DPL Restructures SAMAA TV Website, Realizing Urdu-First Vision

DPL recently completed a web development project for SAMAA TV website. Now, visitors to the leading news channel’s web presence will be met with a sleek, modern site in Urdu. This change was necessary to honor the channel’s Urdu-First policy and help it promote the national language.

About SAMAA TV

Founded in 2007, SAMAA TV is an award-winning news and current affairs channel. It is the property of Jaag Broadcasting System Pvt. and currently the fourth-largest news channel in Pakistan. Since day one, it focuses on presenting news based on facts, not sensationalism.  

An innovator itself, SAMAA TV is the first private satellite news channel to provide live transmission from five cities. It also takes pride in a technologically advanced infrastructure that supports its extensive network of correspondents, both locally and internationally.  

Moreover, SAMAA is a pioneer in innovative journalism initiatives. Through its citizen journalism platform iSAMAA, it allows individuals to share unique news and content. Further, it sends ‘Breaking News Alerts’ via SMS to inform people on the go about the latest news.  

SAMAA TV Website Project

Members of our web development team were excited about the challenge this project presented. SAMAA wanted their then-current website split into Urdu and English websites that are managed from separate admin panels. 

However, this engagement was far from easy despite being relatively short. The team was challenged by its scale, tight deadline, and the use of legacy technology in building the previous website. Regardless, DPL Rebels enjoy a challenge and were already coming up with a solution.  

As part of the project, the team had to –  

• Host the English and Urdu versions of the website separately with a unique database and new domains for each, replacing the current single content database
• Separate the 5-year-old legacy website into two for Urdu and English, using the latest WordPress version, without any loss of website UI customizations, and while replicating a seamless user experience
• Change URLs of the stories published respectively on SAMAA Urdu and English, and ensure proper redirection to avoid losing traffic or page views  
• Secure the website against external security threats and issues
• Set up separate Google Analytics metrics for both websites

The SAMAA TV website project wrapped up successfully and both websites have already been launched earlier this year. 

Do you wish to upgrade your legacy website? Get in touch using the form below and we will create a functional website that is aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly.