Anuradha Sengupta, Features Editor, CNBC TV18

Storyboard’ has a ‘feature magazine’ approach. In the television context, this means that in addition to analytical and researched content, time and effort are spent on conceptualizing and presenting a story visually. How you tell the story is as important as what the story is.

Having directed ‘The Amul India Show’ in 1997 – 2000 and worked on a host of TV18 shows including a celebrity chat show ‘Nikki Tonight’ and the youth-specific ‘MTV U,’ Anuradha Sengupta has worked her way through the ranks to the position of Features Editor, CNBC TV18.

In this session, she talks to Jasmeen Dugal about the learning curve in interviewing people like Martin Sorrell, why ‘Storyboard’ is defined as a ‘magazine programme’ and the prospects of a twenty-four hour ‘Storyboard.’

Q. On how she decides what makes it to ‘Storyboard’ from the all the news items throughout the week Well, we pick and choose from the news of the week – stories that we think are relevant to viewers and deserve the extra attention and value addition that we are going to lavish on it.

Q. On how the idea of ‘Storyboard’ came about The idea of ‘Storyboard’ came up two years ago in early 2001 when CNBC TV18 India was looking specifically to go beyond its stock market and business news positioning. Today ‘Storyboard’ has widened our business coverage. Shows like this address viewers with specialized needs and simultaneously allow lay viewers a chance to get into a specialized world

Q. On some critics’ reaction that ‘Storyboard’ is too goody-goody;’ she should be more introspective I have heard that we should be more introspective too, and it’s usually accompanied by the suggestion that we make it a one-hour show! It really depends on where you are coming from. We have to balance the needs of advertising and marketing professionals with the interests of our general viewers.

I like to believe that we are insightful on ‘Storyboard.’ Infact, I would choose insight over introspection. I think as a medium, television lends itself more to insights, and via them if we are lucky – epiphanies. But we don’t mind upping the IQ or Introspection Quotient! We introduced the EFFIE award-winning case studies this year as well as the ‘Storyboard Soapbox,’ which allows people in the business to come in and air their views on issues.

`Goody goody!' You think so? I don’t think a lot of people whom we have interviewed and featured will agree! The approach to each interview will be different, depending on the editorial issue at stake. What we do is strive for is insight and it's possible to be pointed and hard hitting without being blustering or strident.

Q. On how ‘Storyboard’ has evolved over the years ‘Storyboard’ has come a long way but we still have quite a way to go. The show was launched in May 2001 and our domain knowledge has definitely gotten better. I think we were more biased towards doing larger marketing, brand and media stories earlier, and I’d like to believe that we have addressed that issue. Today our focus is on more agency business stories, specific campaigns and people stories now. The show’s production values too have improved and we’ve managed to hit a quality standard almost every week. So ‘Storyboard’ really has evolved over the years.

Q. On her favorite ‘Storyboard’ episode till date Oh, this is a tough one! You are talking of picking from over a 150 shows, but let me try... I’m going to keep it within the last two months.

Last month, we did a show out of Bangalore that was really interesting – we had Shombit Sengupta & the Shining phenomenon and Nikhil Sen’s first interview after taking charge at Britannia. Then there was a show with the re-launched DD News, a profile of O&M’s Rajiv & Mahesh and a Star walkabout, which was a great watch. One on ones with people as different as Tarsem and Martin Sorrell are fun too.

Q. On where ‘Storyboard’ is going from here We would like it to stay on course and get more insightful. Also, it should give anybody who wants to make similar programming a benchmark to measure up to!

Q. On how much of Storyboard’ is Anuradha Sengupta If you are asking how involved I am with the show, it’s the kind of involvement that comes with the opportunity to conceptualize, direct/edit and then finally anchor a weekly show.

Q. On the learning curve when interviewing someone like Martin Sorrell An interview with someone like Martin Sorrell is invaluable. While we meet a number of articulate experts on a regular basis, people who give us VFT or ‘value for time’ are few. By that, I mean people who use their time on television to share information and more importantly, insight.

Martin Sorrell belongs to that rare class of people. We look forward to his biennial visits to India; a single interview with him crystallizes two years worth of macro-economic trends, business expectations and management philosophy into half an hour!

Q. On the recent changes in ‘Storyboard’ I think the fact that we’ve stopped reporting the ‘news of the week’ is in itself a big change. We did this because we realized that after breaking/ reporting news in the CNBC bulletins, it didn’t make sense to carry them on ‘Storyboard’ unless we were able to value-add. So we moved out the routine brand launch, account shift, people movement kind of news and in the space that got freed, we looked into featuring more trend based, analytical and better-looking ‘featurish news.’

We have always been interested in effective advertising and in keeping that in mind, like I mentioned earlier, we introduced EFFIE case study presentations on the show. Also, the ‘walkabout,’ a popular end-piece, has been extended beyond agencies to advertisers and media houses. And the response has been great!

Q. On the prospects of a twenty-four-hour Storyboard’ I’m not sure that there’s enough content out there for a twenty-four-hour ‘Storyboard.’ You know, I don’t think even the evolved A&M countries have an advertising and marketing show that’s broadcast on television. Round-the-clock coverage would mean a lot of trivial stuff would make it. Besides, it would be horribly repetitive and quite boring, and might appeal only to students. But then, I may be wrong; someone somewhere might just be able to sell it!

Q. On why ‘Storyboard’ has been defined as ‘a magazine programme’ Because it is a magazine programme! ‘Storyboard’ has a ‘feature magazine’ approach. In the television context, this means that in addition to analytical and researched content, time and effort are spent on conceptualizing and presenting a story visually. How you tell the story is as important as what the story is.

Q. On how the recent award makes her feel about ‘Storyboard’ It makes us feel good. ‘Storyboard’ is a labour of love, and we have known for a while that we were on to a good thing. When this was formally acknowledged by our peers, which is how I see the ‘Best Business Programme of the Year’ Award, the feeling became more tangible, more real. Besides, it’s a great morale boost, creates a buzz about the show and reinforces CNBC TV18’s commitment to viewers with specialized needs.