Are we REALLY ready for progressive TV viewing?

We have had our share of debates and discussions about how the premises of television have evolved over the years. We have evolved, for real.

From what commenced as presenting only sitcoms, dramas and thrillers to the tube,has now evolved to presenting short stories, TV movies, and even documentaries.

However, the million dollar question still pertains. Are we REALLY ready for 'progressive' television viewing?

Here are some pointers which summarize the answer to this question-

The Evolution has been slow and steady!

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Over the years, the evolution of television has occurred, though substantially, but at a snail's pace. It is only gradually that wesaw the niche and risky concepts starting to gain importance. Who would have thought that a 'Bigg Boss' or a 'Bhaskar Bharti' or an XYZ show would ever make it to Indian television!

Television has got bolder and better

Where romantic scenes and on-screen kissing was nothing but a taboo, years ago, today, presenting such scenes on the tube is no more a unique phenomenon. However, the reason for the same has been attempting for a change. It is always that one person who attempts to go out of the flock and think out-of-the-box, literally.

But..

There is always a BUT to everything, isn't it? The biggest BUT that today's television scenario faces is that are we actually ready for progressive television viewing?

There is still an undeniable preference towards cliched and monotonous sagas

We totally understand the supposed fetish for the supernatural genre. However, what fails to register our minds is that how in the world are cliched, dim-witted and monotonous sagas still fetching audiences. For instance, in the legendary show, 'Sasural Simar Ka', there was one full episode dedicated to a mystery about a spoon. And we are not kidding! The show is still on-air and has been so for the past five plus years.

Knowing the right target audience

This is literally the biggest hindrance in the whole progressive TV content criteria. The masses include a domination of women who are married and other ones who are aged. All they can relate to is what they have been through (apparently). Not generalizing, but one cannot expect all those ladies to sit back and get intrigued by a show like '24' or the Amitabh Bachchan starrer, 'Yudh' in recent memory. And the people actually wanting to watch it don't watch television as a preferred medium.

Deserving shows don't get fruitful results

As mentioned above, the Anil Kapoor starrer, '24' can absolutely be termed as a revolutionary move on TV, where the Bollywood superstar Anil Kapoor had the bravura to showcase quality content and match to the international levels. However, it is only disheartening that a show like that managed to fetch a meagerly 0.2-0.3 rating. Also, belonging to this list is the Shaheer Sheikh-Erica Fernandes starrer, 'Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi'. The show is certainly immensely popular amidst it's set of fans, however, when the rating charts arrive, we witness a mere 0.7-0.9 rating for the show. One of the few truly deserving shows that has showcased modern romance with a practical approach, the show may have a huge fan base but doesn't win in the TRP race.

Unfortunately, it is all about the numbers

And that makes it the most unfortunate thing. We can talk, we can debate, we can feel sad or we can feel irked, but at the end of the day, it is all about numbers. Deserving and worthy shows come on-air and are soon pulled off-air due to falling TRPs. And all we can do is keep feeling sad about it!

However, having said all the above, the makeshift in TV has begun and will take more time to have that expected response for progressive television viewing.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Leave in your comments below..

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