Understanding Media Representation of Violence in Assam
3.2. Theoretical Understanding
3.2.1 Strategies of Programming
Programming strategies are the ways of approaching a media product. These are often the key tactics employed for attracting and retaining consumers. With commercialisation of media and commoditisation of news, it becomes important to understand the understanding that goes behind certain strategies that media makers employ to survive in the profit driven, highly competitive media industry. Along with identifying the strategies it is also essential to comprehend their selection criteria and also execute the strategies with utmost brilliance though the designated media communication.
The responses (Figure 3.1) on strategies to attract people to a particular programme may be categorised as below:
Figure 1: Responses on Strategies to Attract People to a Particular Programme
Content: As per the responses the most significant strategy employed by the media houses to attract people to a particular programme is the ‘content’. Content selection and development is given priority over any other aspect of programming, which includes the programme concept, scripting, visual images, audio effects, presenters, people involved and even distractions in the flow of information. 24% respondents (Figure 3.1) believed that media houses concentrate on media content and spend the maximum effort in identifying the proper content to be worked upon, covered and
27 23 21
13 9 6 9
3 1
05 1015 2025 30
No. of Respondents
Strategies of Programming- Responses
Responses
released to its readers or viewers. Most often a pre-programming research is carried on to spot the appropriate matter for production. Reflecting the views of Danny Schechter (2003a) of news to have become “purveyor of infotainment”, respondents cited the need to place information in an entertaining manner in front of the audiences. The entertainment factor in the content is the most emphasised one by the respondents who believe only entertainment value of the programme, no matter how serious or distasteful the subject covered is the attraction gainer and retainer. Thus rightly said “entertainment has been a major theme of news” (Lynch 20). Selective responses stating content development as an important programming strategy are given below:
According to CEO and Content-Editor of a regional television news channel:
The content and its presentation are very important, when we create content – be it news, entertainment or a lifestyle programme. The aesthetic sense is of immense significance in modern television, as it demands good filming, representation of the image/visuals and graphics, which acts as an eye-ball contact for the viewers.
According to New Producer of Regional News Unit at Guwahati, Doordarshan News:
DD News basically focuses on information and entertainment and develops programs so as to spread knowledge and awareness among the common people about government schemes and facilities and how can they benefit from them. Especially our focus at DD Northeast is on traditional ethnic cultures, customs, functions occasions, resemblances and similarities of all of these with those of the region beyond boundaries. Our motto is to educate the people in healthy way and entertain.
Consumer demand: Another 21% respondents (Figure 3.1) said that catering to the demands of the target audience is another most important factor that determines the programming procedure. Right from identifying the target which is a large group of people, understanding their media wants and delivering according to their media gratification, research and typically preconceived notions go behind the programming.
Mostly market research is carried on to determine the likeability, readership or viewing preferences of the populace being catered to. Knowing the information needs, meeting consumers’ expectations and delivering accordingly is one important strategy that producers employ to attract consumers and hold them. Usually all content selection is done keeping in mind that the consumers are practically looking for entertainment and information clubbed together, ‘infotainment’ with more of
entertainment. “Studies have proved that content and quality of news are greatly affected by audience demands” (Althaus et al. 2009; Arnold 2004; Dunaway 2008;
Dunaway 2012; Hamilton 2004; MsDonald and Lin 2004; Powers 2001; Zaller 1998).
Selective responses by media practitioners of the region reflecting similar views are given below:
According to Producer News, News and Current affairs channel:
While ideation of a programme is done the objective and target audience should be well defined. This helps to work more precisely on the key elements such as concept, content, script, location etc. Attractiveness of a programme depends on extent the audience is able to identify with it and is absorbed.
According to Producer News, regional news channel:
It should be more oriented towards a particular group of people. Example youth, adult, women etc. Then it becomes easy to develop programmes according to the target groups’ interests and requirements.
Presentation: 19% respondents (Figure 3.1) point at presentation to be another major policy that media practitioners employ to cater to consumerism. Innovative presentation styles are being constantly worked upon in media industry. Many believe
‘loud and unique’ presentation style attracts audiences. Notably one respondent refereeing to a national media television news channel and being a former employee of the particular media house said that “more the programme presentation style was loud and people found it weirdly strident, more they would watch it only for entertainment and not for information collection”. The attractiveness, aesthetic sense and innovative way of holding on to audiences to a media reports may be apparently clubbed as media presentation as a whole.
