“Chaen se sona hai tho jaag jao” … ew! Is this Indian TV news presentation?
Picture this! A dark gloomy studio set giving you an impression of a C-grade Ramsay Bro.’s horror film shooting at the backdrop with a more insane-looking motor-mouth talking to the screen and scaring the life out of your little ones in the house. Picking up crime-related issues, exaggerating the possibility of super-natural forces at work and rather than informing, it holistically brings the case or the matter to brew to the level of wild imagination and even wilder choice of words and presentation. This is Indian TV news’ sensationalizing of information to boost up their TRPs in the race for grabbing more eyeballs by the news channels.
Earlier, news meant information which was unusual and was of value and interest to a mass audience. But, the same piece of information has got a whole new meaning in the form of ‘infotainment’, i.e., information and entertainment mixed together in presenting news to the people. Many of you will question me that what is wrong in bringing the scope of entertainment to the sphere of news presentation and that it will draw in more viewers. But that’s the exact motive of bringing entertainment to news presentation. To achieve more viewer ship, even the TV news channel are trekking the route of entertainment channels and reducing news to a mere form of drama and creating hysteria in the minds of the viewers who themselves forget the actual purpose of watching news, i.e., getting knowledge instead they get entertained.
Today, news channels are giving tough time to the soap operas airing on other channels by matching them frame by frame in presenting high voltage drama and emotions to the audiences in the name of sensitizing them of the crimes in the society. This is all done keeping the TRP game in mind. The game is not only played between the entertainment and the news channels but also among the news channels. The news channels indulge in the sensationalism of news specifically targeting the youth in the audience. The youth comprises of the major part of India’s population and therefore, if the news presentation is made more catchy then the youth is attracted to such shows. The emotional factor again works well with the young minds and the sensitive nature of that age. Most of the TV news channels cash-in on this and present news in the form of an action sequence or give it a theatrical form.
Every form of media has a specific role to play in the society and has to perform its role to the utmost satisfaction of the general public. It is the role of cinema, TV serials and other telefilms and documentaries to provide entertainment and dramatized version of the facts and reality of life. But unfortunately, the elements of cinema, drama and soap opera have made an entry into the news presentation in a big way. Due to this shift of roles, the values of news are side-lined making TV news just another form of entertainment through the media. ‘What is important’ is no longer considered as a news value but ‘what is wanted’ is the main criteria of selection of news to be presented to the audiences to fight for the prime time viewer ship on television. Earlier, the prime time had the entertainment channels battling out for the TRPs but now even the news channels have put special reports for this time slot in the evenings.
These days, even the headlines generally don’t cover important news but celebrity news and crime stories sensationalized for the viewers. The news media has failed to realize their potential as a mass medium and that how it can bring forth the problems in the society and guide the people to ensure their safety and well-being. The number of crime related shows has increased in recent times with a direct growth in the crime rate as well.
Though, no initiative is undertaken by the media in curbing them through warning the people or laying down precautionary measures for them. Most of these shows focus on glamorizing a crime rather than looking into the causes and the possible measures that can be taken. Such shows only come out to be a good watch along with the supper.
The prime goal of news on television is to generate debate among the general public and build up a consensus which is the basic foundation of any democracy in the world. With the onset of the trend of 24*7 news channels, it was expected that crime related and other such vital issues will be discussed at length and solutions to grave problems would be sorted out. But such a trend has led to the glamorization of news and sensationalism of facts.
The news media needs to understand that there are far more serious and critical problems that the society is facing than merely focusing on Shilpa Shetty’s social life or glorifying the act of ardent sinners. Wake up mass media and take up the responsibility of providing food for thought to a developing nation like us!
Tanushree Chatterjee
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