UNIT 2 TYPES OF PROGRAMMES :

A SUMMARY
Structure
2.0 Aims and Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 TV and Information
2.2.1 News
2.2.2 News Reporting
2.2.3 Current Affairs Programme
2.2.4 Public Service Campaign
2.3 TV and Entertainment
2.3.1 Feature Films and Feature Film Based Programmes
2.3.2 Plays
2 3.3 TV SerlaIs and Series
2.3.4 Vanety Entertainment Shows
2.3.5 Quiz Shows
2.3.6 Music/Dance
2.3.7 Sports
2.3.8 Special Events
2.4 TV and Education
2.4.1 Potential of TV for Education
2.4.2 Various Formats
2.4.3 Types of ETV Programmes
2.4.4 ETV versus General Programmes
2.4.5 Special Audience Programmes
2.5 Summing Up
2.6 Aids to Answers
2.7 Keywords

2.0 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This Unit introduces you to the variety provided in television transmission. By the end
of this unit you will to able to:
distinguish between various types of programmes
know the various uses to which TV medium can be harnessed
appreciate television programmes with better understanding, sensitivity and more
critically.

2.1 INTRODUCTION
Television today has reached most urban homes and remote places all over India.
There are over 5a)T V transmitters which cover about 70% of the population. There
are 20 production centres. Delhi Doordarshan centre also puts out about 360 hours of
transmission per week.
You may recall that when television was first introduced in Indiaon 15September, 1959
on an experimental basis, the range was only forty kms. around the capital and the
duration qf the service was only twenty minutes and that too twice a week. The
programmes focussed on social education.
In 1961 transmission for school was started on an experimental basis. In August 1965,
a one hour transmission consisting of programmes of entertainment and social
education was put out. In September, 1965 School T V tr;.,~s~nission,consisting of
English and Science programmes, was started on a regeiar basis during the day. By 1970
the total duration of service was increased to three hours.
An interesting experiment -Satellite Instructional Television Experiment
 Six states of India, consisting of 2,33Ovillages, were covered Types of Programmes: .
A Summary

TV came to India on 15 August,.1982. The first major event was the live
of the ninth Asian Games in November, 1982.
lly there has been an increase in TV transmission time as well as in the types of
mes. Let us go back over what we have read so far. We have given you some
or landmarks in the growth of Indian Television. They are as follows:
Doordarshan experimental service was inaugurated at Delhi
School Television was launched on an experimental basis
Daily one hour regular service was started at Delhi
Transmission hours were increased to 3 hours in the evening
SITE (Satellite Instructional Television Experiment) was launched
Colour TV Transmission was started
ion has an appetite which is insatiable. The more you feed it, the more it
s. TV, as you know, is a mass medium. It is meant to cater to:
ranging from the tiny-tots to the very old people;
people as well as absolutely illiterate and uneducated people;
cia1 audience e.g. agriculturists, physically handicapped, women, etc.;
01s and Universities.
transmission is very carefully planned. A lot of thinking and planning goes
king of transmission schedules. Care is taken to see that a heavy programme
f hard core information is followed by a programme of light nature; that
s o f a similar nature are not transmitted on the same day but are spread over
ys; that different age-groups as well as different audiences are catered to.
e is taken to see that there is something for everybody. The time at which
e is broadcast is another important factor in planning transmission
r instance, it is no use telecasting a programme for agriculturists during the
hey are working in the fields, or a programme for women in the morning
are busy in the kitchen. The programmers are all the time looking for new
deas, new themes, new ways of treating the old themes.

the TV transmission column in your newspapers. Look it up for one week and
urself the variety provided in the transmissions. You will find some rationale
e scheduling. Try to see and write what they have scheduled, when and why.
ith aids to answers given in 2.6)
Writing for TV-I TV9spurpose is primarily three-fold. It is meant to inform, to entertain and to educate.
It is difficult to classify the programmes strictly under the three categories -
Information, Entertainment and Education, since most programmes can have.al1the
three elements. Even then, depending on the focus and stress, let us put them under
these three categories.

2.2 TV AND INFORMATION

News, Current Affairs Programmes and Public Service Campaigns come under this
category.

