‘TRP is needed, but channels should also show news that is relevant to people’

TRP is indeed needed to run the business, but news channel should also provide viewers information that is relevant to them and inspires them, said Rana Yashwant, Editor-in-Chief, India News, at e4m NewsNext Conference held in Delhi on Saturday.

Delivering a keynote address, Rana Yashwant expressed disappointment about the fact that no news channel shows stories of India’s real progress, but they only want to go after TRPs.

News outlets are not showing news from developing parts of the country such as Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra and Bihar, he said. “TRP is indeed needed to run a business, however, one should also provide news that is relevant to people and that will inspire them. News outlets do not understand whether the information they are giving out is really what people should see,” he opined.

Speaking about audiences, he said, “People in the country too like entertainment. When news channels and journalists ask serious questions about the actual situation, people tend to sideline them.”

He also shed light on the fact that India has become quite tech-savvy with people being able to access information even in the remotest places. He said, “What our country thinks, and what it understands is changing because of information and technology. The distance between places has diminished, whatever news we are getting here in the city is also being accessed by someone in the rural area.”

Lastly, he advised news outlets to embrace change. “We have to embrace the change, portray it to the public and inspire them. We should talk about the change and how it impacts the people. Nobody watches TV any more, everyone browses through the phone. If they’d like, they’ll watch. We have to evaluate what we do and we should change,” he added.