EXCLUSIVE SELF APPRAISAL LETTER

SELF-APPRAISAL

MAYADHAR PRADHAN
CHIEF COPY EDITOR/REPORTERETV ORIYA (NEWS)
(DATE OF JOIN: 25 AUGUST 2001)

To
Mr A. GOPALA RAO
Vice President, HR

Sir,Being with the organization since last 7 years, I availed the right opportunities to grow professionally as well as individually with the feeling of giving best efforts always towards serving the people and the society as a true journalist.During the course of my tenure with such an esteemed organization, I came across lots of challenges, obstacles and difficulties, which gave me the right opportunity to cultivate myself towards building my career with true professionalism with an idea to work within peoples and leading peoples towards achieving individuals as well as organizational activities. For the organization, I am working with true potential and commitment. Right from day one, I have been trying hard and putting in best efforts to ensure that the desk runs smoothly. Because of my sustained efforts and relentless trying, I have not faced with any big crisis. I always believe in giving the best efforts rather than thinking about the results, which ultimately ended as best jobs so far and appreciated by many ways.
MY JOURNALISTIC JUDGMENTSBeing a journalist, I understand the basic dharma of journalism and trying to take everybody with this dharma. In my point of view, we should not be driven by what other media organizations are saying about a story. Nor should we assess a story’s importance by measuring the prominence it is given elsewhere. For example if it some channel has a graphical representation for a breaking story, we should try to get a different first hand approach in the form of phone in etc. We should try to give the audience something different from other channels. If all channels carried, the same content and in the same format than what would be the difference from one channel to other.
MY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITYWith 7 years experience and being a communication professional in the field of Television Production, I have generated variety of news topics including health, sports, business and information technology for my channel. Also, made myself fit with diverse audiences and in work setting that required me to handle multiple tasks under tight deadline.AS A NEWS PLANNER: We are running a regional channel. Therefore, we have to do planning on daily basis. When I took charge in September 2006, that time I had introduced a leaders meeting concept, which is continuing until the date. Everyday I sat with my team leaders to discuss the important stories of the day. Everyday when we met, I ask them- well, what we will sell today? Out of dozen suggestions, I pick one or two and then planned different story related to the subject. After that, the Input team updates the all concerned producers at RFC desk regarding the top stories of the day in the form of a comprehensive statement. The sheet gives a clear idea about the nature and strength of all top stories of the day. This exercise not only helping us to organize and coordinate quality inputs from various stations but also it helps the system to produce good inputs in the shape of good outputs.Not only for my channels consumption, I am also aware about the need of my network. Therefore, many times I am planning separate bytes for other channels too. At the time of every breaking news situation, I am also trying to meet the needs of all channels.
AS AN OUTPUT EDITOR: Television performance is ultimately the performance of screen and that is nothing but the output. In TV production execution is the most important task than the planning. Everyday we are planning a number of stories, but it is too difficult to decide which are sellable. As an Output Editor, daily I am facing the same problem that what is being cooked for the day. First, I choose the top stories of the day, and then follow up, exclusive and investigative stories. Besides this, I am giving more emphasis on region wise stories. Because viewers are keen to watch, the news belongs to their region.It is my responsibility to decide the production and presentation format. I have to decide the BP, the newscaster and the production person. It is my responsibility to do research work and to verify the facts. Apart from this, I am also providing statistical data to CEs and backgrounder to the BPs. Especially during the production of special episodes, special care has been taken and accordingly manpower is deployed to do the job. I actively involve myself in planning and co-ordination and even before the program goes on air, I undertake a thorough preview and try to ensure that the output is watch worthy.Overall, I am a self-starter with strong analytical and problem solving abilities acting like a bridge between input and output team. AS DESK IN-CHARGE: Handling 60 persons in a day is really a challenging job. However, as the Desk In-charge I am handling it properly and enjoying this. I am glad to inform you that everything in my desk is going on expected line, a harmonious environment is prevailing all over, and I hope everybody is enjoying his work. While performing my duty, I keep in mind the sentiment of every member of my team. I try to read out to the minds of people and act accordingly. As I know to be, a good leader one has to a good team member first. Therefore, every time I try to find myself within the team and motivate people to perform their duty. I try to win the confidence of all and take every body along with me. This has made my job easier and I have very reason to believe that every body is in absolute comfort with me.
WHAT I HAVE DONE DURING THIS YEARI would like to focus on some best works, which I have done throughout the year. To strengthen the final content further and stay creative and competitive in the market place clear-cut responsibility and authority has been given to the output leaders like Shift In-charges, Bulletin Producers, Packaging Team leaders and Production Associates. Time to time, I had organized meeting with all Bulletin Producers, Shift In-charges and Packaging Team Leaders of the channel focusing on core aspects of content, production and operations management at output level. For error free News Ticker and its update, I have engaged a dedicated person. As you know, Ticker is one of the most powerful medium of TV news. Many times Ticker looks more effective than a visual story. Time to time meeting and follow-ups with the Packaging team. After the reshuffle of Packaging team leaders, Bulletin Producers and second line leaders has been given the responsibility to retain the quality. Shift In-charges are given the particular responsibility of improving overall content flow management.