2.2.1 News
News forms a very important part of the day's transmission. On the National Network
daily there are two news bulletins in the morning and two in the evening -one in English
and one in Hindi. News bulletins contain home news, foreign news, sports news,
weather news and stories of human interest. Normally the news reader begins by giving
the headlines and then goes into the details of each news item. Lead story is usually a
story of great importance. Once the lead story is selected the news editor tries to arrange
the other stories. While arranging them, care is taken to see that all stories are
interspersed with visuals. Nevertheless, there has to be some logical and proper
sequencing of the stories in terms of their importance.
Length of a news item is not necessarily related to its importance. A news item may last
longer simply because it is accompanied by powerful and interestingvisuals. Visuals do
slow down the pace of presentation. But without visuals, TV news will be no different
from Radio news. Therefore all efforts are made to collect visuals for as many news
stories as possible. TV audience is extremely heterogenous. News must be delivered in %

clear, unambiguous words. In order that everybody understands the news, language
should be straightforward and simple.

2.2.2 News Reporting

As we learnt earlier, TV news is essentially meant to be visual. What one picture can
say, one thousand words cannot say. TV news reporters are always on the look-out for
visually dramatic stories. They are ready with camera to go and shoot at short notice.
The TV reporter's job is quite difficult and strenuous. He is more than a mwe reporter.
When he gets to the location, he must decide what he should shoot, how he should
shoot and what he should write and how he should present it. And all this he must do
fast. This is television, not radio. Pictures will have to be edited and commentary
written. Lead-in will have to be written and handed over to the news editor. Herein lies
the trick of the trade. The lead-in should not say what thevisual story is going to say. It
should only lead into it. For doing a film story, a lot of information is gathered. The
reporter has to select what is most relevant to the present moment. He should not go
too much into the background of the event. This is only a short news item. He has to
have the focus on the present moment. He should report only what he has seen or learnt
and what is happening now.

Interviewing Techniques
The reporters are often required to interview people right from the common man to the
minister. 'Yes' or 'No' type of questions must be avoided. For instance, instead of
asking Do you think Prasar Bharti Bill will bring any revolutionary changes in the TV
programmes?' he may ask, 'What changes do you expect in the TV programme if Prasar
Bharati Bills get passed?' Politicians are often quite evasive. They manage to end up
saying what they want to say and this may not be an answer to your question. The
interviewer should be polite but at the same time firm with them. He should be
persistent with his question. If the politician still avoids it, that itself will be significant.
Expression of the face, twitching of the eye, pursing of the lips, a single hand gesture
can convey a lot and are worth capturing on camera. Body language has its own desired
effect on the viewer. But where stories are of human interest, for instance, a fire accident
 Types of Programmes:
er, the interviewer has to have a very sympathetic approach while A Summary
ng the affected people.
t
Current Affairs Programme
letins have their own limitations and cannot go into an issue in great detail. Its
t of an issue is confined to facts. In order to discuss the issue from various
view and to look at its various aspects in detail and depth, we have Current
rogrammes like Focus, Aj Kal, Perspective. News normally deals with facts
rent affairs programme with opinions. Various questions are raised in order
ifferent opinions and also to present the problem in its entirety.
nt Affairs programme could be in the form of a documentary film, interviews,
discussions dealing with one issue or it could be in the form of a magazine and
p two or three issues. For instance, a half an hour programme could take up:

Anti-reservation issue (12 minutes) based on location shots and spot interviews
Enthroning of Emperor of Japan (7 minutes) based on film clippings using archival
material
Dismissal of governor (19 minutes) based on interviews with some leading political
I personalities.
1 e World This Week is an example of news magazine and lasts for about 45 minutes.
I

nnally picks up five or six topical news stories and places them in order of
1
I
ortance. It tries to make an extensive use of visual material, consisting pf location
oting, file shots, spot interviews, maps, animations. In these programmes it is very
ential to maintain objectivity and to refrain from biases and prejudices. Therefore
efforts should be made to give expression to different opinions and to balance the

I ussion. It should be left to the viewer to form his own opinion. Otherwise there is
ry danger of the programme being one sided or mere government propaganda. Such
rogrammes lack credibility.

atch the evening news bulletin and comment on the sequential order of the news
ms. Discuss with your fellow students and counsellor at the study centre.

