TV-lagged in Manila

It8217;s true what they say about distance. It does make the heart grow fonder. But they8217;re wrong about familiarity. It does not always breed contempt.

It8217;s true what they say about distance. It does make the heart grow fonder. But they8217;re wrong about familiarity. It does not always breed contempt. On the contrary, it breeds comfort and a sense of surety 8212; at least you know what to expect. This is not something one remembers to appreciate. When you8217;re in India all you do is forever complain about the media and its many perceived inequities 8212; it8217;s so sensational, it8217;s so trivial, it8217;s so filmi duniya, it8217;s so not about the news or what8217;s important8230; What we forget to add is that it8217;s so there.

When you8217;re out of the country, say in Manila, Philippines, you begin to miss it 8212; the well-known faces, the logos, even the news item about a snake that8217;s obsessed with a small boy8230; Abroad, you don8217;t know where you are. The moment you stare into the blank screen of a 528221; HDTV colour TV set, you begin to frenetically search through all 100 available channels. Not an Indian channel in sight. Star World, AXN, BBC, CNN, ESPN pop up and your eyes cling to them like a long lost relative. But there are no saas-bahus, no cricket and, mercy be, no news. Desperately, you go online and log onto Aaj Tak.com, NDTV.com and feast your eyes on the familiar logos; ah, more like it.

Television in Manila is divided into two types: American and Philippine. Then there8217;s always BBC, which like Big Ben, just is. The American channels include a few we don8217;t see in India such as the ABC affiliate 8216;etc8217;, the famous financial channel, Bloomberg. The Philippine channels are divided into two types: regular entertainment and religious. The latter are plentiful and apparently as popular as Astha 038; Co., back home. The entertainment channels have a great deal of talk and food. Yes, the Pinoys and Pinays as the Philippine men and women are described in local lingo are very fond of both. Whichever channel you visit, someone is either talking to someone or else, there8217;s the chef busily explaining what you can do with a fish bone. Not a great deal you would imagine 8212; and you would be surprised what they can do with a fish bone in this part of the world.

There are the regulation serials and music channels. What stands out is this: We are way, way ahead. In terms of style and production and technical quality. Here, the channels look like first cousins of Doordarshan. And they are mad about Manny Paquiao, a Filipino boxer. Last week he beat the mighty Mexican Morales, flooring him in the third round. Eight days later, channels still pull those punches in replays of those memorable moments.

Even as nostalgia sweeps over you, there are silver linings. At least you didn8217;t, couldn8217;t watch India bowled out by South Africa for 91. Well, you could for the cost of an exclusive channel but it8217;s too much of price to pay to watch us floored, castled. Also, don8217;t despair; Zee has come to the rescue. Yes, most Indian households receive Zee channels. Yippee. They watch those channels with more love and affection than we do. Each and everyone of them was clued into and glued to Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li8217;l Champs. They stayed up late to watch the finals Manila is a two and a half hours ahead of Indian Standard Time. They knew about the latest twists in Saat Phere, turns of Kasamh Se8230; and what happened when Jab Luv Hua8230;

It8217;s the next best thing to being back home again.