[TAM Ratings] 17-Oct-2010 to 23-Oct-2010 WEEK

As a young girl, defiance was a rule I lived by, for I was denied the right to join the IPS all because I was fascinated by a serial called Udaan. Story of a righteous female cop, Vikram Gokhale as the ideal father and Shekhar Kapur as the love interest. God!

The makers couldn't have done a better job. To rid me of my fantasies all it took was a whack on the head by my parents who felt that the 'idiot box' had a victim right in their living room.

When I look back, creativity then was driven by passion for story telling today its TAM (the agency giving television rating points (TRPs) ratings each week) that gives stories direction. Imagine if Udaan had a 20- year leap and the story progressed to their bahu. Imagine if BR Chopra was told during the making of Mahabharat 'Sir samay ka voiceover work nahi karega. Let's get a celebrity, we will give him designer clothes'. BLASPHEMY!

But today, the honest truth is 'creative freedom' is blasphemous for those who are trying to survive a job. While the viewer is dished out soap after soap "different" from the last one they saw with better costumes and bigger sets; it's those who churn these stories who look forward to an opportunity to do things differently. However, in an industry that revolves around advertising for its daily bread, it's an absolute impossibility to even fantasise about such freedom.

Television today is a 30,000 crore industry with close to 450 channels waiting to take a slice out of the huge advertising pie. In an era that is governed by stiff competition, each and every input that goes into programming is measured, debated, for no one wants to take a chance on the unknown. Hence, TAM has emerged as the epicenter of all these endeavours, for business finds solace in numbers. A definite and defined outline for channels who seek success if numbers are to be believed and research is depended on.

That TV today is synonymous with TRP is no wonder at all. What would be a surprise is if we find a balance between creativity and the compulsions of TAM. It is said in many a serial chinta mat karo beta, waqt ke saath sab badal jayega. Samay bada balwaan hai. All I would say is samay balwaan hoga, lekin kya aap kabhi TAM se mile hai?