News SANS Headlines

* Sub par performance: While relative viewership of the category may have slid from 9+ percent to 7+percent of total TV viewership,in the last four years the absolute viewership continues to increase. With only a sub par performance,value in comparative terms over the years is slipping. This is likely to continue in the coming year too.

* Freedom of media: The state of democracy and the freedom of the media is being hailed victorious once again. But the good and flourishing state of TV news will continue to be even more important,for the sustained experience of freedom of speech and democracy.

* Self-governance: The self-governance guidelines are not only resulting in enhanced practices of news gathering and broadcasting,but will result in the industry embracing closer,while fighting harder.

* Collective competitive: I believe this is the beginning of a new way of working for TV news—the collective competitive by finding ways of working together. While the TV news industry needs to articulate and appreciate,it is only the success of its economic pool that will ensure the sustained practice of TV media freedom.

* News watchable: The industry will make moves towards setting standards to be adopted,so that growth is calibrated and adds to the overall economic pool. Twenty four hours of news requires governance and responsible journalism. If it’s switch on anytime,then it must be watchable everytime.

* Media measurement: Challenging the current system of measuring TV news viewership,which seems to decide the fate of the headline and the economic survival of the business,is imperative given that doubts have been raised about the way viewership ratings are done.

* Collective editorial: Using the collective editorial might usher in mandatory digitization with timelines,accountability and addressability could be seen this year. This will stem the rapidly escalating carriage costs and provide the cable and DTH systems to earn a fair price for its valuable service.

* Pricing: Cable and DTH is commodity like,in terms of pricing,because there is no systemic way of ensuring fair price. Fair choice will in turn lead to fair price.

* Enhanced standards: The recent spate of leaks is indicative of the standards,which need to be upheld. Report News. Unearth stories. Be objective. Offer plurality of views.

* Collaborate: There can be a saner way to cover the news ground. It’s the question and the spin which makes it different,not the colour of the mic cube. Collabo- rate,beyond guidelines.