its a study about how far TV uses audience in a passive way and to find out the effectiveness of TV soaps towards Indian audience

1. Measuring TV addiction: A Study on The Effectiveness of Narcotic effect on TV Soaps
among Indian Audience
Rijitha R
Abstract:
Today technology has made great advancements. This has had great impact on every sphere of
human life. The introduction of television has given us a great source of entertainment but
excessive watching of television has bad effects too. The term for this has been coined as
television addiction. There are people who become affected by this and cannot stop from their
habit of watching television. There are various signs to judge whether you are suffering from this
form of addiction or not."Television provides an escape from reality not unlike that of drugs or
alcohol. A person can slip away into the fantasy world offered by television programs and
effectively impede the pressures and anxieties of their own lives. This is similar to 'going on a
trip' induced by drugs or alcohol." This study focus on the effectiveness of TV addiction among
youngsters which intent to a narcotic effect
Introduction:
The word television comes from Greek and means "seeing far away". However, the more we
watch it, the more short-sighted and narrow-minded we become. Unfortunately, TV is fast
becoming as popular and dangerous as drugs. Imagine a world without television? For many
people worldwide, and in developing countries, no one owns a television, and the nearest
television is likely miles away. According to the A.C. Neilson Company, ninety-nine percent of
households own a television. Television involves you deeply with whatever is taking place on
the screen (McLuhan).
1.1 Addiction Defined
The term addiction can be applied to all types of excessive behavior, such as abnormal
dependence on drugs (e.g., alcohol, narcotics, caffeine), food, exercise, gambling, and television
viewing (Peele, 1985). Newer types of addictions that have been studied include Internet
addiction (Kubey, Lavin, & Barrows, 2001), online sexual addiction (Bingham & Piotrowski,
1996), and addictive consumer behavior (Elliott, Eccles, & Gournay, 1996; Faber, O'Guinn, &
Krych, 1987). According to Peele (1985), the major motives for addictive behavior are: reduction

2. of pain, tension, and awareness (i.e., escape); enhanced sense of control, power, and self-esteem
(i.e., compensation); and the simplification, predictability, and immediacy of experience (i.e.,
ritual). Interestingly, communication research on television use has uncovered similar motives
for watching television (Rubin, 1981).
1.2 TV addiction:
"Television, while chemically non-invasive, nevertheless is every bit as addicting and
physiologically damaging as any other drug" (Rivers).
Television is a drug that a large number of people in the World are addicted to. According to a
study, over ninety-eight percent of homes in America have television, while only ninety percent
have telephones. Most often the programs the viewer receives are quite harmful to them
physically, mentally, developmentally, and even financially.
An average person will spend about six hours a day watching television, which is approximately
equivalent to one third of his/her waking day. "Not unlike other drugs or alcohol, the television
experience allows the participant to blot out the real world and enter into a pleasurable and
passive state" (Winn) Television allows people to forget about their everyday lives, and enter a
pleasurable and passive world.
This passive ‘trip’ people take when watching television is similar to a ‘trip’ while under the
influence of drugs or alcohol. "Real addicts do not merely pursue a pleasurable experience one
time in order to function normally. They need to repeat it again and again. Something about that
particular experience makes life without it less than complete" (Rivers). Television addicts act
the same way when it comes to television. They are usually very anxious when they are not
watching television, and when they finally do watch it they usually do not feel happy or get any
enjoyment, but rather are simply satisfied.
1.3 Soap Operas:
The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap
manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and Lever Brothers as sponsors
and producers. Indian television shows primarily revolve around women and the domestic
sphere. The predominant theme common to most shows is a married woman and her life in a new

3. house. The stories primarily revolve around the concept of Indian marriages where brides not
only marry the husband but also his family. So Indian shows mostly run on this pattern alone, of
how the woman settles in her new house, her relation with her mother in law and other members
on the family.
The lead woman in every Indian show is the ideal image of obedience, politeness, and
humbleness. She has all the qualities one wishes for. She is the most positive person on the show.
Her character is modeled as a person with no vices in her character. She is so pure and noble that
her image is sometimes portrayed as unrealistically good. She is selfless, forever-giving, caring
and loving. This picture portrayed by Indian television stereotypes what expectations are raised
from an Indian woman. The affair of familial relations being the subject of every Indian show
started with the soap opera titled“Kyuki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi”. The focus of the show was
relations between mother in laws and daughters in laws.
Soap operas are serial dramas that circle around the daily lives of few characters. These are also
called sitcoms or daily soaps. These shows form the prominent part of what comes on television.
It has become a very popular medium of entertainment. There are various languages and genres
in which these shows are made. In India Hindi serials get the maximum viewership. Most Hindi
soaps depict stories of families and lifestyle in India.
Objective:
Soap operas dominate the televisual landscape in India, the objectives of this study is to find out
the level of effectiveness and their type (passive or active) of approach towards soap operas
Methodological approach:
This study was conducted using the analysis of various TV soap ratings and the TVR process of
the audience.
Theoretical Framework:
Narcotic effect/ Theory Defined
Paul Lazarsfield, Merton and Winn (1948) argue that media have a narcotizing dysfunction that
distracts audience from the real problems and in fact prevents their doing anything about them.

