The Development of Indian TV - Essay Example

?The Development of Indian TV Introduction The entry of Rupert Murdoch in to the Asian market began way back in 1991 with the establishment of Satellite Television Asian Region (STAR). Study shows that Satellite Television Asian Region was the broke new ground in Asia for satellite television consequently fueling up the explosive development of the mass media industry across the entire continent. The experience of viewing Satellite Television by millions of audience across the region was significantly redefined most especially with the opening up of economies in the Asian continent. This is because the people had more alternatives to choose from than ever before. New standards in variety, content, as well as production were set by the emergence of Satellite Television Asian Region in the continents’ media industry. As a matter of fact, most scholars agree with the assertion that the emergence of STAR revolutionized the media industry in the entire region since the media house aired not less than forty services in seven different languages, having more than 300 million audiences in over fifty-three countries. There was no television industry at the beginning of 1990s in India that was worth a name at the time. However, significant changes began to felt with the explosive development in the expansion of one of the largest television markets which was western-based transnational media players and the increase in the number of media houses in India. At the begging of 1991, India only had one television channel known as Doordarshan that was under the control of the state. This channel was quite monotonous not to mention that it was the mouthpiece of the government at the time. By 2004, the country had more than three hundred television channels digitalized, and some of them had even forged partnership undertakings with international broadcasters outside India. The increase and growth of the media industry necessitated redesigning of program content ranging from chat shows, news reality TV, soap operas among other programs in an effort to keep up the pace with the rapidly increasing television going international. Discussion The growth of television channels in India brought about rapid globalization and expansion as a result of liberalization of the market. These channels served Indians and the southern Asia region. In fact, Indian television can be viewed in 5 continents. According to Pendakur and Kapur, 1997 because of the pro-market government in India and the explosively expanding economy, the emergence of satellite network in the Indian market made the country a preferred destination for establishment of transnational channels. The availability of huge population in India especially the increase of the westernized middle class provided better grounds for transnational channels potential consumers of about two hundred and fifty million viewers. This presented corporations of global media a rare opportunity of establishing a variety of channels. According to a study conducted by the Satellite and Cable TV 2004, the increase in the Satellite and Cable television in India had substantially increased since 1992 which recorded about one point two million homes in India which had Satellite and Cable television compared to more than a 390 million Satellite and Cable television audience recorded by the year 2004. The demand for the western programs in India was first conceptualized by the Satellite Television Asian Region. The channel broadcasted American programs to the enthusiastic Indian viewers breaking the notorious monotony created for a long time by the state owned channel Doordarshan. STAR TV began to broadcast a satellite service of five channels in English language coupled with movies, BBC Word, Prime Sports, and Channel V. This boosted the viewership of the channel across Indian audience with the thirst of western programs especially the urban elites who were proficient in English language. Nevertheless, Satellite Television Asian Region saw the need to design and introduce programs that would also captivate the locals with a theme and language that majority of Indians could identify with as well as understand. In return, STAR TV would get more audience across India, and that meant more profits. The introduction of the Kaun Banega Crorepati game by STAR TV was just the perfect opportunity of capturing the Indian viewers of fall walks of life. This game was an Indian version of who wants to be a millionaire, a British renowned game show. This show brought enormous viewership of the Satellite Television Asian Region across Indian and the fact that it was hosted by Amitabh Bachchan a renowned Indian movie star made the channel very popular. This channel became the first of its kind in India to air more than fifty shows every week. Analysts claim that by the 2004 Satellite Television Asian Region was airing its programs to more thirty one million homes across the country. Murdoch’s television introduced the use of English subtitles in the STAR Plus which was a clear indication of trans-nationalization of the programs broadcasted to meet the increasing demand of the channel viewership both at home and abroad. Other major languages were also introduced especially those with sizeable media market. These languages were: Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and Marathi. In India English, language is perceived and actually is the link language of corporate world, higher education and even the language used by the higher courts in the country. Nevertheless, English is only used by a few minorities in India especially as the first language and yet, it carries a lopsided measure of intellectual and social prestige, which may conceivably be a manifestation of the colonial menace in the country. It is quite evident that the presence of Murdoch’s television, Satellite Television Asian Region in India, brought a new era in the media industry as well as new programming endeavors. The channel brought a hybrid media language which was created by mixing Hindi and English language to come up with Hinglish. Even though Hinglish was in use before the emergence of the private television channels especially in urban north India, the introduction of the hybrid media language by Rupert Murdoch in the private networks popularized them in the Indian media market. The hybrid language was popularized amongst the youth by the introduction of channel V an all music channel owned by the STAR TV. This is a trend that over the years has influenced television channels in India. The adoption of the Hinglish language by private channels in India was aimed at expanding the audience of the private channels especially in the regions that are dominated by non-Hindi speaking areas and the south Asia Diaspora who