Across the country, families will be observing a long-held ritual today: they will be gathering in their sitting rooms, people of all ages and different interests coming together at the same time as yesterday and every day before that… and switching me on. Over the years, I have been extremely lucky to be a part of the household, bringing the highs, the laughs, the drama and even the catharsis that true tragedy brings. After all those nights and days spent together, I still have a secret thrill in my heart when I hear #TVIsFamily.
It is true that I was not the first to bring entertainment to homes, nor am I the only one to do so. From radio to mobile, there are a long succession of ‘entertainers’ that have brought the outside world, and the excitement of the imagination, to people across the country. But, despite all this, I have been the only one to have had the opportunity to capture hearts and minds and to be really welcomed as part of people’s daily lives; achieving the monumental feat of reaching 765 million Indians with viewers spending an all of 129 billion minutes every day.
And, to top it off, I also have a day named after me! This Sunday is World TV Day. While all of this brings me only joy and an appreciation of the love shown to me, I must also acknowledge the roles my peers – Radio, Mobile and Tablet – have played over the years. Recently, I caught up with them for coffee and they were quick to hold my feet to the fire for the acceptance I’ve had J.
Radio has been the oldest amongst us, and the most experienced. He started off as a key source of information relayed directly into homes and then morphed into the leading entertainment vehicle, bringing music, even drama to listeners every day. I look up to him immensely, and while he was at first a little miffed about the attention I was receiving, behind all his bluster, he is actually quite proud of me. That is such a dream come true! My ability to provide a visual medium of entertainment may have given me a leg up, but I began learning my tricks in keeping viewers’ interests from Radio, and I continue to see his achievements as inspiration for me to keep innovating and do better.
But then, of course, we have my ‘younger’ friends, Mobile and Tablet, and they weren’t so quick to jump to my praises! They are always the first to laugh at me and our coffees might as well have started off cold, because they had us in stiches so long that we forgot about them!
Mobile was quick to point out that I am rather stationary and a burden to move around, while she can literally go where the viewers are. ‘TV in a pocket’, she called herself, before she made it clear that maybe I should look at miniaturizing myself before becoming flatter! Tablet was right behind her – She called herself ‘TV in the bag, but still a crowd puller’, and was of the opinion that may be, very soon, she would be replacing me in viewers’ homes. By the way, she would like to have her day named ‘World Day of Tablet Domination’ JJ.
But not so quick! I am not such a lightweight after all – Mobile and Tablet may be, well, mobile, but I’m Family. Every night I am the center of attention, the one that everyone in the family comes around and sits, talking of their day, laughing, crying, and becoming closer to each other, while I bring the stories, music, and the color to the party. Mobile and Tablet may be for ‘me’ time, but I’m the only onefor family time.It has been a while since I was the short, stocky, dialer version of myself. Every year, I work hard to be able to bring entertainment to viewers in the most immersive and realistic way possible, making every sound crystal clear and beyond, every pixel lifelike and beyond. What’s more, People literally plan their day around programs I bring them, fixing time so everyone can get together for some quality time – take that!
But it’s not all about picture and sound quality is it? To truly become a part of Indian’s hearts, it is all about the stories! As entertainment evolved, so have I. As I developed, so has entertainment. When the pandemic hit, I became a way to escape the tragedy unfolding across the world, and I continue to be so now. Movies and series all take on a life of their own when I’m bringing them to viewers, helping them enter a vivid universe of light and even intellectual engagement. I am like a window into a magical world or an alternate universe where imagination goes beyond leaps and bounds.
It is really a proud moment for me to pause and look back at the absolute, no-holds-barred welcome I’ve received from people through the years. I have been held above the others, and for that I am humble and incredibly grateful. And this year, I am being honored even more: as a part of the family, I have been asked to participate in this year’s family portrait – can you imagine that?
So I’m off to go put on my best clothes, bring the brightest colors and the widest smiles for a picture- perfect family portrait!
An authored article attributed to the television set, wherein it conveys a glimpse into the meeting with its peers recently celebrating World Television Day. The meeting was all about a fun banter between television with its peers – Radio, Laptop and Mobile Phone and how they reacted to the ZEEL’s #TVIsFamilycampaign.