12.2.4 Public Service Campaign

On television you must have seen short films on vaccination, dehydration, family
planning, nationalintegration, sanitatiqn. conservation of environment, etc. These are
campaigns -all done in public interest, appealing, entertaining and driving home the
intended messages. Some films give the message loudly. others give it in a subtle
manner. Blurting out slogans or shouting out a message at the top of your voice will not
help. People should not be talked down to. 'They should not be taken as fools. They may
beilliterates, yet they are not unintelligent. For instance, you have to make a short film
on family planning. Your aim in this film should be that you persuade them and riot
coerce or brainwash them. Your film should dispel unnecessary fears and remove
superstitions. The viewer should be able to identify with the character in yourfilni and .
should be convinced of the need for family planning. He should be able to look at the
alternatives available to him and then take a conscious decision.
These films need to be produced with a lot of imagination and creativity in order to
change people's behaviour patterns and attitudes.
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chOose.two
kast. Give reasons Service choice on 7V- one you like best and one you like the
for yourCampaigns
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Writing for TV-I ........-......................................................................................................
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(Check with aids to answers in 2.6)

2.3 TV AND ENTERTAINMENT

Why do you think most people buy TV sets? Sai Paranjpe, the noted film maker, says:
"Let us not fool ourselves that the ordinary man has spent his hard-earned money to
buy a TV set in order to keep track of the tour programmes of Ministers or to keep
abreast of nation-building activities. He wants to forget the harrowing daily routine, sit
back and relax and see good programmes along with members of his family. He buys
his TV set in order to be entertained".
Entertainment need not and should not be mindless. It should cheer up, cajole,
humour, appeal and win over. Entertainment should not be merely equated with
feature films and feature film-based programmes like 'Chitrahaar'. It includes plays,
skits, comedy serials, variety entertainment shows, quiz shows. music and dance
programmes, sports programmes and so on and so forth.

2.3.1 Feature Films and Feature Film Based Programmes

Feature films have such a hold on our viewers that we can really use them to create in
the viewers sensitivity to certain burning issues and problems of the day, to convey
social message,.to promote human values, to develop good taste.
However, feature films that are vulgar and pander to the cheap taste of the people, and
full of sex and violence, may create adverse effects are especially on the young
impressionable viewers and not so literate audiences. What is needed is clean and
healthy entertainment. With this end in view, specially commissioned TV films are
made that will provide wholesome and healthy entertainment to all categories of
viewers.

2.3.2 Plays
Plays can be of varying length -from half an hour to one or one and half hours or so
They can be on social themes or historical. They can be purposive or purely
entertaining, musical, detective.
Not many plays have, however, been written specially for television. Most of them have
been adaptations from stage plays. Among the original plays, the most noteworthy are:
Nyay Dheesh (Devender Goswami)
 Types of Prognmmm:
Miyan (Anwar Azeem) A Summar)

Rishte (Dayanand Anand)

nder Goswami was among the very few who wrote, directed and produced T V
himself. His knowledge of the medium helped him in writing plays to T V
ements and, having written the play himself, he was able to capture the essence
play extremely effectively through the camera.
aid earlier, quite a lot of the TV plays are adaptations of stage plays, novels or
stories. You must have enjoyed watching these plays and would certainly
mber them -Wapsi, Adhe Adhure, Saptapadi, Ghasi Ram Kotwal, Sandhya
a. Hameeda Bai Ki Kothi is a full-length adaptation of a stage play. Superb acting,
background music, mood, lighting and sensitive camera work have made this a

2.1.3 TV Serials and Series

s normally extend over a period of three months, t o be precise, 13 weeks. The
yana and The Mahabharata have been exceptions. Each episode does not give
mplete story but carries the story forward. Care is however taken to see that each
sode ends at a point of climax.
ies are weekly dramas depicting the same leading characters set in different
ations. Wagle Ki Duniya comes under this category. Here each episode is complete
self. Leading characters are the same but every week has a different episode.
metimes comedy series are written with certain characters in mind. They are so
igned as t o suit the character. Guniram had been one such example.