Echoing what Hamilton points out in his work, respondents from the television industry seem to believe that “anchors and reporters are promoted as celebrities”
(2011: 161). News presenters, reporters and anchors are believed to create an impression about the particular channel as they are considered as the “face of the channel”. Their delivering of information and knowledge about the news, along with visual and graphical aids are key features that attract viewers to a particular news item initially. Especially in LIVE situations the reporter and the news presenter are the source of information extraction. In such situations, the presentation design with
interactions, visuals, expert opinions etc form major characteristics which draw audience attention. Similar is the case of print media too, only that the dissimilarity lies in putting all the efforts to writing style only rather than audio-visual style along with content development.
Packaging: Another similar aspect like presentation is packaging. Packaging is a criterion that media makers employ to attract people to the particular programme.
12% respondents have pointed at packaging as an important aspect of programming strategy. According to the respondents, this includes representation of the image/visuals and graphics along with the main content, scheduling space and time slots, distribution of information, details and explanations provided, etc… along with content selection, storyline development, supporting visuals or images, experts’ views and opinions on the subject if are to be included, format of the programme- either recorded or Live, interactivity of the programme- audience polls or phone- ins etc; all form aspects of packaging, which media houses wisely employ to attract consumers towards the media product.
According to a news producer at a television news channel:
Presentation is important but packaging is the overall basic requirement of the entire programming. Not only content wise but the whole decoration around the information to be disseminated, and ofcourse the complete presentation becomes equally important for attracting people towards any particular programme.
Objective: A well-defined objective of the particular programme was pointed by 8%
respondents (Figure 3.1) as a major strategic plan which needs to be accomplished before production and final release. As per majority of the respondents, to communicate with a clearly stated goal in mind, defining the objective of a particular programme requires identifying the target audience, understanding the present media trend and consumer (audience/viewers) preferences; determining the key issues which interest consumers and needs to be addressed and accordingly planning and designing the programme.
As per the respondents defining objectives include identifying the information that needs to be communicated through media, designing it in desired manner, conveying
through proper channel and media in appropriate time and space. This enables finalising the structure of the media product as well.
Promotion: 5% respondents (Figure 3.1) identify promotion as a significant programming strategy that is employed by media producers and practitioners to attract consumers to any particular media commodity which mostly for news media is a piece of information and at times series of related information. In creating awareness regarding the media house, focus of the media house, kind and quality of news dealt with are conceptions generated and strengthened to attract audiences. As per the respondents promotion of a particular programme need to highlight its USP (Unique Selling Point). Promotional videos or media house promotions, work well for attracting the audience towards the media house and its products and gradually creating a niche for the brand among the consumers. Apparently good public relation by the organisation proper advertising helps in promoting.
According to the News Editor of a regional television news channel:
Highlight the Unique Selling Point (USP) of a particular programme or channel in an attractive and convincing manner. In case of news channels or newspaper one has to put across the message of the particular channel/ newspaper being the best at breaking news, in exclusive stories, in-depth stories and analysis, off beat stories, at representing people at authoritative platforms; either or all of them. Even single news items may be provided a USP and marketed accordingly to attract viewers.
According to a television programme producer:
Some of the strategies employed to attract the people include interesting promos, mentioning the name of the particular program in some other programs, loud or unique presentation style, roping in celebrity anchors and so on.
Sensationalism: Media has been of late criticised of deploying sensational features into media content for attracting viewers/ readers. 8% respondents (Figure 3.1) pointed towards sensationalism as a key strategy to increase consumerism. But it was eventually seen that definition and degree of sensationalism varies from person to person. While most of the media houses clarify a certain kind of excessive depiction or a certain presentation or packaging style as exploring reality on their own part, rest label it as sensationalising of facts for certain organisational of individual gains mostly with inlaid intentions of profit making.
According to Senior Copy Editor of a vernacular language press of Assam:
Deploying sensationalism has become the easy and widely employed approach in media to attract readers/viewers and retaining them. Sensationalism prevails in many ways in today’s media; right from selection of subject matter, triviality over-hyped treatment, misrepresentations and exaggerations of details, and so on. We do realise being part of the media industry that most of the news making headlines and breaking slots in newspapers and televisions respectively have very less news worthiness.
Authenticity: 3% respondents (Figure 3.1) pointed at authenticity of the information given through a particular programme or media as the chief feature which attracts and holds on to media consumers. Information in its purest forms without distortions and twisting of facts is found by few respondents to sustain readership/ viewership in the long run.
According to Senior Assistant Editor of a national newspaper’s Guwahati edition:
The best strategy to attract readers and retain them is to deliver the news in its purest form.
Authenticity and faith goes a long way in media and readers retention. Sensationalism is temporary winner in the industry. Audiences are intelligent these days and they know to distinguish between fake and real. Unnecessary overloading of information is not the key to success, Authenticity is. However the presentation matters a lot too.