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The first step in the business of content is to fully understand the
medium. Its meaning, its very essence. Television reaches as many as 79
million homes across the country. Consequently, it has a substantial influence
on the day-to-day lives of the people, their perception and their thinking.
A large number of channels are aired throughout the nation, telecasting
programmes ranging from current affairs, sports and business news to soaps,
films etc. To stand as a fore-running competitor in this business is an
exciting challenge to be undertaken by all persons who've indulged themselves
in this eventful line.
In today's world, the fundamental underlying the television business
is that content dissemination has moved from push to pull. It effectively
means that till now television producers were broadcasting and people
were receiving the content. Today, people have so much choice with respect
to the fact that there are over 90 channels on air at this moment of time,
that they decide what to accept. So power has shifted from the giver to
the recipient.
Considering the fact that the consumer is the viewer who will eventually
decide what he wants to view, the onus of capturing his attention and
grip from the beginning to the end of a programme rests with the content
aggregators.
Giving due weight to the fact that it is the viewer who will decide what
he wants to view, any programme must ensure that it constitutes the following.
# Value and substance in the content. Value in the form of meaning to
the viewer or reason to the viewer to view the programme. Substance and
interesting matter to draw the viewers towards the programme.
# Research the subject thoroughly to get a grip on the matter on which
the programme is to be made
# Identification. To know and identify appropriately the target audience
and accordingly position the program and build its concept and treatment
plan
# Concept. Based on the research and information gathered in the preliminary
stage, conceptualize the entire programme to get a holistic view as to
what the final product is going to be like
# Treatment. The next step is to decide on the treatment plan of the programme.
How will the programme appear on the screen? The treatment must be of
a kind so that the attention of the audience can be gripped and interest
can be created in the audience to actually 'pull' him/her towards the
programme.
# Psychoanalysis. It is essential to understand what appeals to the viewer,
along with the concept and treatment, packaging and marketing plays an
important role in creating recall value in the audience mind. TRP, the
proof of popularity, can be consistent only with this recall value and
an element of hype. After all, in the contemporary state of affairs- the
icing on the cake is as necessary as the cake itself.
# Demand. Fickle mindedness, though difficult to assign, is after all
a reality of the audience's mind. Boredom sinks in too easily, too soon.
Hence, what is supplied to the audience has to be always fresh and never
prolonged. Essentially in sync with changing tastes and preferences of
the viewer.
# Too much media. A variety of channels that offer a plethora of choice
to the audience. To catch the fancy of the viewer requires the content
to be distinct and different from the mundane content offered by other
channels otherwise. Uniqueness ('unique' has been revealed as the most
popular genre in an Economic Times survey) can be offered to a viewer,
the entire procedure of inception, conceptualization, treatment, packaging,
polishing and marketing has to be undertaken. Offering a 'unique' content
to the audience does not necessarily mean going in for something unexplored,
but a re-exploration of the ordinary to make it extraordinary.
# Viewer interaction and viewer participation must be invited to further
the interest of the audience and attract them towards the programme. Feedback
and suggestions at times provide valuable inputs that help improve the
content, and consequently, the audiences' interests can be served better.
Improvising the programme to help in serving the interest of the audience
better, attracts the viewer towards the programme.
# Technical Competence. State of the Art equipment and technically superior
production capabilities ensure better transmission and viewing quality
and are thus mandatory.
# And finally, all of the above factors must be undertaken and synergy
must be brought about in all the above activities to create a sustainable
business model that generates revenue for itself to carry on its activities.
With the pull of the viewer towards the programme established, the market
standing of the content aggregator improves. As credibility rises, a brand
is created. Branding helps in bringing goodwill to the producer and ensures
stability and market worth to him. Quite often the name sells-though this
is by no means an excuse for compromise. Important to remember that the
person on the other side is smart, educated and choosy. So, it all boils
down to sincerity, a sincerity toward the viewer, a genuine moral responsibility,
a sincerity toward all that is earlier mentioned and an adherence to all
that one feels is correct and true. Of course, to remember-when the class
gets going, the classiest survive.
(The author is CMD of BAG Films, a TV software production house. The
views expressed here are personal and indiantelevision.com need not necessarily
endorse them. Her email: anurradha@bagfilmsonline.com)
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