For powerful script writing, I have given the responsibility to 2/3 bulletin producers and second line persons. Exposing desk colleagues to specialized reporting and Interviews assignments. Mr Bikas Kumar Routray (CE) was sent to cover 3 days long ‘Orissa film and cultural Utsav’ at Chennai. Mr Swadhin Kumar Rout (CE) was sent to Goa to cover the ‘International Film Festival’. Mr Shaktisai Mishra (CE) was sent to Ramangundam (Karimnagar) to cover Jagannath Festival of Oriyas.
Mr Fakir Mohan Nahak (BP), Mr Shaktisai Mishra (CE), Mr Lalmohan Panda (CE), Mr Susil Kumar Das (CE), Mr Shantiswarup Samantray (Production Associates), Mr Sribtsa Dhal (CE), Ms Itishree Nayak (Newscaster), Ms Smita Panigrahi (CE), Ms Sasmita Sahoo (CE), Ms Bijaylaxmi Ratha (Newscaster), Ms Monalisa Tripathy (CE) got the opportunity of reporting, field production of the musical reality show ‘Amari Swara’ at RFC.
With my team, I have produced 90 Special episodes during this year. Most of the episodes were very good both production and marketing point of view.
Some of our second line leaders have produced special episodes on current topics and sports. They have proved their ability. I was with them from planning to the end of the show.
Oriya News is in the 1st position with Marathi as far as best story of the network competition is concerned. We have won 21 stories in the past 7 months.
For promotion of special programmes and episodes, I have given the responsibility to Mr A. Appa Rao (Sr. Production Associates). He is now looking after all graphics requirements.
During this year, I have handled some major live shows like Union Budget, State Budget, Laxmipur Assembly By-election and Car Festival etc. Not only handling PCR operations, I am also involved myself in planning of contents.
I have taken some steps to reach the viewers from Local to Global. Keeping the viewers choice in mind, my team has been produced many episodes on national, international and sports issues like-Pakistan Politics, Nepal Politics, Russia-Georgia war, Indo-US nuclear deal, Amarnath Land controversy, Trust vote in parliament, Beijing Olympics, 25 year after India won the world cup etc.
For fresh look, I have reduced the night shift of Newscasters. Right now, they are attending only 2 night shifts instead of 7.
I have given equal opportunity to all 2nd liners to grow.
To minimize the production errors, I have implemented direct feedback system.
I have made it mandatory for all to attend desk meet and leaders meet.
You are aware that our channel is not visible in the normal cable at some of the prime locations of the state like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Rourkela. Analyzing the situation, we have changed the City bulletin’s strategy. Recently we have added 3 more cities Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur in this bulletin.
FAILURESLike any other team, I have achieved some success and met some failures during last year. Right now, we have a very strong visual editing team across the network. However, we are not so strong in scripting. In my last report, I had mentioned that my team is little bit weak in scripting. For improvement in this area, I have done hard work and some experiments throughout the year. After that also, I am not satisfy.
Another failure area is production. Like scripting, our production team also needs more improvement in multi cam production. Of course, we have no more opportunity here to handle multi cam productions. For improvement, we are sending Production Associates phase wise to Bhubaneswar to handle live and multi cam productions.
PLANSOn 27 January 2008, we will complete 7 years of transmission. We have to review our team performance before to go miles of away. I am going to have the following plan of action for the future.
Total training for all from top to bottom for effective job delivery. (It may be desk level involving senior persons).
All bulletin profiles to be revised and ready on paper for everybody’s reference. Keeping focus on the forthcoming elections and other major events taking place in the channel area, we have to develop our production team.
Special strategy and action plan for live production. At least 3 persons of RFC desk to be trained to handle all types of live productions. We need improvement in script writing. This year we have to achieve the goal.
PERFORMANCE OF ETV NEWS ORIYAFor last 2 years, ETV Oriya has changed its look in view of story presentation style, which helps enhancing viewership. With aggressive coverage and professional presentation, the standard of bulletin has immensely increased. Viewers simply love it.
Input Coordination and Output is getting better and better day by day, which helps our channel to improve its standard further.
Serving unbiased news, ETV Oriya has won the faith of Lakhs of viewers in and outside Orissa.
With an excellent piece of presentation, ETV Oriya has become an impact making media in Orissa. State government just cannot ignore the revelation of ETV Oriya.
This is possible only for the dedication of my team. I am proud to be a part of this team.
SUGGESTIONSNow the electronics media is changing rapidly. Many innovations and introduction of new technology are taking place globally in this visual media to cope up and beat other media. To achieve this study tour, seminar and workshops should be conducted on regular basis. In our network, maximum Copy Editors are fresher. They need special training in script writing. In scripting, there are many more tricks, what we do not know. If we will arrange a wok shop especially based on how to write a good and genuine news script, it makes perfect our new comers as well as those want to be a good professional in creative script writing.
The last but not least Sir, I once again take this opportunity to reassure you that I would continue to work with equal dedication, commitment and sincerity. Like today, tomorrow also our flag will be fly high on the new horizon.Thank you.

Mayadhar Pradhan Chief Copy Editor/ReporterETV News, Oriya