News Broadcasting
Viewers tune into morning news more often than evening: US study
MUMBAI: Of late, morning time is gradually emerging as a prime time for the newschannel on the home ground, in addition to the evening of course.
A new study from Ball State University states that the morning television news programs are growing more popular, possibly signaling an end to the early evening newscasts’ dominance.
Mass entertainment channels continue to dominate the evenings in the US and the evening newscast still remains as the better watched segment. But if the reports from the US television are any indication, then even that could be a thing of the past soon.
Observing the media consumption habits of 101 people, the researchers discovered that people watched more news from 6 to 10 am than any other part of the day.
Even in the Indian metro markets, morning time is the favourite as India is by and large a single TV home and the Indian male has found the morning viewing more convenient.
As for the study, the co-author of the Middletown Media Studies Robert Papper offers, “These findings suggest a major shift from just a few decades ago, when the evening news programs drew the majority of viewers. Because of the introduction of new technologies and cable television, consumers are taking control. They are telling us that we’ll consume the news when we want and the shows or networks we want to watch’.”
“If they want to watch the weather, they can tune into the Weather Channel at any time of the day. Why should they wait for the local news if a cable channel has it when they want to watch?” he added.
The study was presented on 20 April at the Radio Television News Directors Association and National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas by communication studies professor Papper, Michael Holmes and journalism professor Mark Popovich.
The researchers compared traditional phone surveys and diaries used to measure media usage with direct observations – or shadowing – of 101 people for a day to record media consumption, say media reports.
The studies also examined a wide range of media, including television, radio, telephone, Internet, books, newspapers and magazines to review consumer use of media.
Interestingly the study found that the early morning and early evening newscasts had an equal number of viewers, but early morning viewers spent more time watching news programming.
The study indicated that midday was popular with 29 participants who logged 1,443 minutes. Late evening news programming from 7 PM to midnight registered highly with 45 respondents who consumed 2,455 minutes.
“I think early morning news is more popular because people have more time to watch it. They get up, flip on the television and get ready for work. Because Americans are working and commuting more than ever, they are getting home later. They may not be home for the early news because of work or family obligations,” said Papper said.
In the study, Papper even suggested that in the wake of the findings, local television news producers and media companies are likely to address the shift in consumer consumption of news programming. “Instead of having a 5 to 6 PM newscast, you might see a 7 PM news program. Producers will have to create news shows when viewers want to watch them or risk losing those viewers,” he suggested.
Amongst the other findings, it was observed that the average television viewer was observed watching 94 minutes of news daily, nearly triple the amount recorded by phone surveys and diaries.
Researchers discovered that people aged 35 and older are watching television three times as much as people aged18 to 34 and consuming nearly four times as much television news programming daily as their younger counterparts.
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.
