A Study on Construction of Crime Stories in Tamil Channels

Abstract

Mass media plays an important role in shaping and even influencing public opinion. News media in itself has become a constant reminder of crime and violence to public with its repetitive coverage. There is a trend existing in the mainstream media to amplify and showcase the crime than it is in real life. Crime news easily captures the attention of the audience from the wide range of news. The popular media gradually infuses these media-generated messages into our culture. The culture, in turn, responds with a range of positive and negative effects where people develop a fear of the world that affects their daily behavior. The heavy viewers of the television are the ones that are worst affected according to the cultivation theory by George Gerbner. Crime shown in media strikes hard in the minds the people. Therefore, there is a need to study crime content in popular television. Regional channels producing investigative crime based reality television series indirectly or directly shape the perception of crime among the regional audience. This study is critical to understand the way television channels construct investigative discussions. The study analyzes the content of two popular crime shows Koppiyam (Raj Television), Thadayam (News7 Tamil Television) under various parameters like visuals, music, crime reconstructions, sound effects, program placement, logical structure, shot, and frame. The study found that awareness about thecriminal justice system and legal terms are brought before the public eye with the help of these crime shows. The study proves that content related to the crime presented in television has a subsequent impact on the public and their perception towards a particular crime.