Doordarshan: 1996. DD was walkin' on air. High commercial revenue, high TRPs. 1997. The story is different: DD will be lucky to match last year's Rs 570-odd crores earnings. And the TRPs are down, down, down. The colossus has been checked in its giant strides even as it was granted autonomy by the Gujral government. In fact, the Prasar Bharati Board was the best thing that happened to DD all year. It could be 1997's gift to 1998.For, autonomy, if fully realised (the next government always willing), could lead to a resurgence. The present Prasar Bharati Board, or indeed its successor, lest a new government makes fresh appointments, has a wonderful opportunity to improve DD's fortunes. Which can't get much worse. In 1997, DD has witnessed a steady decline not just in terms of viewership. By removing all current affairs programmes, by not telecasting major sports events (especially cricket), by not offering a wider variety of programmes (lifestyles, music, talk shows, etc.,), DD has let other channels set
the agenda.
DD1: While others are innovating, poor old DD1 is still dominated by films and mythologicals. But it's paradise lost for some: Om Namah Shivay and Jai Hanuman maybe in the seventh heaven but Shri Krishna, last year's leading serial, has dropped to no.5-no.6 and what's more its TRPs have fallen on bad times (that's if you believe in TRPs). This is true of all the top 10-15 rated shows and serials. Even those usual suspects -- the Hindi films, Chitrahaar and Rangoli have fewer viewers. If they're still up there in the charts it's either because DD viewers are a faithful bunch or else, DD's failure to come up with new alternatives have forced viewers to remain loyal.
The one alternative DD did provide at the cost of its educational programming, was the daily soap. And this succeeded. With upto eight of these on the air since May 1997, DD has been able to create new, popular time bands in the morning and the afternoon, demolishing the belief that there is
only one prime time. The good showing by serials such as Swabhimaan, Shanti, Aurat, Waqt Ki Raftar, Yug, etc., may indicate that women and Generation R (retired) are watching more TV than before.
DD2: In January 1998, it will be five years old. There isn't much to celebrate: again, ratings for the top shows have fallen fairly dramatically. And we're watching left overs. Superhit Mugabala (off air this month), All the Best, Saahil, Raja aur Rancho, Mahabharat, Hindustani, Shrimaan Shrimati.... Look and sound familiar because they are both. DD2 has introduced few new shows in 1997 and that has cost it dear. One reason for the lack of new programmes is that producers, disinclined to pay DD monumental amounts for the pleasure of being on DD2, have taken their business to other channels.
On the brink of 1998, the question facing DD is: if it is the indisputable market leader, why hasn't it got the best programmes?
Satellite TV channels: This could be the watershed. True,
the boys haven't quite been separated from the men, but certainly, there's been a distancing: some TV channels are forging ahead, others are clinging to the edge by their fingernails. Ironically enough, all the private, satellite TV channels, without exception, claim to have increased their viewership over the last 12 months. The ratings don't quite agree: in many instances, there's been a drop in TRPs. Which means one of three things or a combination of all: Indians are watching much more television than they did last year, the TRPs are not an accurate reflection of viewership patterns -- or, someone is lying.
Another trend: channels which weren't already 100 per cent India-specific (like a Zee or Sony) have been desperately spicing their channels with a little masala: from CNBC and MTV to The Discovery Channel and BBC, and everything in between, channels have learnt that they have to be Indian if they're to taste that advertising pie.
So 1998 could turn out to be a corker. Zee, preeminent, has finally
got competition. Sony and STAR Plus have joined the battle and though the crown is still on Zee's head, it lies a trifle uneasily.
Zee: A topsy-turvy year. It's chopped and changed its top executives, its programmes and schedules. It's lost stars like Rajat Sharma and terminated some flag-bearers: Tara, and Sailaab, to name just two. On certain days (like Thursday), it's lost the no.1 spot to Sony.
Just as it appeared to be faltering, it's hit back with an avalanche of new shows. Mrs Madhuri Dikshit, Baat Ban Jaye, Amaanat, Margarita, Adhikaar, Naya Daur and Teacher are some of them. Diehards such as Banegi Apni Baat, Hasratein (even after the exit of sexy Seema K), Daraar, Close Up Antakshiri, TVS Sa Re Ga Ma, Colgate (Philips) Top Ten, Parivartan go on forever and ever and ever. What DD couldn't manage, Zee has achieved: a mix of the old with the new. It's still raking in the advertisements, though like DD, its TRPs have dropped. Guarding its flank from
challengers, are El TV and Zee Cinema which without doing anything spectacular, chug along.
Sony TV: One of the year's big successes. Steadily up the charts, its Aahat is rated the most popular satellite show. With a mixture of clever marketing, challenging advertising rates and good, new programmes, including Just Mohabbat, Thoda Hai Thodi Ki Zaroorat Hai, STAR Yaar Kalakaar, Shikast, new dubbed shows (Different Strokes, Bewitched), Sony is on the upswing. Add to these, old wonders such as Boogie Woogie, Born Lucky and films, films, films and Sony has, apparently, found a magic formula. Question 1998 is: can it continue to bridge the gap between Zee and itself?
STAR Plus: It has a little bit of everything: English programmes, Hindi programmes, blockbuster movies, art movies, film premieres, serials, current affairs, film countdowns, fashion, food and talk shows, talk shows, talk shows... Now into its second year as an English-Hindi channel, STAR's looking
for a little magic itself. For all its variety, the TRPs haven't been spectacular. At all. Exceptions such as STAR's news bulletins, Tu Tu Main Main and some film premieres (Maachis, Saaz, Sardari Begum) have brought in advertising but the biggest flops have been the programmes which did so well on DD: Chandrakanta, Ghutan, Imtihaan, Reporter...The blockbuster Gaatha is still to be an achiever but the current affairs show, A Question of Answers has done well.
STAR's strength may be its weakness: in being all things to all people, it is nothing in particular to anybody. It needs to answer the question: who am I?
STAR Movies is dubbing movies in Hindi -- that's a trend. The channel is having obscenity problems as well, but that hasn't stopped us watching.
TVi: Repositioned, revamped, but still repeating too many programmes. Its cast its lot with news and current affairs. 1998 is Waterloo.
Home TV: Dolly Award II: to Home for becoming a cloned
version of TVi. Its repeating itself all the time; it's trying to reposition itself. Heard that before?
Channel V and MTV: The Dolly Award I: to MTV. It must be the only channel which has cloned a clone of itself. Channel [V] was genetically spawned by MTV and now MTV is looking more like Channel [V] than Channel [V]. Channel [V] continues on its merry way while MTV has gone seriously Indian. Ergo: less variety.
ESPN, STAR Sports: If there's cricket -- any cricket will do -- and if India is loosing yet another one-day match, the ratings go up, up, up. Still, thanks to ESPN and STAR Sports, we know that Tiger Woods is not an exotic wildlife plant but a golf player and that Formula One is a motor-racing competition not an Ayurvedic preparation for long life. And next year, there's the soccer World Cup.
BBC went the Indian way and for the first time introduced programmes made by Indians (Indian Business Mid Week, India Question Time and Style). For he's a jolly good fellow.
CNN didn't do anything but TNT is going strong because its the only channel for those young things known as kids. Then there's CNBC, NBC (also known as the `who is Jay Leno?' channel) and ABNi, which has just joined hands with CNBC and down South....but you don't really want to read any more of this do you....?
Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
