TV producers talk about digitalization and no TRPs

With cable TV moving off Indian homes and digitalization coming into the picture, broadcasters have planned to put on hold the TAM rating from 7 October (week 41) till 8 December (week 49). This means that there will be no TAM ratings for the next two months. We at Tellychakkar.com got in touch with producers of various shows to know their take on this… Said Pintoo Guha of Filmfarm Productions, “This is a sign of change and if the broadcasters have agreed to it, it’s definitely meant to streamline things. At least now, one will have better TRP measures. Hence, one must take this two month time as an investment. Secondly, this also gives all the creatives a chance to know how much their judgment works. Importantly, there are at least 80 million cable TV houses of which the broadcasters have no account, but with digitalization, one will have an account of it.” Rajan Shahi of The Director’s Kut Productions averred, “Every Wednesday has been a make or break day for the television industry. And this is for the first time, as a producer, I won’t wake up on a Wednesday morning and look for TRPs. It’s going to be difficult as for 10-15 years that I have stayed in the business, I have never lived without TRPs. In fact in the last 5-6 years, a show’s future totally depended on these numbers. But not having TRPs will not affect the work neither will it affect the quality. You get to explore on the creative front and then wait for the D-day when you get the TRPs finally.” “It’s a fun zone right now, as one can work completely on one’s conviction not waiting for the TRP ratings every week. Though getting results every week does help you understand what the audience is looking out for, but the scenario has changed in the past few years where the TRPs have started dominating a show’s fate. This will change with digitalisation. Though we will not have the TRPs for a while, we will get the results by the end of it all and know how well we’ve fared with our conviction. It’s a step to grow as one would now get to cater to a niche audience too and not just the masses. And this process makes us part of an historical event,” stated J D Majethia of Hats Off Production. Asit Modi of Neela Telefilms sounded unhappy with the entire decision as he said, “A lot of changes are taking place and this is one of it. But the fact that we won’t get TRPs for the next two months kills the excitement factor. For me, ratings have always been exciting and I have been waiting for it every Wednesday. But, now I will have to wait for a longer period of time. It’s more like checking my stock market (laughs). There will be a new system in place and we will have to see its credibility. Rest will stay just the way it has been for me.” Shyamashis Bhattacharya of Shakuntalam Telefilms is very happy as he observed, “I look at this as two stress-free months. TRPs usually lead to a lot of stress where one has to change the storyline as per the numbers. In fact, a lot of news broadcasters wanted the rating to be made on a monthly basis. But yes, when I say this, I am day dreaming as I know it will be weekly but it’s a much needed vacation from stress and everybody would welcome it. “But at the end of it all, the broadcasters will have a tab on four major metropolitan cities. Hence there will be a drastic change of numbers. How I wish the TRPs would come after the New Year, In that case, I would have got to enjoy it that way (laughs).” “This had to be done to get a better picture of the TRPs. Now, we will have a proper data put in place. I am sure that the broadcasters have done their math well and will come up with something better. Till then, we will work with our conviction,” said Sunjoy Wadhwa of Sphere Origins. Remarked Siddharth Malhotra of Cinevistaas, “I agree with Ekta Kapoor, a good friend of mine who said, ‘This is like having chocolates without the fear of gaining calories (laughs)’. But said that, we will have to drive with conviction for these two months. Now, in these two months, one will work on the storyline he believes in without having to change them because of dipping TRPs. For the rest, you just have to wait and watch.” “Since there will be no cribbing about TRPs, it’s a time for creative freedom. It’s a challenging time as at the end of it we will see the results. So, one will have to work hard without the channels’ interference,” said Sunshine Productions’ Sudhir Sharma. Well…here to better days ahead!!!