Prime Time TV News Content Analysis and Audience Feedback A Study in Indian Context

Abstract

In 1982 when India hosted Asian Games and color television came into existence, the newlinetelevision industry took off rapidly. In early 90s, Doordarshan started facing competition newlinefrom private satellite channels and later these channels came with news content, the niche newlinefor audience grew and now it is a cut throat competitive market from a luxury medium to newlinean essential one. The television after convergence technology is now also available on newlinemobile phones. The concept of prime time still exists as audience after the daily chores of newlinelife switch to television for information, education and entertainment. It is now necessity newlineto almost every household and the trend is that the family, who can afford more than one newlinetelevision set, is installing the same in its bedrooms. It is no longer a drawing room and newlinefamily medium but a personal medium for upper and middle upper classes and that too newlineespecially in urban and semi urban areas. To keep abreast all the happenings from local to newlineinternational, the audience tune to their television sets in spite of increasing mobile newlinedensity and new features which are being added to it. Television is still the most newlinepreferential medium when the people opt it for information and entertainment. newline1.1 Television as a Mass Medium newlineTelevision is a powerful medium for appealing to mass audience and it reaches people in newlinespite of age, sex, income or educational level. In addition, television offers sight and newlinesound and it makes dramatic and lifelike representations of people and products. The newlineaudio visual character of television makes it a magic medium which allows us to watch newlinethe world from our drawing rooms. The live nature of television allows it to transmit newlinevisuals and information almost instantly. Another important characteristic of television is newlinethat it is capable of being a live medium. The visuals of an earthquake in Indonesia can newlinereach direct to television set in almost no time. This capacity of the medium makes it newlineideal for transmitting live visuals of news and sports events. While watching a footb