“News Channels have Turned into Recreation Channels”
Showkat Ahmad Dar and Zubair Ahmad
There is an Old Quote “Quality is better than Quantity” This is
something which news channels of the present era need to
understand. As the media sector is seeing cut throat
competition the news channels nowadays resort to anything
and everything they could do to fetch high TRp’s. A
Trp, as known popularly, is the target racing point for
calculation purpose. This device also known as people’s meter
judges and records the time and the programme that a viewer
watches on a particular day.
News channels have steered their wheels towards
entertainment because the just cause of real and serious
issues are not capable of catching the interests of the viewers,
thus reducing their profit. Entertainment has encroached much
space in the news channels because of the Hype, Sensational
and voyeuristic opportunities in has to offer. Competition is
also one major reason that compelled news channels to take
shape of infotainment channels. i. e telecast informative as
well as entertaining content. News channels had no option that
to spice and grayish issues with drama to vie away other
channel from their share of Trps and profit.infotainment will
remain a strong presence on news channel till the indian
viewership matures, in order to pull the maximum revenue
from the viewers.
Paid news has also became a huge source of income for news
channels. Paid news is promotion of institution, Products,
services etc that have paid for it. This is much like
advertisement. These new channels are now much concerned
about the popularity of politicians property, Popularity of daily
shops and about the celebrities personal life and than real
issues concerning the public. In the past news channels were
largely focused on hourly news bulletin comprising major
political and other news events, Human interests etc. But
nowadays news channels have moved from serious news
reporting and analysis to tabloid television, sensational
impactful and dramatic format which relies more on breaking
news of every kind rather than serious news.
Till a decade ago news channel were known for their content
editorial standards and degree of impartiality and unbiased
telecasts. But gradually news channels are covering special
programme on entertainment available just like other channels
viz Saas Bahu aur Beetiyan on Aaj tak and Saas Bahu aur
Saazish on star news. They also have special shows to catch
up with celebrities and their partying ways much like the Page
3coverage in newspapers viz shows such as “Night out” on
Ndtv.
News readers and weekly debate anchors that were also
newsreaders on week days were known as professional
television journalists working for a certain channel. As a result
of today certain channels are known by their star anchors like
arnab Swami,Barkha Dutt and Rajat sharma, to name just a
few, just as daily soaps are known by their main characters
and Tv stars that play them.
Now, the question arises that why news channels have
deviated themselves from their primary duty.? On most news
channels political,Government news was given prominence,
followed by crime/law and order.The defects should ideally be
addressed and corrected in a democratic manner. Such
irresponsible journalism should be discarded. Journalists
cannot avoid their social and moral responsibilities towards
the society.Their work demand portraying the vertical truth of
the society. So, they must not compromise with anything to
reveal the truth.
