9 Years of Divyavani TV: CEO Shares Vision for the Future

Rev. Dr. I Lourduraj SJ, CEO of Divyavani TV speaks to Catholic Connect about the journey of Divyavani - the first ever Telugu Catholic TV channel, operating under the Telugu Catholic Bishops’ Council (TCBC) since its inception on August 31, 2016.  

Divyavani is broadcast nationally via AirTel, Tata Play, SunDirect, Jio Fibre and locally in Andhra Pradesh through cable networks.

Can you tell us about how Divyavani TV started operations in 2016? 

Rev. Dr. I Lourduraj SJ: Divyavani TV’s motto is to bring the aroma of the Word of God to every home. Late Archbishop Thumma Bala was instrumental in founding Divyavani, alongside other bishops of the conference. Fr. Udumula Balashowry Reddy of the Diocese of Vijayawada was the first CEO of Divyavani Social Communications. After the passing of Archbishop Bala, the chairmanship was taken over by Bishop Udumala Bala of Warangal. Currently Bishop Jayarao Polimera of Eluru serves as chairman. I have been privileged to serve as the CEO of Divyavani Social Communications. 

What are the main objectives of Divyavani TV? 

Rev. Lourduraj: We have seven key objectives guiding our mission: evangelization, faith formation, reconnecting with inactive Catholics, fostering relationships within families, connecting to the universal Church, building the Kingdom of God, and creating a forum for unity. To support these objectives, we broadcast 45 different program formats weekly, including 15 daily and 30 weekly shows. Our weekly programs address social and religious issues. 

How do you sustain this initiative? 

Rev. Lourduraj: We are sustained by the generosity of ordinary Catholics and the support of the TCBC. We have established zonal communication centers in six dioceses, with the main center at St. John’s Regional Seminary in Hyderabad. Recently, the Diocese of Eluru opened its communication center as part of this initiative. Divyavani is powered by a dedicated team of 46 staff members who ensure the smooth running of our channel. 

Our focus on teamwork and collective responsibility has been key to our success. We take feedback from our viewers seriously and adapt our programs accordingly. 

How are you adapting to the emergence of OTT platforms? 

Rev. Lourduraj: OTT platforms are still not popular with our audience, who mostly use cable TV. We are encouraging them to shift to DTH services, but OTT is not a focus for us right now. A large portion of our budget is spent on distribution costs. Although Divyavani TV is free-to-air, we have to pay distribution fees. To ensure our sustainability, we are focusing on building a large corpus fund, the interest from which will cover our annual budget. 

Where do you see Divyavani TV in the next 2 to 5 years? 

Rev. Lourduraj: We have several plans in place for the future. These include constructing a new building for Divyavani Social Communications with updated studios, office space, and clergy residences. We aim to professionally train at least one diocesan priest from each diocese in film and television production. We also plan to increase the number of programs produced at diocesan communication centers and build a sustainable financial model through corpus funds.

By Catholic Connect Reporter