7 6 . 4 Variety Entertainment Shows

hese shows are done specially with or before the invited audience. They consist of a
ariety of items -humorous poetry, jokes, skits, magic and light music. Magic shows
ormally have the audience participation. Special effects, vertical or horizontal wipes,
plit screen, slow motion, fast motion. reversal polarity, perspective distortion, freeze,
tc. are used to make these shows interesting.

b.3.5 Quiz Shows

uiz shows can be extremely entertaining and informative at the same time. They can
e p you glued to the T V set. The Quiz Master is able to carry you with him if most of
e time you think you almost know the answer and you try t o come out with it; it is
almost there and when the Q.M. finally gives the answer. you say 'Yes, that was it'. The
charmof the programme is lost if all the questions go above your head or are too easy.
The best is to have a mix of some difficult, some easy and some average questions.
Some of the popular quiz shows on TV have been Prashna Manch, Sports Quiz, Science
Quiz and Quiz Time. Heavy questions should be interspersed with light ones and
non-visual questions with visual ones.

2.3.6 MusiclDance
1 Major chunk of TV programming consists of folk songs and dances, classical niusic,
classical dances and light and light classical music. We have such a rich cultural heritage
and cultural diversity ill our country that television is a good and effective mass medium
t o promote it. Folk music and dance, folk theatre, puppets etc. can be used effectively
to convey certain social messages. Various social issues like dowry or Sati can be very
powerfully depicted through music, dance and drama besides puppetry.
Geet and Ghazal are very popular with the audience. But there are not many people
who can appreciate classical music and dance. Programmes have to be so devised that
people learn to appreciate our heritage of classical music and dance. TV serials like
Sadhna are a step in this direction. Rather than do itraight forward programmes,
Writing for TV.1 attempts should be made to introduce the artist in an off-beat manner to show how
much practice is required to reach a certain stage of success. Artists themselves may
give lecture-demonstrations of their art-forms, bringing out the subtle-nuances of
certain gestures and expressions. These will certainly increase the viewer's interest.
Innovative ways of presentation will promote public interest in these art forms.
Presentation style makes a lot of difference to the success of a programme.

2.3.7 Sports
Sports programmes occupy qulte a bit of TV time. There are a variety of sports
programmes -live o r recorded telecast of sports events, quiz shows, interviews with
sports heroes, programmes of skill development for different games. Face to face with
sports personalities can be very inspiring and motivating to the younger generation.
Training films on different games explaining the rules of the game and giving do's and
dcn'ts and highlighting the techniques required can be very useful indeed.
The aim is to develop interest in sports, to develop sports consciousness and to inculcate
in the audience the spirit of sportsmanship.

2.3.8 Special Events

Certain special events are brought live to the viewers, for instance, Asian Games,
Olympics, the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort, the Republic Day
celebrations at Rajpath, visits of high dignitaries to the country etc.

2.4 TV AND EDUCATION

Educational T V programmes are broadcast from Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Srinagar as
well as from Lucknow, Jaipur, Ranchi, Gorakhpur, Hyderabad, Cuttack, Nagpur,
Rajkot, Ahmedabad.
These programmes are meant for primary schools, secondary schools as well as
university students. They are produced by the major Doordarshan Kendras, Central
Institute of Educational Technology and Educational Media Research Centres. A large
number of academics are involved in script development, presentation and production
of these programmes.

2.4.1 Potential of TV for Education

Television is a powerful tool in the hands of educators and if used effectively, can
substantially improve the quality and reach of education. TV can offer teaching
material which would not be easily accessible to students in many ways. T V can bring
you face to face with the top most experts on the subject. T V can bring inaccessible
places and sounds within your reach. TV can take you to actual locations. In fact, T V
can be even more effective than an actual visit since through various devices available
at its disposal, it can focus attention on what you need to see carefully and in minute
detail. T V can recreate history through paintings and visual dramatisation. Abstract
concepts can be presented in a concrete and interesting manner by using diagrams,
illustrations, animations. A lot can be shown in a short time. For instance, a heart
operation which may actually take a few hours can be shown in a few minutes.
T V is also used to provide in-service training to teachers. You might have seen
programmes meant for teachers prepared by NCERT. Such programmes are meant to
help them further develop their professional skills, to inform them about new teaching
content or new teaching methodology and to encourage them to accept changes and
innovations.

