The Reality Behind Competition SMS’
In reality shows, the current rage amongst Indian television viewers, contestants are often seen requesting, at the end of each episode, the viewers to poll their votes by sending sms’ to so-and-so numbers. To back it up, the concerned TV channels usually make it appear to the audience that the sms count is the contestant’s final life line, or the final judgment is in the hands of the viewers, as the situation demands. But, in reality, is the viewer’s sms that is deciding the final verdict? Think again! It does not seem to be all that fair and square.
In order to understand TV channel’s sms love affair, one need to look into the sms economics that plays out behind the scene. While a normal sms costs 1- 2 INR, a competition sms’, as it is widely known, sets one back by as much as 6/-. In other words, a competition sms costs at least 3-6 times more than a regular sms message sent from a mobile phone. Why it is priced so high? Well, there lies the twist in the tale.
For every competition sms sent out by a person, a part of its cost goes to the respective TV channel conducting the show. If to translate it to numbers in terms of money, this will easily exceed many lakhs of rupees. No wonder, TV channels tend to promote on television that it is the sms sent out by the viewers that makes or breaks the chances of a contestant in the show. The TV channels now play the second trick to induce more sms’ from the audience, ostensibly to let the viewers choose their favorite singers in a totally democratic manner.
To give credence to this part of the story, let me quote the June 15-30 edition of VANITA. It featured an article on the ‘reality behind reality shows’, in which it was mentioned that winners/losers of certain rounds (usually the final stages) are decided in advance, but is kept hidden from the audience in order to give the impression that the show is still on and the sms’ sent by one still matters. In reality it doesn’t. VANITA, in its feature, reports that in at least one case, even after a contestant was eliminated in a particular round (which was already shot by the channel), in order to garner more sms’ from the viewers, the show was made to stretch to include at least three more episodes featuring the said contestant, before airing the elimination round that was shot earlier to finally put an end to the contestant’s woes.
Poor contestants have no choice but to play to the TV channel’s tune, even if they realize what is really happening behind scene, for they are made to sign a contract barring them from making any views/opinion on the show when they register for the event. Save few exceptions wherein some contestants had quit the show in protest, others tend to play along, thanks to the crore-valued carrot ahead. They tend to turn a blind eye to the stick.
VANITA, in the June edition, further reports that TV channels sometimes force certain no-competition clause as well on the contestants, which bar them from taking part or act in competing channels productions or stage shows for a stipulated time, usually one year. If they need to enter into any other projects, they can only do it through the respective channels. It appears that the channels want to forcefully impose themselves as media mangers as well of the popular contestants!
When this entire mega-drama is being played out week after week, intriguingly, the viewers doesn’t seem to realize that it is them who are being mocked by the channels, and nobody else. They fail to comprehend that while the channels and mobile phone operators reap a nice profit each day, it is them who are losing money, and that for virtually no credible purpose. Like in politics, it appears that we seem to lack the discerning sense when it comes to spotting the rot before it ruins the entire berry. Veendu vicharam ennundavum malayalikalkku? Enthaayalum eekkollavum illa!
Consumer Rights, Democratic Process, Industry and Economy, Right To Information