News Broadcasting
Nick research highlights effects of TV on children
MUMBAI: Pre-school programming should be interactive and educative, according to a research conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofers India for kids channel Nickelodeon.
The results highlight the effects of television on children and especially on pre-schoolers.
The research also confirms the international premise underlying the pre-school block Nick JR. and it’s programming in the Indian context, and highlights the importance of having content designed specifically for the pre-school age group, that is two to three years old.
The research indicates on the strong and lasting effects on the personalities of even very young children through television. The research also highlights the different effects of kids programming on diverse age group. Additionally, the research points out that healthy programming actually has a positive role to play in the overall development of a child. The research was conducted with child psychologists and educators.
Nick India, director-Business & Operations, Pradeep Hejmadi said, “This research shows that TV should not be used as a babysitting tool. Indian kids, much like their global counterparts, are extremely receptive, impressionable and intuitive even at the ages of two to three years than adults imagine them to be.”
According to the official communiqué, the respondents consisted of prominent psychologists and educators practicing with pre-schools in Mumbai and Bangalore. The feedback from the respondents revealed some key pointers for healthy pre-school programming. While these research results are available with Nick India, one important deduction is that pre-school programming should be about learning and interaction. Nick JR shows like Dora The Explorer and Blue’s Clues with their highly interactive nature encourage viewers to help them solve puzzles.
The show Dora teaches children the way to observe situations and solve problems as they explore the world with her, informs the company release. A consulting psychologist from Mumbai, Dr. Harshida Pandit felt, “it depicts day-to-day events beautifully and at the same time educates with concrete objects, teaching a variety of concepts like heavy-light and up-down through illustrations.” As in case of the show Blues Clues, Blue is an energetic bright blue puppy, who along with the host Joe, take the viewer through various puzzles.
Commenting on the show, Dr Pandit adds, “I enjoyed it! The indirect way of educating is something I noticed as an undercurrent. Blending with nice scenery, music and appropriate cartoon characters indicates a clever approach.”
Speaking on the current rise in crime by children and teens, the research concludes that that pre-school programmes should send out positive messages. The shows citied that were seen to send out positive messages with their non-violent and positive themes include Nicktoons, Barney & Friends, Teletubbies, Full House and Anupam Kher’s Kuch Kahna Hai, informs the official communiqué. The research adds that young child should watch TV under the supervision of their parents.
Hejmadi adds, “Children’s minds grow very fast and the differences between pre-schoolers and older kids is extremely significant. These findings only confirm our belief that in India, as is the case globally, there is a strong need for programming like Nick JR. to address such differences.”
News Broadcasting
Rajesh Sundaram joins NDTV Profit as senior editor, assignment
The 32-year newsroom veteran has launched channels on three continents and covered everything from 9/11 to South African television
MUMBAI: NDTV Profit has bolstered its newsroom with a hire who has done rather more than most. Rajesh Sundaram, a journalist with over three decades of editorial, managerial and consultative experience across India and international markets, joins as senior editor, assignment, tasked with sharpening the network’s newsgathering and real-time response.
Sundaram’s career reads like a tour of Indian media’s most formative moments. He began at Businessworld in 1994, moved to Zee News as bureau chief across Mumbai and Chennai, then joined NDTV in 2002 as part of its political bureau during a particularly febrile period in Indian politics. A stint as India correspondent for Al Jazeera International followed, where he covered key geopolitical developments and got his first serious taste of the global newsroom.
What sets Sundaram apart, however, is his serial channel-launching habit. At NewsX, he helped get the operation off the ground. At Headlines Today, part of the India Today Group, he served as editor. At News Nation, he helped launch the Hindi news channel and its digital ecosystem. He then crossed continents to lead the launch of ANN7 in South Africa as editor-in-chief, overseeing both television and digital. Back in India, he launched Tamil news channels News7 Tamil and Cauvery News, and later served as principal consultant for the launch of Marathi channel Lokshahi. Most recently, he helped build and lead the Press Trust of India’s video service and content studio, before stints consulting for Business Today and The Himalayan Times.
Rahul Kanwal, chief executive and editor-in-chief of NDTV, left little doubt about what Sundaram is expected to deliver. “The assignment desk is where a newsroom’s intent becomes action,” he said. “Rajesh brings a rare combination of field experience and leadership in building news operations at scale.”
Sundaram has reported from across India and the world, covering elections, civil conflicts, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 US presidential election.
At NDTV Profit, he will lead the assignment desk, driving editorial coordination and real-time response across markets and breaking developments. For a business news network sharpening its focus on speed and multi-platform delivery, it has hired a man who has built newsrooms from scratch on three continents. The assignment desk is in good hands.
