Current Research Initiatives
Professor Ruchi Jaggi
1.Research paper titled ‘The Great Indian Television Soap Opera – Issues of Identity and Socio-cultural Dynamics’ presented at the 19th AMIC Annual conference held in Singapore from 21-23 June 2010.
Abstract Available
Fiction has been a very interesting genre on Indian television. From the era of a single national broadcaster to the time when plethora of General Entertainment Channels (GECs) has crowded the Indian telescreen, the trajectory of fictional programming has seen an exponential ascent. Soap operas, popularly called as TV serials, have become one of the most popular offerings. When India’s first television channel, Doordarshan (the state run broadcaster) started out, its focus was the promotion of development through educational programming. The first television serial made appearance only in 1984. The central theme of this fictional entity was again development and national integration, though the representation took a relatively entertaining dimension. These television serials gradually became a means of the state’s intensified efforts to create a pan –Indian national culture. They achieved phenomenal success and managed to create a mass audience. Extensive survey data proved Doordarshan’s popularity after the entertainment wave started and the mass audience that got created as a result. With liberalization also began the era of satellite revolution. The audiences were enthralled at the prospect of multiple channels providing varied choice. Entertainment got redefined. Television serials remained a popular fare however. With the communication revolution scaling new heights, the pendulum shift from mass to niche was inevitable. In the age when narrowcasting seems to taking broadcasting head on, the genre of television serials however seems unperturbed.
Besides their entertainment value and cultural repercussions, TV serials also weaved socio-cultural patterns through their content. From the initial crop of more broad based issues to an individualistic approach, the content of Indian television soaps has seen an evolution of sorts. They have made vociferous cultural representations in the process. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of households with satellite connections went up from 25 million homes to 90 million homes in India. There was a new, mass audience out there, in smaller towns and cities. Leading Indian producer, Ektaa Kapoor’s soaps dominated the Indian television screen for almost a full decade. The rich urban households were interesting. The forthright female protagonist in every story became a cultural metaphor in the context of scheming relatives and dramatic situations. The decade was long and the trend simply got squeezed out. The new audience could not relate to them and the old audience had tired of them. The cultural ethos could no longer hold the ground. A new trend emerged. The long forgotten rural India and social problems associated with real India took centerstage. Indian television soaps stood high on the solid social platform representational and responsible for a new wave of cultural ethos. The fact however remains that the new crop is ideologically so similar to the expired crop. The look and feel might be different, issues might seem as the primary idea, but most of these new soaps tend to revolve in vicious family dramas with all the old ingredients. The progressive dimension that seemed to be their adherence to a nova-culture on the Indian television screen has also ultimately taken the tried and tested pathway of monotonous emotional appeals, stereotypes and heteronormative gender roles. This paper seeks to look at the evolution of content in the televised soaps in the Indian context. It would analyze the onslaught of family dramas and their cultural dimensions on the social context as a whole. The paper would critically examine the last decade of Indian television soaps and insightfully analyze the recent trends in this genre. The paper traverses the role of these soaps in defining cultural identity and ethos. It would further seek to critique the cultural ethos of the new ‘pseudo-social’ breed of soaps.
Besides their entertainment value and cultural repercussions, TV serials also weaved socio-cultural patterns through their content. From the initial crop of more broad based issues to an individualistic approach, the content of Indian television soaps has seen an evolution of sorts. They have made vociferous cultural representations in the process. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of households with satellite connections went up from 25 million homes to 90 million homes in India. There was a new, mass audience out there, in smaller towns and cities. Leading Indian producer, Ektaa Kapoor’s soaps dominated the Indian television screen for almost a full decade. The rich urban households were interesting. The forthright female protagonist in every story became a cultural metaphor in the context of scheming relatives and dramatic situations. The decade was long and the trend simply got squeezed out. The new audience could not relate to them and the old audience had tired of them. The cultural ethos could no longer hold the ground. A new trend emerged. The long forgotten rural India and social problems associated with real India took centerstage. Indian television soaps stood high on the solid social platform representational and responsible for a new wave of cultural ethos. The fact however remains that the new crop is ideologically so similar to the expired crop. The look and feel might be different, issues might seem as the primary idea, but most of these new soaps tend to revolve in vicious family dramas with all the old ingredients. The progressive dimension that seemed to be their adherence to a nova-culture on the Indian television screen has also ultimately taken the tried and tested pathway of monotonous emotional appeals, stereotypes and heteronormative gender roles. This paper seeks to look at the evolution of content in the televised soaps in the Indian context. It would analyze the onslaught of family dramas and their cultural dimensions on the social context as a whole. The paper would critically examine the last decade of Indian television soaps and insightfully analyze the recent trends in this genre. The paper traverses the role of these soaps in defining cultural identity and ethos. It would further seek to critique the cultural ethos of the new ‘pseudo-social’ breed of soaps.
