LOST ITS BEARINGS: INDIAN MEDIA

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.