Letter to BS: It's time I&B Ministry pays attention to reforming Hindi GECs

Apropos Vanita Kohli-Khandekar's column Can Hindi GECs re-invent themselves? (May 9), it is good news that the viewership of Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) has declined from 28.5 per cent in 2015 to 22.6 per cent now. One, Hindi TV serials have become progressively regressive in raising social themes. In almost every serial it is a woman character who wants to destroy the family; family life continues to be driven by age-old practices and little attempt is made to highlight how it should adapt to new demands of the society. I feel many women watch such serials to learn about new jewellery styles and sarees.

Two, Hindi movie channels exhibit repeatedly a limited set of movies as if by rotation and rarely one sees classics like Do Bigha Zameen or trending movies like Hindi Medium. 

Three, in most Hindi channels, you read news at the bottom of the monitor as you watch astrological issues or clippings of Hindi serials. Thoughtful analysis of issues is non-existent —experts shout at one another with the anchor watching the fun nonchalantly. It is time the information and broadcasting minister pays more attention to reforming GECs than curbing 

media freedom.

Y G Chouksey  Pune

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