Category Archives: Reality TV

For the sake of news

Posted on by
Reply

Q) Should the sanctity of News be sacrificed at the altar of profits? At the end of the day, the channels have to be profitable?

Conversely if the news channels truly focus on giving you a path breaking news experience they would have audience flocking to them. Once audience comes in advertising is bound to follow. There are too many content calls that get taken basis brands that can be attracted to that content. This needs to stop, and more and more focus should be on creating consumer engagement

Q) Should News about Entertainment and Reality Shows be a part of Prime Time News content? What if this is the case today?

The news channels have to decide which business they are in. If the viewer wants to watch soaps and gossip about soaps, they have a variety of channels and facebook and you tube and net forums. The last place an average viewer wants to catch soaps are news channels. I know the channels will quote that these programmes are successful, but have the channels ever evaluated the impact of such programmes on its brand equity? Does this not dilute its ability to deliver authenticity and believability? There is a serious crisis of trust that most news channels are facing, and they seem to fuel the flippant side of brand, rather than the authentic side Q) Earlier, news channels and their people were popular enough to pull TRPs riding on the hardcore news content. Now they say they had to change because of the audience choice. What exactly is responsible for the current scenario? The news channels themselves are responsible. It’s the news channels that decided to dilute their ability to deliver news in an engaging manner, and invest in programming. They looked at easy way out, and do programming that costs next to nothing and try and get advertising revenue. Unfortunately it is hurting them and brands that are being advertised on them. They are sitting on a tinderbox that will explode, and in the process force them to reinvest in news.

Q) Besides self introspection by the channels, what factor can bring the news back?

Nothing, but self introspection. They need to take a longer view of the business they are in, and build muscle in that arena. No channel ever faced a crisis if it did what it is supposed to do in engaging ways, and in a manner that made it an icon. Deliver news in the most authentic way, with most engaging tone, and you will have audience flocking to you

Q) As an industry observer, do you think that the current scenario is really helping the channels to earn as per their potential with the fact that the difference in the market share of two channels is almost negligible?

The channels are making it difficult for themselves by becoming like a commodity. CNN is not same as BBC. There is a brand tonality, and a brand personality that is reflected even when they report on same thing, with same news feed. Unfortunately that is not true of most Indian news channels. The fact is that most of these channels are new, they don’t have the baggage of heritage, they can be lean mean and hungry, they can add a dimension to news that has been missing, they can reflect the viewpoint of a young and restless nation, sadly none of this is visible with the news channels today

Q) Advertisers look at the TRPs and content both before spending. Do you see any way out for the channels and the audience? Is there any ray of hope?

I think there is a space for a true news channel that reflects the reality of the audience that is today. I personally believe that the channels need to step out of self imposed boundaries, be serious about their craft, put a value of seriousness on themselves, or may be launch a show called ‘news ke muzrim”. Till then they will live with this persecution complex and feel that audience is not interested in real news. Sad news for news channels is that they have got it all wrong. As always the issue is will they listen?

Done for Zee News for the sake of news initiative http://www.bestmediainfo.com/testimonial.html

Lessons from Reality TV

Posted on by
1

Some reality TV shows have been asked to be broadcast after 11 pm by the ministry of information and broadcasting, based on public outcry on vulgarity and abusive language in the shows.

In times when the television has replaced the erstwhile joint family’s grandfather as the grand storyteller of life and its lessons, of values and popular culture, it may be moot to take a look at what people derive from the facts and fiction that television brings to their living rooms. After all, every evening, families across India do gather around their TV sets.

There are lessons – good and bad – that people could be deriving from a host of reality shows such as Bigg Boss 4, MasterChef India and, say, Kaun Banega Crorepati 4, all ongoing shows. These are randomly named and in no way mean that the other reality shows have nothing to teach us.

There are four potentially harmful lessons to be learnt. First, that it pays to be bad. The louder you are, the crasser you are, the greater your fan following. Politeness and compassion are out. Second, that it pays to be self-centered. It is fine to speak the language of ‘I, me, and myself’ if you are anchoring a show – there’s no need for consideration for others or respect for their skills.

Third, that you should never try to separate fact from fiction. It’s all right to add drama to some mundane, perfectly normal everyday situations. When you add such drama, you become a media star. Every channel follows you, wants your opinion on everything and it may even land you your own TV show.

Fourth, that relationships are a matter of convenience. What’s good today may not be good tomorrow. You must constantly evaluate your relationships to see what works for the moment. It’s perfectly fine to switch sides if it works for you.

Fortunately, in midst of a host of reality shows that teach dangerous lessons, there is a show that teaches lessons of humility, politeness, respect and compassion. The fact that the lessons of humility and politeness come from India’s biggest movie icon, only add to overall weight of the lessons.  The fact that his shows are pulling more eyeballs than any other show tells that people do hold old world values in high regard and don’t get swayed by attention-grabbing gimmicks.

All this has implications not only on the emerging popular culture but also on brands. All brands are a function of two contexts: the content of brands and the environment in which they live. Brands control their content, and leverage the environment. If a brand lives in the right environment, it creates the right feeling about itself. If it lives in the wrong environment, it weakens and can eventually destroy its own equity.

There are many brands that are riding on the TV reality shows. They are present either as sponsors, or as advertisers in the commercial breaks, or in programme placements. If a brand appears in an environment where the values propounded by the show are contrary to what the brand stands for, should it evaluate its presence? Brands go to great lengths to test their creative content, measure their advertising impact, and track their efficacy. Maybe it is time they also added the effect of environment on themselves.

So, will brands ever do that? Rise above the ordinary and take a wider responsibility? Or will we, as consumers, have to trigger the change?

 

Published in Hindustan Times 22.10.2010