Broadcast Management: A Course with Immense Possibilities

The last few years have been a turning point for India’s media and entertainment industry in many ways. With the present government’s optimistic outlook, business sentiment has been positive and strengthened by a number of growth promoting policy initiatives taken in the recent months.

In the media sector; digital media continued its rapid penetration, as indicated by the stupendous growth in digital marketing. Another major highlight was the announcement of the ‘Digital India’, a programme to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy by the government. India topped as one of the world’s fastest growing smart-phone markets. This growth presents a good opportunity for digital content aggregators, advertisers, app developers and online streaming companies to engage users through relevant mobile-led strategies.

The television connectivity in the country is second largest in the world with more than 500 operating television channels and an industry size of Rs 475 billion, which is expected to touch Rs 800 billion in the next four to five years growing at a CAGR of 14-15%. Over the last few years, television advertising saw strong growth, driven by the positive shift in the macro-economic environment and the emergence of e-commerce as a significant new advertising spender.

Radio is another area which is witnessing a phenomenal growth. The e-auction of the second batch of FM Radio Phase III channels comprising 266 channels in 92 cities is likely to be held around mid- September.

But in spite of this phenomenal growth of the broadcast and media sector, it is really strange that there is hardly any course in any of the private or government institutes which teaches how to manage the business of a television or radio channel. I, being a first generation satellite television professional, learnt the tricks of the trade by burning my hands. But today, when every alternate month a new television or radio channel is coming up, when business models are changing fast, we don’t have much time to learn from experience only. In a steep competitive market one has to either perform or perish.

Here comes the urgent necessity of a course of broadcast management, simply because a fast growing industry needs ready and trained professionals.

What is broadcast management?

How is broadcast management different from other mass communication or media management or film and television courses which are being offered in different institutes of India for quite a long time? Precisely, broadcast management teaches students how to manage the business and operational end of the television/radio channels or production houses, while the mass communication or film Institute courses train students about the creative and technological aspects of it.

Even while the MBA in Media Management courses teaches students about the management of different media like print, electronic, digital etc., the Broadcast Management course focuses only on television and radio and goes deep into subjects like TV/Radio Audience Research, TV/Radio Marketing & Sales, TV/Radio Planning & Buying, Production Technology & Management, Content