Is it any coincidence that after a conspicuous absence of any South Asian TV programming, we now have two programs beginning within months of each other?

The media channels in the Twin Cities host two new South Asian shows. Chai City -produced by Simone Ahuja, Manila Mathur and Pramod Mathur began its first season is Fall 2003 and will begin its second season in May 2004, airing on the Twin Cities Public Television, Channel 17 at 10 PM on Sundays. Geetmala began its first season in January 2004 on the same channel also at 10 PM on Sundays and will continue till April 2004. The producing team led by Mukhtar Thakur hopes to begin another season starting September 2004. Mukhtar is an old hand in South Asian community media in the Twin Cities having been a co-producer of the Desi Radio show - Sangam - for over ten years now, and used to run a Twin Cities pamphlet called Pukaar. Both programs are focused towards interests of the South Asian communities in the Twin Cities though based on early responses, both producers believe that a wider audience including other immigrant communities and folks interested in world music and culture have begun to tune into these programs.
Chai City is hosted in what the producers call a 'magazine' format where a variety of topics covering South Asian cultural events, cooking and music is covered. Coverage includes interviews as well as shows of performances. Geetmala, on the other hand is driven by the producers' passion for 'masala' music and is focused on South Asian music - both old and new. The producers aver that most music presented is from India largely owing to difficulty in obtaining quality clips from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, or Sri Lanka. Each show also includes a short interview with members of the South Asian communities in the Twin Cities.
Is it any coincidence that after a conspicuous absence of any South Asian TV programming, we now have two programs beginning within months of each other? Mukhtar feels that there was always a need for and interest in a South Asian program in the Twin Cities; it is only now that airtime has become available. Simone, on the other hand, feels that it is only now that the South Asian population in the Twin Cities has reached a critical mass where such a program becomes viable.
Both programs are becoming important vehicles for members of our community to present our voices and opinions. Simone is aware that a program like Chai City can serve to inculcate a positive sense of self in the younger generation. Teams producing both these programs are aware of their responsibilities towards the South Asian community in carrying the diversity of voices and opinions within the community. Both these teams have strong opinions on the need to collaborate with other groups and individuals within the South Asian community and recognize that their programs can serve important roles in building bridges within this community as well as with groups in the larger Twin Cities area. Mukhtar thinks that Geetmala with its focus on music is well suited for such a mission since it has a great capacity to "glue people together". For this reason, both these groups have chosen neutral grounds and non-controversial topics for discussions in their shows. Mukhtar, however, feels that at a later time, when the audience recognizes the character of Geetmala, he would like the show to present a variety of views and opinions, even on controversial topics and even if they are in opposition to his own personal opinions.
Representation of the diversity of opinions and issues on any forum is a difficult task; more so for a fledgling media effort. And yet, one must recognize that any medium of mass communication is, by default, a political medium. It can potentially sway opinion, incite as well as calm, provoke thought or dumb down. Opinions that are included are as important as the opinions that are left out. Sometimes, the voices that are left unheard are the voices that are crying to be heard. Both these programs continue to evolve their ideas and strategies on how they should be inclusive of a diverse set of opinions without bringing up issues that will alienate a large audience base. Geetmala has included a wide variety of guests on its show - from Mr. Mahendranath, an eminent businessman in the Twin Cities, to Dr Sehgal who is with the Hindu Society of Minnesota to Dr Hyder Khan, who has been involved with Human Rights groups. Chai City hopes that they can reach out to all of us South Asians - possibly by talking to us while we shop in grocery stores to maybe making phone calls. Simone also points out that perhaps all voices do not wish to be represented in these shows.
And yet, as they go through their processes of strategizing and planning their programs, it is important for the South Asian community that such programs provide for a forum that can provoke thought, that can nudge us outside our comfort zones and make us see other perspectives on a plethora of sensitive issues that face South Asians either in the USA or owing to their association with South Asia.
Both these programs, being run largely by volunteers, have overcome many hurdles - from logistical issues such as getting airtime, to training of volunteers to bottlenecks of time and money. So far, the response to their programs seems to have been very positive. Even though the programs have technical errors - as any program being produced by a team of amateur volunteers is bound to have - the South Asian population has clearly welcomed these programs into our television routines. During these early days of South Asian television programming in the Twin Cities, as these teams work through their logistical and technical issues, they also set a standard for South Asian discussion and television programming. It is critical for the Twin Cities South Asian community to encourage the efforts of these teams and contribute to these ventures with constructive feedback and enthusiasm.