TRP needs to be a genuine system: Sumit Awasthi

Digital has evolved tremendously in the last 10 years and the day is not far when it will beat television, said Sumit Awasthi, Consulting Editor, NDTV India, at the e4m NewsNext 2023 conference held on Sunday in New Delhi.

In his keynote address, Awasthi said digital may leave TV behind but people follow only credible people on digital platforms. 

“Digital has evolved tremendously in the last 10 years. The day is not far when digital will beat television. It is said TV has revenue and digital does not, but the way who’s who of newsmakers want to present themselves on the digital platform it shows the power of this medium and its bright future. 

“If you don’t get jobs in print or television, don’t stress, as digital is a cost-effective solution which will give name and fame. But the disclaimer is, it will give all this to only those who are credible,” he said while addressing aspiring journalists. 

According to Awasthi, a TV news channel has two pillars of strength - journalists and sales. “Sales teams get advertisements from where salaries are paid. So they are very important,” he added.

Talking about journalism as a profession, Awasthi encouraged young journalists to be fearless. “We are in an evolving and changing world. I never thought I would come this far when I joined journalism. I come from a humble background, not a privileged one. Whatever I am is because of journalism. Maintaining your credibility is in your hands.” 

“You will face many tough moments where you will be enticed by money or other things and succumb to the pressures. You have to decide whether to give in or stand up for the next many years to come. If you are credible and honest, no one can stop you from being a good journalist,” he noted.

Awasthi said that today, people have become used to getting things for free.

“The bitter truth is in this era we have become used to getting things for free. For a newspaper, which is published for Rs 35-40, we get it for Rs 4. The cost of running a satellite TV channel goes up to crores, but we want it free-to-air (FTA). If you are not ready to spend for good content, you will get only what the big powers want to show and that will rule you. The system has also deteriorated because we are now in the TV rating game,” he said.

The veteran journalist called for a genuine TRP system and said the TV news industry should come together and find solutions as a team. “News makers are breaking news on social media, not journalists. It is not the era of breaking news anymore but of clean reliable content.

“TRP needs to be a genuine system. There is so much fight in the TV industry. This needs to stop,” he remarked.