2.4.2 Various Formats

In the mind of an average viewer the image of ETV is one of dull and monotonous
viewing. Actually it is not so. ETV is very challenging indeed. You have various formats
for ETV - illustrated lectures, drama, documentary, docu-drama. You can use
 tisation, experiments, models, animaiion, location shooting, spot-interviews,
ppings to explain and teach. Various strategies can be used to focus the viewer's
n. A good programme ha%a certain rhythm, a flow and a shape. Efforts should
to hook the viewers right from the word 'go' and then to sustain their interest
techniques. Sometimes continuity is deliberately broken to make the viewer

2.4.
1 Types of ETV Programmes
grammes fall broadly into two categories -syllabus based and enrichment
es. For instance, School TV service from Delhi Doordarshan is based on the
escribed in Delhi Schools. Syllabus based programmes do not aim at
e teacher but they supplement and reinforce the existing cumculum.
designers take the cumculum and design the programmes around that

ogrammes called Countrywide Classroom meant for our university students

hment programmes, for they are unfettered by rigid syllabus and they help
ental horizons. They aim at upgrading, updating and enriching the quality of
They can overcome the obsolescence of the syllabus and present the latest
all fields. They aim at stimulating rather than satiating.
d for ETV is going to grow tremendously with the setting up of open
s in India. Open University education is characterised by the use of
ation technology. Print material, audio and video form important parts of a
package. Radio and TV programmes are used to supplement the print
d are closely integrated with other teaching material. Though print remains
medium, yet audio and video play a vital role. They provide the much
an touch in distance education. Abstract concepts can be explained through
ut topics which lend themselves to visual treatment are taken up on video.
are made to bring the students face to face with experts on the subject, to
studies for analysis and interpretation, to take them as close to reality as

2.4.4 ETV versus general programmes

nal programmes are different from the general programmes in their,structure.
tightly structured whereas general programmes tend to be loosely structured.
iting for ETV, you should broadly follow the principles of teaching:

ntrywide classroom transmission. Normally it consists of 2-3 programmes.

one day's transmission and examine its programmes critically. Discuss with
mates and your counseller at the study centre.

Special Audience Programmes

dcasts programmes for special audiences too e.g. programmes for children, for
women, for the agriculturists. Special audience programmes would come
 I

Writing for TV-I under nonformal education. These programmes are learner-centred and aim at
improving the personal, social and work life of individuals. Here we are concerned
more with helping an individual solve his problems than with transmitting a particular
curriculum content. But it does not rnean learning is haphazard and not o r g a ~ i s e dIn
fact it is carefully structured as part of a well thought out learning experience.
For example, programmes for children cater to normally two age groups - one for the
tiny tots i.e. the pre-primary and the other for the primary. In these programmes,
normally there is a tendency to feature children from urban, elite families. Deliberate
efforts must be made to involve the children of lower socio-economic groups. We must
get away from the 'Didi talking down to the children' type of programmes. Children's
programmes need to be devised and produced imaginatively. They should involve
children's participation and should consist of action, drama, puppets, animation and
these provide good fun. In fact, they should combine a lot of entertainment with
education. They should be racy programmes and not consist of stationary figures.
Similarly, youth forum and Yuv Manch programmes cater to the youth. These
programmes normally draw students from colleges. Programmes are on art
appreciation, appreciation of music and dance; discu~sionsand debates, sports,
employment opportunities, careers and guidance. Programmes aim at developing
discipline, national integration and sensitising the viewers to the evils prevalent in the
society e.g. drug addiction, drinking, smoking, dowry and sati, encouraging them to
fight out the evils. Youth power has to be harnessed in constructive channels. Rather
than waste their precious time in going round the coffee homes, they need to be serious
about certain issues.
Women's programmes need special mention. They must promote women's equality.
Derogatory images of women which promote negative stereotypes must be done away.
with. Women's programmes must not deal merely with make-up, hair styles or cooking
recipes. They must deal with issues relating to women e.g. inheritance laws, their legal
rights, issues relating to family welfare, educating the children, bringing them up,
giving sex education to children, treating girls and boys equally.
Programmes like Krishi Darshan are specially designed to inform and educate the -
agriculturists and the rural population. TV tries to bridge the gap between the
laboratory and the farm. Information is given about new fertilisers, seeds, insecticides,
cropping patterns, weather, floods, bank loans and procedures for getting bank loans.
The peasants are exposed to new ideas and innovative ways of farming. Constant
exposure to new thinking breaks down their resistance. In this way, television can play
the role of a change-agent very effectively.

