As TV viewership grows,TRPs fall
In three years, the TRPs of a top TV show have fallen from 15 to 9.7. So what has changed? BT gets an inside view
HARSHADA REGE Times News Network
In 2003, the Television Rating Points (TRPs) of top serials like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi were ranging from 14 to 15. Today, their TRPs stand at 9.7. Clearly there's a drop in the points. Yet, the fact is that the viewership for TV serials continues to rise. So what has really changed? "Viewership has got distributed and this has affected the TRPs of primetime serials," says Sandeep Sikand, the creative head of Kasamh Se and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki.
Unlike earlier, there are over 300 channels today which offer different kinds of programmes. Moreover, most news channels have spiced up their line up in a bid to catch eyeballs. They no more present just the day to day news but also provide a variety of news related programmes that have plenty of melodrama.
"Today, there are around 35 news channels. The rest are divided into regional channels, health and spiritual channels, channels meant for kids and others. All these have put pressure on the entertainment channels," informs Siddhartha Mukherjee, director of communications, TAM, the TV audience rating agency.
So what is the solution to boost the TRPs? "The only solution is to make programmes that have a wider appeal. Programmes like the Great Indian Laughter Challenge or Nach Baliye got higher TRPs because they had content that was absolutely different. But the same formula may not be successful everytime," says producer-director-actor J D Majhetia, who has made serials like Khichidi, Sarabhai V/S Sarabhai, Ba Bahu aur Baby. In a bid to retain their viewership, entertainment channels are also showing reality shows, says Mukherjee. "Nowadays, the viewers are very informed. So these channels fear that one day people might stop watching the content they are showing and so are experimenting with different types of programmes." Actor Pawan Shankar is of the opinion that as the market grows further, the choice will become wider. "The TRPs of programmes like Ramayan, Mahabharat and Swabhimaan were as high as 60, and getting the same TRPs is not unimaginable today," he says.
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