The popularity of Indian soap operas in Bangladesh
Watching Indian soap operas, especially in the evening, is now one of the key phenomena in Bangladesh society. Several researchers and newspaper reports claim that television viewers of Bangladesh, women in particular, spend a significant amount of their daily-time watching those Indian soaps. Th...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2020
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16079/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16079/1/31239-137205-1-PB.pdf |
| Summary: | Watching Indian soap operas, especially in the evening, is now one of the key phenomena in
Bangladesh society. Several researchers and newspaper reports claim that television viewers of
Bangladesh, women in particular, spend a significant amount of their daily-time watching those Indian
soaps. This study examines why Bangladeshi television audiences consume this particular media
content while the similar is being produced and broadcast on local television channels. According to
uses and gratification (U&G) researchers, people select particular media content(s) to fulfil the needs
they have. However, this study also supplements that the selection of the contents is not
predominantly governed by the demand of their needs, rather by the demand of their choices. Using
an analytical induction method, the study finds that multiple causes (e.g. story of Indian soap opera,
the theme of the story that reflects everyday life, the craft of soap’s narrative, characterisation,
prominence of women character(s) in the story, retention of audience interest for next episode,
acting, characters’ lifestyle, etc.) function together behind their loyal viewership toward Indian soap
operas. The findings of the study also suggest that the inability of the local television industry to meet
viewers’ expectations facilitates the consumption of Indian soaps and other television contents by the
television audiences of Bangladesh. |
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