Mumbai : March 21, 2012

A new study conducted by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, IBF says that the role television plays in the life of the Indian viewer has been grossly underrated. It says television today has gone beyond entertainment and has become a medium that influences public opinion, stirs up sentiments and awakens the masses. In short, it influences the way we think and live.

The IBF study, aptly titled ‘Posi-TV-ity’ was released at the FICCI Frames 2012 in Mumbai. It identifies 7 key roles that television plays in the life of a viewer:

Education – Respondents agreed that TV has helped them take more informed career decisions, financial decision and also learn new things that they could apply to their jobs.

Personality Development – Viewers agreed that TV boosted their confidence, helped them become all-rounders and also widened their thinking.

Social Interaction –Audience today feel that TV has helped them in having a better relationship with in-laws, keeping families together in today’s changing world, and strike a balance between Indian culture & westernization.

Exposure – Viewers feel TV keeps them updated on the latest fashion & trends, latest products and also aids their purchase decisions. TV also keeps them informed about health related issues.

Awakening – Respondents felt TV increases awareness of women’s rights, social issues, and rights as a citizen of India as well.

Opportunity –It is widely believed that TV also gives opportunities to people from all over the country to showcase their talent, makes viewers feel closer to celebrities!

Rejuvenation – Many viewers feel that TV makes sure that there is not a single boring or dull moment in their lives.

Methodology

IBF conducted an extensive research in 3 phases to measure the impact of Television on Indian viewers. In the first phase, qualitative research was conducted across 20 focus groups to identify various forms in which television impacts the audience. This information was used to design the questionnaire for the second phase of the research, in which 5400 respondents were interviewed in the 7-60 years age group across 18 cities. They opined on 54 different attributes that encompassed the impact of television on their lives. The third phase of the research was a set of 25 in-depth interviews that amplified the learnings of the previous two phases. The study, facilitated by Ormax Media  spanned across 6 months.