2 Research paper titled ‘Popularity vs. Credibility: An analysis of public perception of sensationalism in Indian television news’ published in Institute of Management Studies’ (IMS, NOIDA) National Journal ‘Manthan’ (2009)
Abstract Available
There is no doubt that dense networks of social communication have persisted in modern India. The long lineage and persistence of vibrant and organic tradition of public reasoning, dissent, debate and oral tradition cuts across classes, castes, religions and communities. The development of news channels as a prominent genre of satellite television can be understood in this context. After the barriers due to state monopoly were lifted, there was a special liberating resonance. News television, for the first time, provided air waves as a mass platform to extend the Indian propensity for argumentation and political debate.
The boom in Indian TV news channels is no short of a revolution. The way the content and presentation have diversified in the last decade speaks volumes of how TV news has carved a niche in the audience’s lifestyle and mindspace. The 24x7 news relay has gratified the viewers’ demand and need of being informed and entertained simultaneously.
From the non-glamorous days of Doordarshan in India to the more dynamic Zee news in 90s, there has been a noticeable tilt towards sensationalism in Indian news media with the advent of a new Hindi news channel India TV. What started as a ripple effect to boost TRPs has now cascaded into a chain reaction with every new channel using the sensationalism card to raise its popularity index.
However popularity does not necessarily imply credible public perception of either the news content or the news channel. This paper attempts to explore the relationship between news sensationalism and perceived credibility in the minds of the audience. The paper would use a combination of the case study approach and analytical survey to establish the aforementioned relationship. The research would consist of a case study of at least three news channels and a survey on 50 respondents.
The objective of the paper is to make a comment on the novae-kultur of sensationalism and exaggeration that has become both the means and end of news presentation on the Indian telescreen. The paper seeks to address the issue of ‘breaking news syndrome’ in the context of viewers’ perception of the same. It would attempt to seek answers about the credibility of news content in the public’s psyche.
The boom in Indian TV news channels is no short of a revolution. The way the content and presentation have diversified in the last decade speaks volumes of how TV news has carved a niche in the audience’s lifestyle and mindspace. The 24x7 news relay has gratified the viewers’ demand and need of being informed and entertained simultaneously.
From the non-glamorous days of Doordarshan in India to the more dynamic Zee news in 90s, there has been a noticeable tilt towards sensationalism in Indian news media with the advent of a new Hindi news channel India TV. What started as a ripple effect to boost TRPs has now cascaded into a chain reaction with every new channel using the sensationalism card to raise its popularity index.
However popularity does not necessarily imply credible public perception of either the news content or the news channel. This paper attempts to explore the relationship between news sensationalism and perceived credibility in the minds of the audience. The paper would use a combination of the case study approach and analytical survey to establish the aforementioned relationship. The research would consist of a case study of at least three news channels and a survey on 50 respondents.
The objective of the paper is to make a comment on the novae-kultur of sensationalism and exaggeration that has become both the means and end of news presentation on the Indian telescreen. The paper seeks to address the issue of ‘breaking news syndrome’ in the context of viewers’ perception of the same. It would attempt to seek answers about the credibility of news content in the public’s psyche.
3 Research Paper titled ‘When Big Brother becomes Big Boss: A look at Glocalization from the perspective of reality shows on Indian television’ presented at the GCA-PRCI international conference at Bangalore (November 2009)
Abstract Available
Dallas and Baywatch ushered a new era in Indian television. The audiences were exposed to never-seen-before images on television. With more deregulation and foreign investment opening up, the media landscape kept expanding. From one TV channel to hundreds of them jostling with each other to catch the viewers’ attention, there were umpteen opportunities to experiment with content and serve versatility. One of the offshoots of this experimentation is reality television, which has carved a niche for itself in the Indian viewer’s mindscape. Reality TV is a well-established genre in the West. The Indian television has hugely borrowed the Western concepts. The twist in the tale comes from the Indianisation of the format and treatment. The Indianisation of content is fusion of global with the local or precisely, glocalization. This research paper seeks to study the glocalization of foreign television content on Indian television in the context of reality shows. The paper would seek to understand glocalization of content and its intercultural connotations. The paper has used the case-study approach to study the subject. It would look at some reality shows that have been inspired by the Western television and examine their content in detail.
4 Research paper titled ‘Japanese Cartoon Shows driving Indian kids’ TV Channels’ published in ICFAI Journal Advertising Express, October 2009.
Abstract Available
Dallas and Baywatch ushered a new era in Indian television. The audiences were exposed to never-seen-before images on television. With more deregulation and foreign investment opening up, the media landscape kept expanding. From one TV channel to hundreds of them jostling with each other to catch the viewers’ attention, there were umpteen opportunities to experiment with content and serve versatility. One of the offshoots of this experimentation is reality television, which has carved a niche for itself in the Indian viewer’s mindscape. Reality TV is a well-established genre in the West. The Indian television has hugely borrowed the Western concepts. The twist in the tale comes from the Indianisation of the format and treatment. The Indianisation of content is fusion of global with the local or precisely, glocalization. This research paper seeks to study the glocalization of foreign television content on Indian television in the context of reality shows. The paper would seek to understand glocalization of content and its intercultural connotations. The paper has used the case-study approach to study the subject. It would look at some reality shows that have been inspired by the Western television and examine their content in detail.
