Sreekandan Nair welcomes the directors of the media city at a ceremony announcing the launch of Flowers entertainment channel in Thiruvananthapuram. Saudi Gazette's Editor-at-large Khaled Almaeena is also seen among dignitaries on the dais. — SG photos Hassan Cheruppa Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – A prominent Indian television journalist and producer has lambasted India's media moguls for their greed for profits at the expense of quality content. R. Sreekandan Nair, managing director of Insight Media City, said there are no content makers at the helm in most of the media organizations, notably television channels. Addressing a Meet the Press program, organized by the local Indian journalists in Jeddah on Wednesday, Nair said media organizations that are keen to provide the best content can survive the stiff competition ongoing in electronic media. “Even though the rating of a media depends ultimately on the capabilities of content makers, at present they are not being given due prominence in the industry. On the other hand, the media management gives more emphasis on hiring economists and rely on economic blueprints prepared by them to earn greater revenue at the expense of quality,” he said, while referring to the new trends in India's electronic media industry. Unlike other professionals, media persons are being sidelined mainly because of the unwillingness of owners to take risks. Criticizing electronic media managements for their “rating” obsession, Nair said they know only the language chain of viewership-rating-marketing-revenue. “Advertisers look at the rating of a channel and nothing else, including content quality, does matter to them. Running after rating has exhausted much of my energy and health during my long career in the television industry,” said Nair, who is a renowned presenter and producer of leading television channels, including India's public broadcaster Doordarshan and All India Radio, for more than a quarter of a century. Nair emphasized that competition among media organizations should be on content. In the new channels, which are going to be aired within a few months from the media city, content makers will be at the helm. “Out of 27 acres of the new media city, we will set aside six acres for other media organizations. We will give space even to our competitors and rivals as part of our policy to encourage healthy competition.” Nair criticized the television channels' tendency to sensationalize news to an ugly level in their bid to enhance rating. “News channels have a viewership of only 8 to10 percent of entertainment channels. Therefore, news channels resort to maintain their viewership and rating by going up to any extent in presenting sensational news. Sometimes, they cross all limits of media ethics and even surpass the content of substandard serials aired by entertainment channels,” he said. He cited the examples of the fabricated espionage case and a sex scandal that caused immense damage to an eminent space scientist and a former minister of Kerala. Referring to the potential challenges posed by the new media, Nair said the tendency of the print and electronic media to ignore or sideline some major incidents or events is no longer workable, thanks to the social media. “People can publish or air any story or picture without the support of a newspaper or channel because of the revolutionary changes brought about by smartphones and social media, such as Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp. The new media has liberalized publishing of stories, which was hitherto the monopoly of print and television organizations.” He said the entertainment channel from the Media City called Flowers will be aired in February. Veteran Saudi journalist and Saudi Gazette's Editor-at-large Khaled Almaeena, and almost all major promoters of the media city were present at the launching announcement of the channel held in Thiruvananthapuram in November. The entertainment channel and the news channel, which will start transmission in April, will provide only quality products catering to the tastes of people and that can be watched by all members of family under one roof. “We will ensure the best distribution of our products. We will supply programs that generate rating in a healthy and positive way.” Nair claimed the media city is keen to uphold the personal integrity, dignity and professional ethics while ensuring sound financial positions of media personnel. “I regret to say that there are very few journalists with a bank balance, and hence, we are experimenting whether to give a decent living for media persons. In almost all media organizations I worked, the bank balances of most employees were found to be zero,” he said. Nair, who started his career as a college lecturer, switched over to the media industry after realizing that it is his passion. He worked for 18 years in All India Radio and Doordarshan and then in 1995 joined Asianet, the No. 1 television channel watched by Keralites around the world. He served the channel for several years in various capacities, including senior vice president, content head, producer, head of programs, show director and presenter of several popular talk shows. He anchored Asianet's “Nammal Thammil” show for 17 years. After quitting Asianet, Nair joined another popular channel, Mazhavil Manorama, as its consultant. Sulfeekar Othai, president of JeddahIndian Media Forum, presented a bouquet to Nair at the function in which the Forum Secretary C.K. Shakir welcomed the gathering and Treasurer Sadiqali Thuvoor proposed the vote of thanks.
