Reconstruction and Presentation of Reality on Television: An Analytical Study of Kannada Channels

Abstract

Television has altered the way news is constructed and delivered. Due to competition and TRP, television news channels are experimenting with different techniques to attract attention and reach audiences. Reconstruction with the help of graphics and animation along with docudramas has become quite common in various kinds of television programs. From hard to soft news story-telling television channels have adopted different patterns of visual construction to make an emotional appeal to the audience. Media theories have established the power of visual media in the common man’s life. The present study focuses on the trend related to visual reconstruction of reality in storytelling among Kannada channels. This qualitative study specifically evaluates the various techniques of visual construction, reasons for visual construction, program patterns which use these practices significantly and investigates the influence of visual construction in storytelling. The content of Kannada television programs is evaluated in order to gather primary data. The programs that use visual construction regularly and news items which depend on visual construction have been selected for analysis.