ke Darmiyaan, Khamosh Sa Afsaana, Dard Ka Rishta, Shama, Paltan, Stree Shakti, Zindagi Ek Bhanwar, and Janmon Ka Bandhan. Initially, these shows did better, but later, as TRP fell in 2016, Prasar Bharati decided to go for a slot sale policy and invited bids from makers for its 7 PM to 11 PM slot. Afternoon slots in 2016 aired serials like Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule, U-turn, and Munidhar. However, the strategy was not enough for its revival.
In late 2016, the slot sale policy of DD was put on hold by the government. Although many production houses like Balaji Telefilms and SaaiBaba Telefilms had won slots for airing their programs, it could not be commenced as the policy was reported for review. From 2017, Doordarshan has been repeating programs from its library and does not telecast any new serial.
This move turned out to be a Magic Lamp for the Doordarshan network, as the rerun broadcasts for these drama productions broke all TRP records. First episode of Ramayana gained highest TRP since 2015 for all Hindi TV Channels of All categories. DD National instantly became #1st in TRP chart and with its shows Ramayana and Shaktimaan were on #1st and #5th in Ratings. Note that, since 2010's DD National was out of top 10 in Hindi GEC Ratings.
After Ramayana, Uttar Ramayan and Shri Krishna too enjoyed #1 Rank in BARC TRP Charts.
Its sister channel DD Bharati, which was even not in notice since its inception in 2000, became 5th most-watched TV Channel in TRP Charts, with Mahabharata became #2 on TRP Charts.
Following the success of the reruns, DD National finally regained its status as the country's number 1 station. Bolstered by high ratings of the programming repeats Doordarshan launched DD Retro on 13 April 2020, with its library mainly composed of many of Doordarshan's legendary drama series.
Shortly after Prasar Bharati changed its logo, the broadcaster announced the rebranding of DD National, including its logo, which would be in effect from 15 August 2022, coinciding with the celebrations of Indian Independence day and in celebration of 40 years of nationwide broadcasts. The new logo made its debut on 14 August, one day before the holiday.
These matches are broadcast under compulsory simulcasts from pay television rightsholders such as Star Sports, under laws requiring sporting events of national importance to be simulcast by DD National. In 2017, in response to complaints by Tata Sky, the Supreme Court of India ruled that these simulcasts are only allowed to be carried by on the free-to-air terrestrial and DD Free Dish, and that DD National must be blacked out on pay television providers in defense of the pay-television rightsholder when such events are broadcast.
Since then, Prasar Bharati decided to telecast Cricket Matches only on DD Sports Channel, and since then all matches were telecast on DD Sports channel, but only on DD Freedish, DTT mode with different feed named DD Sports 2.0.
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