ABSTRACT
Assam’s foray into regional television began in the first half of the 1990s, with cable operators starting channels that combined local news with entertainment as well as provided international satellite content. By the time the first regional satellite channel was set up in Guwahati in 2003, local television reflected both an appetite for Assamese cultural content as well as identity questions deeply embedded in the state’s society and politics. The proliferation of 24x7 commercial television made the idea of ‘infotainment’ more pronounced. It also made the role of television channels in the state’s identity and politics more profound. This chapter explores correlations between identity politics and infotainment in 24x7 commercial television channels in Assam. It discusses how infotainment and sociopolitical climate are shaping television discourses in the state where lack of coverage and attention in the national media has been an anxiety and cause of concern. The chapter argues for more research on emerging televisual landscapes, such as those in Assam and the rest of India’s northeast, which could contribute to debates in global media studies.
