Toxicity in TV news linked to TRP system: Sonia Singh

The toxicity in television news is linked to the TRP system in many ways, said NDTV’s Editorial Director Sonia Singh who said it requires fixing as news cannot be rated like a Bollywood film at the box office.

During a fireside chat at the e4m English Journalism 40/40 Summit & Awards, Singh said that there cannot be one rating agency deciding what India watches and there was a need for more transparency.

“We do feel that ratings have limited journalism. I think journalism is for public interest and that cannot be rated like a Bollywood film at the box office. At the end of the day, it is not what you feel people want to know but what they should know. That is where an editor plays a very important role.

“Toxicity is linked to TRPs in many ways. There cannot be a monopoly system and you cannot have just one rating agency. It is a multi-crore industry so you need to have more ratings agency and much more transparency. The same standards we demand from politicians and government are what we should demand from agencies which say that they determine what India watches. There is no one India and no one agency can determine what India watches,” Singh said.

She added that the “toxic TRP system which spiralled out of control” is a problem TV news has faced and there is a need to fix it.

She said that some realization is happening now and hoped there will be a change and it will come from the viewers when they will say this is not what they want to watch on their screens.

Talking about the evolution of television news and how it has changed over the years, Singh said that the biggest change is that TV news is not limited to one medium anymore as a lot of convergence and integration is happening.

“What has changed is that journalism is no longer limited to one medium. When we talk about television news, we realise that news cannot be put into the boundary of the screen you are watching it on. The best news stories are the ones that transcend that. It can be the front page of a newspaper or the home page of a website or on a mobile screen and on television it can be cable or smart TV,” she said.

Singh also stressed the fact that the core of journalism is giving the viewers/readers what they don’t know already.

“What remains essential is the core which is the headline. If you are not giving the viewer/reader what they don’t know already, you need to go back and try again. No newsroom is limiting itself to one medium but there is integration,” she said.

When asked about her view on how television news is termed toxic and amplified, the veteran journalist said it all began with the talk format.

“The biggest enemy of TV news is television itself. I agree with some people who feel there is some element of television that has become toxic. It began with the talk format. When it began it was exciting. There were times when we had people of political gravitas, intellect, and dignity to accept others’ point of view. But after the outbreak of channels, it became about political enmity. It became more about scoring more points and who shouts louder,” she said.  

About the recent boycott of certain channels by some political parties, Singh said, “I am against boycotts of any form. There are a lot of other ways to address the issue if you think an anchor is crossing a line.”

Responding to a question about whether TV is turning towards digital intentionally because of TV toxicity or just to explore, Singh said not all TV is toxic but there are toxic elements which need urgent fixing before viewers lose their faith.

“I don’t think all TV is toxic. I am from TV and I am very proud of it. But there are toxic elements which need fixing urgently before viewers lose faith in the medium.

“Sadly, toxicity can transcend any medium and even digital can become toxic. What worries me about digital is the fact that we are creating many echo chambers. People will watch only the anchor they like or the views they agree with. That is really dangerous for any democracy and especially for young people because this is the time you need to explore different ideologies and differentiate between fact and fiction,” Singh said.