There’s a new entertainment channel coming to the screen closest to you and while this might be a moment of rejoicing for you, other channels will be less pleased. More competition. Let’s hope that does not translate into more sameness, otherwise you will be displeased, too.

NDTV is setting out to entertain us. Not a moment too soon. We do not need to study electronic viewership measurement systems (TRPs) to know we’re watching less of what passes for general entertainment. When we watch TV for recreation, it’s the news channels we turn to. They telecast more films, cricket, page-whatever-types and now stand-up comedy (some would say the news became a joke long ago) than Star Plus, Sony, Zee, Sahara One, Sab and Star One, perhaps put together.

These officially designated entertainment channels have suffered collective amnesia. They don’t remember what they are supposed to do. They live in circa 2000, when Kaun Banega Crorepati made Amitabh Bachchan (and vice-versa) and the monstrous regiment of K women marched into our homes to make themselves comfortable amongst us. Star Plus, their host, became the most popular channel and the others followed with their own saas-bahu sagas. It was great for a while but then they overstayed their welcome and their entertainment value decreased the longer they stayed.

Polite, we continued to entertain them, hoping things would change, but they continued down the successful beaten track and we began to leave or switch to other shows that offered alternatives. Which may explain why Zee, with one trademarked K serial, has been appreciated.

... contd.