Death of NDTV?

Trouble seems to be looming at NDTV, as the company deals with both low profit-margins, increasing operating costs and a diminishing viewership. Could this mean the end of the road for Prannay Roy and his channel? I mean, the company reported a net loss for the last fiscal and doesnt seem to be doing all that well. I mean, is it only me or is it the entire country that has stopped tuning to NDTV for the staple English NEWS on TV? If TRP ratings are anything to go by, then CNN IBN seems to be holding the English NEWS media by an iron hand.

The NDTV that I knew atleast, died long ago, when Rajdeep called it quits. That day, I knew that the company had lost a very valuable asset. Rajdeep has done just that. Somehow, the myth of the One-Man TV Empire isnt a myth anymore. His departure has proved to be the nail in the coffin for NDTV's downward spiral into oblivion.

The sort of NEWS that they seem to be delivering now make AajTak seem tolerable! Its a sad testament to the level of incompetence and/or lethargy shown by NDTV's creative NEWS team, if ever it exists. I once used to like this channel. It used to be an unbiased, issue-driven channel - it still is in many ways. However, where NDTV has lost it is in NEWS packaging.

NEWS and TV Media have become so much more about packaging these days. Its kind of sad - this stress towards stylization. But in a way its good to see Indian channels matching Western standards for NEWS etiquette. The downside to all this, however, is that channels must not only cover NEWS, but do so in a stylized manner. This is where NDTV seems to have lost it completely.

It is sad to see a NEWS channel that prides itself as having "experience", showing such a complete lack of understanding to today's changing NEWS market. NDTV must change or it must perish. I am betting on it perishing. Though, for once, I am praying I lose the bet.