would be endeared by a hybrid media language. The community members of the South Asian Diaspora particularly those who have been born and grown within other cultures may be able to comprehend some Hindu. The introduction of Hinglish therefore popularized the private channels even among the non-Hindi speaking population as well as the young generation. This language has also found a place in the advertising companies, and songs film dialogue. Rupert Murdoch introduced a marketing strategy of Satellite Television Asian Region in India that was native. The programming was Indian some in Hinglish and English language but most of them were in Hindi with Indian themes. Murdoch insisted on going native in advertisement of the Satellite Television Asian Region. The change of strategy by this channel echoed the growing recognition that localization is an integral part of television culture of globalization. In the sphere of current affairs and news, Murdoch influence was evident in the introduction of more popular agenda in the news and current affairs in the television network aimed at profit maximization. This strategy was a shift from the traditional broadcast of serious news. In the words of Thussu 1998even though the media defines and shape public opinion, in international, regional or even national level, however that trend changed the meaning with the emergence of the Murdochisation’ in the television network . Murdoch venturing into the media industry changed the perception of media power from a publicly owned realm to privately owned, transnational corporations of multimedia capable of managing the content as well as the mode of delivery of information. Murdoch entry into the Indian media industry negates the traditional role of the media networks of dispensing information to the public. He brought journalism which is market driven that perpetuate rating and circulation wars, he also brought a union of global media technologies, Murdoch also introduced in the Indian media a trans nationalization of media, products, discourse, and formats that are inspired by the western world. As a result of Murdoch’s influential multimedia networks empire, he has cultivated political influence essentially because of his extensive control of digital delivery systems as well as program content. His media empire stood astride the globe, with a variety of media interests ranging from interactive digital television, satellite, newspapers, internet, to broadcast cable and satellite television. Murdoch spent a fortune on the STAR Public Relations in an effort to promote the localization of the Indian news network. He designed advertising campaigns worth millions of rupees using Indian style songs for purposes of emphasizing the importance of channels in India broadcasting using local language. The strategy of promoting localization of Indian news networks by Murdoch was clearly motivated by market logic. This may have some truth since after a couple of weeks of such advertisement, the rating of STAR news in India increased dramatically. According to Ninan 2003 often than not media and cultural imperialism as used by Murdoch in India is mystified as Globalization and even as a form of modernity. The emergence of market oriented media industry in India has created a more liberal public sphere more than ever before. It would be understandable if a person holds the notion that a channel like Satellite Television Asian Region is a national television following the types of programming aired on the network, it would be unthinkable to connect the channel with owner who is not even an Indian citizen. As articulated by McChesney 2004 even though Murdoch’s television news and the programming was and still is mostly done in Hindi or Hinglish to cultivate a sense of identity the Satellite Television Asian Region networks are just but replicas of market oriented television model in the United States. In a country like India where television networks are motivated demand for consumers by advertisers and ratting wars, it can be a very powerful tool for circulate dominant philosophy given that the levels of illiteracy of the country. The presence of indigenous programming is one of the leading factors why Murdoch’s media networks have capable of localizing programming content in the country. India is endowed with a huge entertainment industry especially in the film sector. Murdoch used the advantage of the existing large entertainment industry to fillip his media interests in India. The Satellite Television Asian Region for instance entered into partnership with Tata which is one of the largest Indian industrial houses. This venture gave Murdoch’s media a great boost in India. Up to the early 1990s, India had only one television channel which state was owned. This channel was notoriously monotonous and a mouthpiece of government of India. Both the urban and rural viewers watched the channel with equal pleasure. However, with the emergence of Rupert Murdoch’s Satellite Television Asian Region (STAR TV) in 1991, things changed drastically. The Murdoch’s media introduced a different and more popular agenda in the news and current affairs in the television network aimed at profit maximization. This was a direct contrast with the state owned Doordarshan television. Murdoch media broadcasted western programs to the enthusiastic Indian viewers breaking the notorious monotony created for a long time by the state owned channel Doordarshan. The channel began to broadcast a satellite service of five channels in English language coupled with movies, BBC Word, Channel V, and Prime Sports. SART TV also introduced a hybrid media language which was created by mixing Hindi and English language to come up with Hinglish. The adoption of the Hinglish language by Murdoch media in India was aimed at expanding the audience of his private channels especially in the regions that are dominated by non-Hindi speaking areas and the south Asia Diaspora who would be endeared by a hybrid media language. Later on Murdoch introduced a strategy of localization where programming, and broadcasting news and other programs in Hindi. This development created a sense of identity and attachment with the private channels. Consequently, there was a drastic increase in the viewership of the channel across Indian audience with the thirst of western programs. References Bhatt, S. 1994. Satellite Invasion of India. New Delhi: Gyan Publications. McChesney, R. 2004. Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Communication Politics in Dubious Times. University of Illinois Press. Rajgopal, A. 1993. "The Rise of National Programming: The Case of Indian Television." Media, Culture and Society Vol. 15 (1993) 91-111. Thussu, D. 2000. International Communication: Continuity and Change. New Delhi: Arnold. Read More