2.5 SUMMING UP
TV transmission consists of various types of programmes which broadly come under
three categories: Information, Entertainment and Education.
News, Current Affairs and Public Service Campaigns aim at providing information.
News is factual, Current affairs programmes carry opinions.
Public service campaigns are done in public interest and aim at driving home the
intended messages.
Feature-films, feature-film based programmes, plays, skits, serials, quiz shows,
variety entertainment shows, music and dance programmes are primarily meant to
entertain the viewers. While being entertaining, they can be highly educative also.
ETV is meant to educate the people - formally or informally.
ETV consists of two types of programmes: Syllabus-based and enrichment
programmes.
Various formats like illustrated lecture, dramas, documentary, docu-drama are used
to make effective programmes.
TV transmission caters to special audiences such as children, youth, women,
agriculturists and other groups.
 U Essmtial Production Techniques:
2.6 IDS TO ANSWERS Adapting for TV

uss a few of the programmes slotted for fixed time of the day. For example,
rsity programmes are telecast thrice a week from 6-30to 7.00in the morning.
able all students of open university courses to watch and learn. The UGC
ion slated for the afternoon between 1and 2 p.m. caters to college students in
nd all others with a zest for learning. The timing is convenient as it is lunch

guages at 7.30 PM in Channel I1 and this news in that

0 PM respectively have also been programmed to enable
tch them conveniently either a little before Dinner (8.30 p.m.) or soon

PSA on "Care for the girl child", telecast i.n the afternoon transmission, is one of
st on this subject. It presents a father from a rural background driving his boy and
1 on his bike to a school. He meets a fellow villager who wonders about the
of educating a girl for it will be difficult later to find an equally educated
groom for her. The father parries his scepticism by saying that would his son not
an educated bride for himself: The message of equal opportunity for girls and boys
d the special care needed for the girl child comes out pointedly.
ost of the PSAs on family planning relating to the use of 'Mala' seem to be farcical
the message is lost in the raucous laughter of the women gathered during a wedding.
focus should be on the message rather than on other extraneous matter that go into
e advertisement campaign.

.7 KEYWORDS
bast motion: Accelerating action in a scene can be attained by trick photography.
Freeze: Repetition of a single frame of a film so that its image is held on the screen for
whatever time is desired.
Perspective distortion: To depict a particular situation in audio and video, just like
zoom in and zoom out in films; sound also should follow the same pattern. Lack of
synchronization distorts the perspective of the viewer. Sometimes perspective is
I distorted deliberately.
Reversal palarity: Converting negative images into positive without developing the
same into positive prints. Reversal polarity is used, while editing, in reversal films
which are telecast without being converted into positive prints,
Slow motion: Photography by a motion picture camera with the film running faster than
normal, so that when the result is projected at normal speed, the action appears to be
slowed down.
Special effects: General term for scenes in which an illusjon of the action required is
created by the use of special equipment and processes rather than in reality. Also, video
mixer enabling sections from two or more pictures to be montaged and displayed on the
same screen.
Split screen: Film so manipulated that different shots appear simultaneously in different
sections of the screen when projected.
Vertical or horizontal wipes: Transitional techniques between shots, using an
electronically created boundary to separate images. One image is replaced by another
via a moving line, an expanding or contracting circle, or another of several hundred
wipe patterns (vertical, horizontal, circular, etc.) available through special effects
generators.