Indian
media has begun to frighten and disturb me and perhaps many other ordinary
people like me. Sitting always on a moral high ground, looking holier than thou:
they pound you day in and day out. Their pitch is shrill, hysterical and tone
always insulting. Especially towards panelists they don’t like or who come from
across the border. For them no tragedy is so great to keep a distance from
grieving families. It is alright to stuff mikes into wailing, crying peoples’
faces who may have lost a near and dear one. They need to learn from some of
the international channels like BBC and CNN. Whenever, a tragedy has taken
place in US or any other developed country, journalists never take bytes from
grieving families. They respect their need for privacy and keep a safe
distance, reporting only what they have gathered by speaking to others.
Even in
conflict zones international journalists never show close-up visuals of blood
and gore. They will speak about it in their report but not treat you to
revolting sights.
Then there
are a bunch of Hindi and regional language channels that thrive on crime
programmes. Re-enacting the entire sequence, giving details of methodology
used, in fact, a tutorial for would be criminals. When the Arushi murder took
place Aaj Tak went crazy, actually using actors to enact the whole crime
sequence, theorizing on motives, conducting a complete trial and even implying
who had committed the murder. In a
highly publicized case like Nirbhaya’s the court had to step in to stop the
airing of a show which was once again going to enact the entire sequence of
events; but, what about the other crime shows that go on unabashedly? If, films
can have a Censor Board, why not TV? The so called self –regulating body NBA
has not been able to reign in anybody.
Recently, I
was shocked when even a very responsible publication like Indian Express gave
details of how a young mother drowned her two small children in a washing
machine and bucket. Was it necessary? Wasn’t it sufficient to just say a mother
committed suicide after killing her two children? In a country where children
are routinely killed, especially girls, this is one more unique way of
disposal. Millions have been informed in a few seconds. The other day Headlines
Today announced they were going to show some disturbing images of a man being
stabbed and a dog being brutally tortured. Why would you need to show such
visuals? Unless it is serving some purpose of giving proof in a case where
evidence is being tampered with, why murders on live TV should be shown. And
the pictures are not even blurred. Not that it takes away the sickness from it.
It is not
to say that media should not collect evidence of crimes committed by those in
power against its citizens or by individuals against women, children and weaker
sections of society. But, please show them with some amount of restraint and
only when sufficient action is not being taken by authorities. When a girl was
molested in Assam some years ago, the channels kept showing the visuals the
whole day. For God’s sake! There is a limit to voyeurism.
Then we
have the 9 pm prime time shows, with senior anchors from all channels fighting
tooth and nail for the viewers’ eyeballs. And believe me it is really a slugfest.
The funniest part the bulletins are the little windows which resemble kabutar
khanas, pigeon holes, from where a string of eminent panelists peep out and
try very hard to be heard. If you have ever watched News Hour on Times Now you
will notice how hilarious it has all become now. With the anchor very clearly
having strong opinions and shouting down all those who don’t agree with him.
More pitiable is the plight of panelists from Pakistan who agree to come on the
show. They are shouted down, not just by the Indian panelists but also by the
anchor. When we did journalism in the cave ages, we were told the journalist’s
job is to be neutral and to report without letting his/her own opinions or
beliefs come into the report or news. Clearly, that’s not the case anymore.
News is confused with editorial.
Then there
are channels like India TV which thrive by allowing paid slots to gurus, astrologers
and others involved in spreading superstitions with their mumbo jumbo. Are they
fit to be called news channels? Men clad in saffron or black or whatever colour
their faith prescribes, wearing 10 rings in all 10 fingers giving all kinds of
weird advice about improving your life by some extra expenditure of course.
Then there is this new breed of manicured and stylized Tarot readers and female
healers who look more as if they are there to give fashion tips than tell your
future. Why are these channels not doing what they are supposed to do? Give
news.
NDTV, the
one channel which was watched by boring people like me who didn’t like
sensationalism are now bewildered by how it has begun to resemble Doordarshan
in its monotony and lack of creativity. How many years will the same shows go
on, with the same faces and the same formats?
Not to
forget the breaking news disease; which, incidentally, happens every second of
the day. If one channel announces some breaking news every other channel rushes
in to get on top. The herd mentality comes in and pretty soon you will have no
other news being telecast, even if you switch twenty channels. It will be
beaten to a pulp and all other things will be forgotten. Take the case of IPL. The
viewer’s exhaustion is never kept in mind when bulletin after bulletin
reporters/anchors talk about the same story. It’s not enough to give 10 minutes
of the bulletin to the main news. Please spare us poor viewers; we could do
with something else. Surely, this country of 1 billion must be having other
things happening. Since, last two days it is Narendra Modi and BJP’s prime
ministerial candidate! We don’t know how many days it will go on. Dear God in
heaven please step in to save this country which is under a deluge of mindless media
assault.