5 Research paper titled ‘Popularity vs. Credibility: An analysis of public perception of sensationalism in Indian television news’ selected and presented at International conference on Intercultural Communication at IMS, NOIDA, India (Sep, 2009)
Abstract Available
6 Research paper titled ``Reality Television and cultural shift: The Indian Story'' selected and presented at The International Conference on “Media, Democracy and Governance: Emerging Paradigms in a Digital Age” organized by Asian Media & Information center (AMIC) at New Delhi, India.(July, 2009)
Abstract Available
It is now almost two decades since international satellite services were first seen via cable to the home in India, inaugurating an era of profusion of private channels in a society that had previously only known a government-controlled national broadcasting network, Doordarshan. The programming on the channel was not only unglamourous but also lacked innovation and creativity. The so-called primitive era of Indian television went in for a small change in the 1980s with infusion of entertainment genres including soaps, films and film related programming. However the real transformation came in 1992 when liberalization allowed the entry of transnational players like Star TV. Dallas and Baywatch ushered a new era in Indian television. The audiences were exposed to never-seen-before images on television. Though this trend was criticized as an invasion on the Indian cultural identity, yet it managed to create its own cultural space as well as intertwine in the national cultural landscape. The journey was arduous but steady. With more deregulation and foreign investment opening up, the media landscape kept expanding. From one TV channel to hundreds of them jostling with each other to catch the viewers’ attention, there were umpteen opportunities to experiment with content and serve versatility. One of the offshoots of this experimentation is reality television, which has carved a niche for itself in the Indian viewer’s mindscape. Reality TV is a well-established genre in the West. The Indian television has hugely borrowed the Western concepts from Who wants to be a Millionaire to the very successful Big brother. The twist in the tale comes from the Indianisation of the script and treatment. The subjects of reality shows range from Game shows, talent hunts, quizzes, surveillance or voyeurism focused production shows. Some of the reality shows are pushing the boundaries of sex – a topic which even now is evaded on screen as well as socially. Besides changing social aspirations, reality television has brought in a transformation in individual perspectives on success. From the very conventional beliefs on certain career choices perceived as ideal including medicine and engineering, the Indians have opened their minds to traversing the distance to fame and fortune via the reality route. Sexual depiction on television is just one instance of the rising tide of cultural change in the Indian society. Reality shows have also influenced the social psychology of Indians. Their aspirations have seen a paradigm shift. From a time when the viewer almost worshipped media celebrities to the viewer getting the opportunity to attain celebrity status is one of the ramifications of reality television. Making heroes out of nobodies, it was reality television boom which put mass into mass media.The relevance of the topic comes from both the rise of reality television in India and the subsequent success that it has got. The spiraling trend is being predicted to stay. In fact, media effect concepts provide a very strong basis to it. The Uses and Gratification approach (Katz, 1974) is seen being dexterously applied to the reality TV situation in India. An audience which had been seeking full-blown entertainment for quite some time now has been satiated with a daily dosage of real drama. This daily drama has elements of sympathy and empathy in addition to giving a participatory platform to the viewers. The fact that the fate of the participants is decided by the general public lends a sense of belongingness and power to them. Also most of these shows revolve around the construct of general entertainment. Consequently, there is significant demographic and psychographic variance in the viewer profile for these shows. One of the interesting socio-cultural implication of this variance is that communities watch these programmes as a unit thus fostering deeper social cohesion. The gamut of emotions that runs through these programmes provides a cathartic experience to the audiences. Instances of instant success or failure remind viewers of their daily struggles and participation of ordinary people lends more depth to their experiences. This papers attempts to analyze this cultural shift in the Indian society vis-à-vis the upsurge of reality programming on television. The main objective of the research is to find out if a significant cultural transformation has taken place, the reasons for the same and its extent. The paper would seek to answer these questions through a thorough review of available literature on the topic as well by conducting a descriptive and analytical survey among the target group, the reality shows’ viewers in this case.
R Bruhadeeswaran and Subadra Kalyanaraman(Batch 2009-11)
7 Research paper titled 'Microfinance & Inclusive Growth - Understanding Credit Requirements of the Poor in Emerging Economies' selected and presented at International Conference on Challenges to Inclusive Growth in Emerging Economies 2010, IIM, Ahmedabad
Professor Shyama Dutta
8 Research paper titled ‘The Age of Engagement’ selected and presented at GCA-PRCI international conference at Bangalore (November 2009)
Abstract Available
The paper will explore the changing nature of new media influences on consumers, marketers, educators, social activists and those who use and influence society through the new media.
The paper will also explore the democratization of content and its impact on social evolution, with a focus on the opportunities for social change. It is now possible for even the consumer to determine content as well as influence the content directly. This has definite impacts in all spheres – right from the information to education, leisure and even marketing.
Some niche areas of change and possibilities influenced by new media in wide areas will also be discussed. The focus will be India centric, with its cross global influences.
The paper will also explore the democratization of content and its impact on social evolution, with a focus on the opportunities for social change. It is now possible for even the consumer to determine content as well as influence the content directly. This has definite impacts in all spheres – right from the information to education, leisure and even marketing.
Some niche areas of change and possibilities influenced by new media in wide areas will also be discussed. The focus will be India centric, with its cross global influences.
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