An enigma called BREAKING NEWS

Every ‘NEWS’ is now a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ that’s what is claimed and preached by India’s popular news channels especially meant for the Hindi speaking mass such as AajTak, Zee News and India TV. These channels have completely turned the meaning of BREAKING NEWS in news industry. Looking at the ferocity and spontaneity of churning out breaking news by these channels it is clear that the producers of these channels have decided any news with juicy content will be taken as breaking news, otherwise not.

According to Wikipedia (the online reliable encyclopaedia), “Breaking news is a current event that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming in order to report its details. Its use is often loosely assigned to the most significant story of the moment or a story that is being covered live. It could be a story that is simply of wide interest to viewers and has little impact otherwise.”

This is a widely accepted definition of BREAKING NEWS in the news industry. But AajTak, Zee News and India TV in particular have reshaped the definition in their own way. These two channels primarily consider news to be as breaking news looking at its viewereship, which mainly comprise Hindi speaking mass of India. So they normally pick news that appeals the emotions, inquisition and sociological background of such viewers. In addition to these the quantity of Hindi speaking viewer is too strong, which makes it too hard to resist the TRP that comes as a bonus for these commercial hungry so called news channels. The truth behind this statement will be justified if the breaking news broadcasted by these channels is watched carefully.

Such breaking news doesn’t accumulate much interest in Eastern and Southern part of India, where the Hindi speaking viewer is comparatively less. Strangely being national news channel AajTak, Zee News and India TV is least bothered about other part of India. They very much like Raj Thackeray wants to earn the attention of a particular fraction of the society. These channels are not ruled by strong editorial team/content instead is guided by the advertisers who force them to pick news that has an entertainment value.

If this is not the case then how these channels air news (if they really deserve to be categorised as news) such as calf born with 2 heads, Aishwarya and Abhishek’s pooja, tantriks evaluating what would have been the best possible solution for the Bachchan, Mallika’s fallout on her performance on the new year eve and many similar news as breaking news.

These channels broadcast illogical, impractical, gossip making, supernatural, violence and nudity in the name of news which is evident from the amusing and catchy headline they flash as breaking news such as:

Katrinaka sudh hindi shuniye

Camera me kalajadu

America mei music album mein macha bawal

Commissioner ka kutta mila

Kapde churanewali bhut

Shararti langur ke harkate

Aao yamlok chale

Muat ke bad

Bagh ka hua prem

Khuni barish ke piche kaun?

Pyaaz mangnewali churail

Salman ke sasuralwale

Chajje pe billo rani

Rahul ne dal puri aur sabji khai

Amitabh Bachchan ko thand lagi

Wonder from which planet these TV producers have come! It will be another breaking news then.

The entry of Balika Vadhu, exit of Saas Bahu

The tele producers (Ekta Kapoor & Balaji Telefilms) has finally decided to pull the plug on the 8 year long Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. According to the producers this move was pre-planned as the script demanded so. But if TRPs are something to be believed, then it is the new serial Balika Vadhu currently being aired on Colors has eaten a big pie from the Kunki Saas’s drooping Television Rating Point (TRP).

Forget the ancient, typical, over hyped Saas - Bahu’s who were only fond of glycerine, and welcome the sweet Balika Vadhu who fills the TV screen with liveliness during the prime time slot from 8 to 8.30 p.m. Feeling the pulse of the large TV viewing audience who were already bored with the over acting of Smriti Irani as the archetypal Bahu in Kyunki Saas…and with the ongoing, never ending drama of reality shows, the producers in Colors channel thought it as the right time to launch Balika Vadhu. And they were absolutely right with their research and planning.

The result is evident from the latest TRPs of the Balika Vadhu show released by TAM. The show has managed to receive a rating of 4.60 for channel Colors, which is worth appreciating. The show has become so popular in such a short span that the channel has decided to do two repeat telecasts a day - at 11 p.m. the same day and at 2 p.m. the next.

The storyline of Balika Vadhu deals with a sweet and bubbly child bride called Anandi, who is married off to a young boy called Jagdish. Although set in an arid, rural Rajasthan, the serial is a relief for the TV audience whose eyes were dazzled by the extravagant set, loud make-up and ravishing sarees and jewellery, part of the nautankis from Ekta Kapoor stable.

Apart from the real life and controlled acting from the all the stars of Balika Vadhu that include Surekha Sikri, Anoop Soni, Smita Bansal and Bhairavi Raichura, the cinematography is worth mentioning. Special mention must be made about the 10-year-old girl Avika Gor, who plays the role of Anandi. She is a perfect casting for the role of Anandi done by Purnendu Shekhar, the writer and director of the serial. Interestingly, Purnendu Shekhar wrote the script of Balika Vadhu for a film in 1992.

The serial has created such popularity and awareness among the general TV viewing audience that the media (equally newspaper and TV) has already started to compare it with the masterpieces like Tamas and Godan that was once aired on Doordarshan (DD).