he fact that news on television has become a commodity given the burst of 24-hour news channels that have sprung in the last two years cannot be overemphasised. This to the extent, that the only front available to expand within the news genre is in the regional space. But then delivering news with hues of a cultural background is pedalling on a tightrope, as it requires complete understanding of the culture (traditional as well as contemporary) and more importantly, stilting a balanced reflection of this understanding in the deliverance of news.

At the recently held Market Research Society of India's (MRSI) annual seminar, Anvaya Ingle, project head, Synovate Market Research and Jyotsna Viralaya; assistant vice president, Star News presented a paper on the research and strategising they did for Star Ananda, an interesting case in point depicting the above. ... more