What is the way forward for the television industry?

By Sunil Ratnayake

It’s been almost three decades since D. B. Nihalsinha’s debut ‘Dimuthu Muthu’ was telecast on Rupavahini. Viewers might have forgotten the details of that beautiful story, but they will never forget how it made them feel.

The same goes for most of the productions that hit the airwaves in the 1980s and early ’90s. It was truly the golden era of the Sri Lankan tele-drama industry. An industry that was well on its way to becoming a regional, if not global, phenomenon. Today, in the face of stiff competition, producers are struggling to keep that dream alive, a dream which I daresay they’re on the verge of realising.

The future, I believe, is already here. With the advent of sophisticated technologies such as streaming video and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) that allows viewers to pause and rewind live TV, the global TV industry is in the process of metamorphosing into something almost unrecognisable from what it was just a few years ago.

And the Sri Lankan industry hasn’t disappointed, although it still has some ground to cover, at least in terms of technical superiority. However, our up and coming producers, directors, artists, actors, writers, et al, show a lot of promise, and I am confident that they have what it takes to take the industry forward – in spite of the shortcomings.

In Sri Lanka, television and tele-drama have become almost synonymous. Since the early 1980s, an adoring and demanding public has made sure that the tele-drama was the way forward for the TV industry. And it was, indeed; for, almost three decades later, the tele-drama remains the most popular source of television entertainment to date, with a viewership of 14 million and growing – despite an unprecedented boost in other programming such as reality TV.

Unchanged over the years

Looking at its rich and colourful history, one cannot help but be amazed at just how much the art of tele-drama making – and storytelling, along with it – has remained unchanged over the years.

Including the so-called Indian-influenced ‘mega’ productions, it appears that most tele-dramas being made here today still stick to the time-tested formula of boy-meets-girl, girl-meets-boy, conflict and, later, resolution – the only difference with mega serials being that they seem to revolve around entire families, and even extended families, as opposed to just one hero and heroine.

This formula, however, has worked well so far, and has managed to keep viewers happy. But we must ask ourselves for how long we can continue to give our audiences recycled versions of the same story over and over again. Today’s audiences are smarter than that. Sooner or later, they’re bound to say ‘enough already!’ That is, if they aren’t saying that already.

This is, of course, not to say that nothing of good quality has been attempted on our soil. Many critically acclaimed tele-dramas have wowed Sri Lankan audiences over the past three decades, albeit if sporadically.

The public still fondly remembers such masterpieces as ‘Yasho Rawaya,’ ‘Palingu Menike,’ ‘Wedahamine’ and ‘Dandubasnamanaya’ that made a lasting impact on the tele-drama industry in particular, and television in general. And then there were the ‘old’ mega hits like ‘Doo Daruwo’ that the public fell in love with, and whose emotional and intellectual stimulus they long for.

Adapting to changes

But while it is great to reminisce and be all nostalgic about all this, we must never forget that times have changed and we, as industry-men and women, need to adapt to these changes. Having said that, can we afford to abandon the current formulaic soaps and serials and go artful and Hollywood in one go?

As a producer, and more importantly, as a businessman who has been heading a leading production house since 1986, it is my personal belief that we must try to please our audiences as often as possible and aspire to give them what they want. The way I see it, there really is nothing wrong with this – for reasons I shall now attempt to explain.

There are different types of viewers in the country today. Some strictly and solely seek artistic, high-end productions, while others (usually the majority) prefer what some might call melodramatic serials. However, the Sri Lankan television audience has matured with the industry, and is just as informed and demanding as that of our immediate neighbour India.

But the fact remains that a majority still like to see a bickering mother-in-law and daughter-in-law on the tube every now and then. I do believe this trend will soon change, but even so, our industry cannot and must not lose that serial-addicted audience. It will not be a very wise move, considering that’s where the money is.

Whether one likes to admit it or not, money talks; and the television business, like any other business, cannot go forward without making a profit. If ‘good,’ ‘artistic’ productions are to be made at all, marketable productions that can be easily sold to our audiences have to be made.

Push-pull strategy

Another important thing our pundits need to remember is that TV can never ‘force’ the public to watch something. Our producers and distributors need to acquire an understanding of the push-pull strategy in marketing, in order to truly understand this concept.

Today there is a multitude of TV channels to choose from (this is not counting the cable networks which have a surprisingly large number of subscribers of their own), and people will only watch what they want. Those viewers who watch the allegedly low-quality mega serials do so not because such productions are being forced down their throats, as some claim, but because they choose to.

A producer must never forget that all a viewer has to do is press a button on their remote-control and change the channel if they don’t like what they see. It’s really as simple as that, and it’s of the utmost importance for future producers to keep this simple fact in mind.

The format of tele-drama production and presentation, I believe, also needs to change – gradually. Adopting the international standard of releasing a TV series in seasonal segments of 16 to 24 episodes per season is a good start. My own upcoming production – the sequel to ‘Bhawatra’ – will follow this format.

Catering to needs

I’m of the firm belief that, while it is good and necessary to embrace the latest technologies and adapt current international trends, we mustn’t lose the connection and rapport we have built with our audiences. We must cater to their needs, if we are to survive.

Some say mega is the way to go; some believe mega serials are a menace to society; others think more comedies and other such light-hearted programmes ought to be produced. Some opt for more reality TV and storytelling through documentaries. Some demand that we must only produce art of the highest quality.

I, however, am for all of this. I’m not saying that we have to dispense one mega serial after another; far from it. We must, of course, strive for better productions as we go ahead, and take our industry to a level that can stand tall and proud in the region, if not the world. That goes without saying.

But this, needless to say, cannot be done overnight. It will take time, and we need to extensively study the international market and viewership, public preferences, etc.

Looking beyond the horizon

Tele-drama production has now evolved into a fully-fledged industry. With proper management, it has the potential to be a profit-earning business with a turnover of more than 100%.

Any director or producer has various types of viewers. He or she must speak to all of them – to the different segments of their viewers. Focusing too much on one will surely alienate the others, and that is not good for the health of an industry that we all love so dearly.

Production and presentation formats have to undergo changes, and the process of change needs to be smooth and streamlined. The television-villages I have established in Badulla and Maharagama aim to achieve this very purpose. Another state-of-the-art TV village is currently being constructed in a beautiful, 10-acre land in Diyatalawa.

As famed Japanese industrialist Konosuke Matsushita once said, if we cannot make a profit, we’re committing a crime against society. We take society’s capital, we take their people, we take their materials, yet without a good profit, we are using precious resources that could be better used elsewhere.

With the right people, and the necessary financial support, I believe we are ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow, and for that, we all need to learn to look beyond the horizon.



(Sunil Ratnayake is an award-winning and pioneering producer and director who has, over three decades, helped shape the country’s television industry. He is the founder Chairman and Managing Director of Teleview (Pvt) Ltd., through which he has produced numerous tele-dramas, documentaries and TV commercials, which have won the admiration of viewers and critics alike. Also an acclaimed director and song-writer, he is on a mission to take the Sri Lankan TV industry to a level that can compete with the biggest international players.)