4. In other words, the mass media have a drug-like effect, lulling audiences into passivity and a
sense of elation (Keval J Kumar., 1989)
There are two types of audience who are exposed to media,
1. Active audience
2. Passive audience
Active audience will have more focus in what they watch or what they do, where as Passive
audience will not concentrate on what they do but they will be doing some or the other work. For
ex: Active audience watch TV for relaxation, enjoyment and to gratify their needs whereas
passive audience will do some other work when they watch TV (They will not concentrate on a
particular aspect)
Review of Literature
In 1977, Winn argued in The Plug-in Drug that television has properties of addiction.
Researchers have been intrigued by this idea, but few have tried to study it systematically.
Anecdotal accounts and speculation comprise most of the research on television addiction.
Furthermore, similar to the alcohol and drug abuse literature, a conceptual haze between the
concepts of heavy exposure, reliance, dependence, and addiction to television remains
problematic. A clear distinction needs to be made between these concepts to determine the
difference between normal and problem viewing.
Foss and Alexander (1996) compared self-defined heavy viewers (6 hours per day) with non-
viewers and found that many non-viewers called television a drug or a religion and believed that
it caused less interaction with friends and family, less time spent doing more productive or
healthier things, and less critical thought. Non-viewers reported that television was simply too
seductive to have around. Heavy viewers saw addiction to television as a likely outcome, but not
for themselves. For them, it was simply a means for escape and relaxation.
In an empirical search for this seemingly pervasive psychological phenomenon, Smith (1986)
used popular literature to generate items for a measure of television addiction. Her study via mail
of 491 adults found that very few of the participants identified with the concepts in her measure;
only 11 out of 491 respondents admitted television addiction, although 64% of the respondents
reported that television was addictive (consistent with the third-person effect literature; e.g.,

5. Davison, 1983). Smith found a strong relationship between the amount of time spent viewing and
the tendency to call oneself an addict.
Data Anaysis:
Indian audience especially, youngsters and house wives enjoy talking with family and friends
about soap operas is experienced by many women as a pleasurable experience, and the dismissal
of the worth of the genre by many commentators, including some feminists critical of gender
stereotyping, is open to the charge of cultural elitist.
Women are stereotyped in soap operas but the image of the modern women has changed. From
being a meek, docile, subservient housewife, she has grown and evolved into a strong individual.
She not excels in her profession but is also an able homemaker. This change is partially if not
fully perceptible in the soap operas shown on Indian television. Soaps create a world dominated
by interpersonal relationship, where characters discuss marital, romantic and family problems.
There is little physical violence or crime. The soap opera world seems emotionally hazardous-
mainly because of the continual sorting and re-sorting of relationships.
Youngsters who watch TV for more than four to six hours per day and those who cannot miss
their favourite shows are said to be addicted, in this study majority of the respondents said that
they watch their favourite soaps from 7pm to 11pm and even though the audience miss their
favourite programs on TV they rely on the optional medium (Youtube, Desi tashan, Star player,
Hotstar) to watch their favourite show. In addition, they also focus on the TV series written
updates if they couldn’t get the link of their favourite shows like, tellyupdates.com
Then there are shows like BalikaVadhu (The Child Bride), which deals with child marriages
andNaaAanaa Is Des Laado (Don’t Come to This Country, Darling), which is about female
feticide, deal with socially relevant issues. A popular drama now is Ek Nayi Pehchaan (A New
Identity), which actually turns the mum-in-law-daughter-in-law relationship on its head. But the
bottom line remains unchanged. The basic theme winning maximum viewers is still mother in
law and daughter in law relations or familial relations of a daughter in law with others in the
family. India's first soap opera was Hum Log, which concluded with 154 episodes where as
Balika Vadhu — Kachchi Umar Ke Pakke Rishte is the longest running serial in the history of
Indian television with more than 2000 episodes and still on air and the TRP of this show is still
on the top list

6. Another tactic to boost audience ratings is the maha episode. The maha episode is most often
broadcast at the week-end, and lasts an hour instead of the usual twenty-two minutes. It can even
bring together characters from different shows broadcast on the same channel, for example, by
way of a wedding to which both families have been invited.
Conclusion:
Television is a cultural commodity. At the same time, it is a two vision mirror-reflecting society
and in turn being modified by society. McLuhans medium is the message holds true even in the
new millennium. Genre of soap –opera has over the years made rapid development in terms of
content, presentation and production. Issues like rape, extra marital relationship, murder which
were considered taboo even to be talked have earned acceptance in the social setup of our
country. People no-longer switch off their TV sets when a situation of this type arises. They are
curious to see how the issue is resolved. But soaps portraying interpersonal problems, crisis in
the family, balance between
Television has had a tremendous impact on the lives of the Indian audience as well as house
wives as it provides them with entertainment, information as and companionship.TV acts like a
drug or alcohol, watching television breaks people`s connection with the reality, and makes them
get into a pleasurable but imaginary world. Audience believe that they have to watch certain
television series and television shows such as continuous series, soap operas. This dependence
could cause serious health problems
Reference:
1. Condry, J. (1989). The psychology of television. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
2. DeFleur, M. L., & Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (1989). Theories of mass communication (5th ed.).
New York: Longman.
3. Foss, K. A., & Alexander, A. F. (1996). Exploring the margins of television viewing.
Communication Reports, 9, 61-68.
4. Kubey, R., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Television and the quality of life: How
viewing shapes everyday experience. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
5. McIlwraith, R. D. (1998). "I'm addicted to television": The personality, imagination, and
TV watching patterns of self-identified TV addicts. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic
Media, 42, 371-386.

7. 6. McIlwraith, R., Jacobvitz, R. S., Kubey, R., & Alexander, A. (1991). Television
addiction: Theories and data behind the ubiquitous metaphor. American Behavioral
Scientist, 35, 104-121.
Links:
http://www.desi-tashan.com/saath-nibhana-saathiya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSL1KLViJOo
http://www.startv.in/channels.asp?channel_id=1
http://www.indiantelevision.com
http://www.hotstar.com
http://www.tellyupdates.com/tv-serials/colors/swaragini