Pune: A video capturing an elderly woman’s complaint about the excessive number of television serial advertisements recently went viral. In the video, it was seen that she insisted she was watching serials but ended up seeing more ads than content. The woman met Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) Baramati MP Supriya Sule during her visit to Pune on Monday. There, she raised the matter in front of officials.
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The complainant told Sule that a 30-minute TV serial often contains nearly 20 minutes of advertising. She said this is leaving little space for the story itself. She asked Sule, “Do we pay to watch advertisements?” and demanded that something be done. The unusual complaint was raised as Sule arrived for a scheduled meeting at the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) office in Rasta Peth.
According to the available details, Sule and others present broke into laughter when the woman voiced her frustration. The elderly woman, however, was serious as she noted ironically that “there are more ads than serials.” The video that captured this interaction has since circulated widely on social media.
Local viewers have long complained about the proliferation of commercial breaks disrupting serials. An average Marathi serial is scheduled to be displayed on television for 30 minutes. They run from 6 pm to 10 pm. Many of the citizens are seen glued to television during these times, as the serials are very engaging.
Critics say that the balance between programming and advertisements has tilted too far in favour of advertisers, reducing viewer satisfaction. Media analysts note that such public expressions of annoyance reflect growing discontent with current broadcasting practices.
While there is no indication yet of any regulatory response, the viral clip has reignited debate over content-to-ad ratios on Indian television.
