Breaking News: There is no breaking news!!!
Aren’t you getting tired of these news channels? It’s all getting a bit obscene now. Everything is a breaking news. Everything is a sensation. I don’t take any of these headlines at newsvalue. Something becomes a headline because there is nothing better to report. Unfortunately, there should always be a sensational headline, a terrible crisis, a shock report etc. What’s more unfortunate is, if there is none, there is an attempt to create these. Make a news out of nothing. I realise it’s not easy to keep giving news for 24 hours non-stop. But you have a choice of creating news or being responsible and educate people otherwise.
When the Bangalore blasts happened, I was in Bangalore. I was staying in Shivajinagar which was one of the several places where the bombs exploded. It is, of course a big news and a terrible news. But I can confirm that it was not as bad as it was made out to be, by the news channels. I was shopping around that weekend because things returned to normalcy in a matter of few hours. If you had followed the images and footages on the television, you must have been thinking that Bangalore was burning, while I was exploring the city on foot and by taxi.
We have too many private news channels. And there is a dog-eat-dog competition among them. What this results in is a cheap competition of who can best sensationalise the happenings. Sadly, that’s what it all boils down to. You can see that if you keep switching across channels while something worthwhile is being reported. I guess there must be a mad rush to fix a catchy deadline that can run for days and weeks. It is purely a business. It is just a matter of who sells more copies or who gets more viewership.
The crudeness, the cheapness of reporting is one. Worst is, the joy, more than the duty, of reporting terrible incidents. Sometimes it makes me feel that if they hear about a serial bomb blast somewhere, they might scream ‘yesssssssss’. The news channels’ job is a bit like that of the doctors. If everyone’s healthy, he’s got nothing to do. That shouldn’t mean he’s hoping for the cholera to break out. If it does break out, he can’t be spreading the scare and fear instead of awareness and alertness.
Journos question everyone. News channels are omnipotent. They are so bloody powerful. They question politicians, economists, sportsmen, artists, celebrities; they can question anyone. They have the God-given right to ask anyone the tough questions. They have the privilege of embarrassing anyone in the public eyes. They might even score some brownie points when they get someone to walk out on them from the studio or when someone was made to weep. I guess they would also weep if it helps the TRP.
Who can question the news channels? Who can evaluate them? They can name and shame the politicians for not doing their job, they can question the commitment of a player when he is not in form, they can brutally criticise an artist and his creations and pretend that they know more than the learned economists. Now, who’s checking if the news channels are doing their job? Who’s going to report them? How do you evaluate the news channels is an interesting topic in itself.
You must know about this blogger Chyetanya Kunte who wrote a post titled ’shoddy journalism’ about the coverage of the Taj incident by NDTV. He was not a well known blogger or anything. He wrote about how the terrorists used the NDTV’s live coverage of the whole Taj incident. He was particlarly singling out Barkha Dutt for the ’shoddy journalism’ and questioning her ethics. He was tracked down by the NDTV and Barkha Dutt. He was sued and made to issue an apology in his own blog for his post. Below is his original post for which NDTV sued Kunte. Make up your mind.
I think it was a very good post (though with a poor closing line) which should have been responded by Barkha appropriately instead of a libel. He has raised some very vital questions which require answers more than anything. Those were the questions on everyone’s lips. When this argument continued in facebook, Barkha herself responded there in facebook, again with no valid response. You can read the whole history of this battle here. The whole episode was seen as a breach of freedom of expression. The bloggers were enraged. Many many anti-Barkha communities were created in Facebook. Finally, we all realised there is a way to talk about the Press. I think the answer to who can evaluate and if required, criticise the news channels lies in this very incident.
It is in the internet, and it should be the bloggers. Who else can do that and using which other medium?
Finally we have somebody who can point fingers at journos. A long pending question in my mind. Who will monitor these Journos. Is there any laws?
Journos are not entertainers! They are like peace makers, When there is a violence they should try to find peace or at workst try to help to find peace… Instead they will show the horrible pictures of violence. That will only show increase teh violence.
I remember once incidend. I was watching ESPN. Its a football match. And obviously there is a horrible tackle. The tackle was so horrible, the player legs got snatched. In the immediate replay they showed the tackle and legs breaking. But surprisingly there was no replay shown on this incident. See the matches is viewed by all people, small child to grandfather. The ESPN taking this into consideration, have stopped this reply airing. If a sports channel can be so serious on what to show and what not to show… then the news channels should also follow this example.
Is there any news channel showing about where the job vacancies are, histroy about our country,(or for exotic purpose any country), any news for agriculturists, latest developments in science and technology…
Is there any session, interviews of the Journalists themselves.
Most of the news channels prefer to air whats hot in other channels, who is dancing, singing, jumping better…
I’m getting irritated with most of the news channels…
When they will realise that they got worst
Hi Vijay,
I have always felt that these “news” channel guys are going overboard. Mumbai carnage was I think the icing on the cake.
I had a similar experience with news channel “Times Now” exactly one month ago when the Borivali express train was cancelled. I wrote about that in my blog. You can read it by clicking the link:
http://venkysdiary.blogspot.com/2009/02/watching-news-channels-really-boring.html
Freedom of expression is being abused. Dont want to suggest that Govt should monitor as I think that would create a PSU with all the attachments and no action.
regards
Venkat
Hey, I came in to say thanks for commenting! I know my blog sucks and all that
and have been on a mission to change it for a long time now. But been busy with some stuff. Just wanted to let you know that feedback was appreciated, and will be worked on.
Also, I haven’t really read your blog until now, but will surely do so soon, in the future. I agree your layout is so much better. *hmph*
Thanks!
I dont know whether I am posting right comments and speaking subject matter for all your posts Vj but fortunately or unfortunately my thought process is so very boring for someone (May be everyone over here) to listen
I wouldn’t blame Journos completely! It is also the quality of the audience that matters. No picture will run 100 days unless and until they manage to keep the audience interested. After all everyone are striving hard for that four lioned paper right (I mean money!). It can make you do anything! If someone can be made to watch my channel for 24 Hrs forgetting the whole World around I can show you anything and my purpose of making you watch is ultimately achieved! I wouldn’t be watching a movie with my friends if my sister is dancing around with someone in that movie. I know when it comes to me it is wrong but still I watch movies. After all that’s entertainment for me! No worries who is dancing around with whom unless and until it is not someone from my family! I am just another human! Ofcourse we all are humans. If entertainment is so very important then entertainers also become important in this materialistic World! I see Journos as entertainers! They will keep succeeding just like every other movie does! Reformation must happen at either sides! Everyone is learning in this fast moving world and mistakes are taken as experiences. If not taken we can only pray that they will be taken! Sometimes mistakes are costly! Might take someone even to the doors of Heaven and only when that someone is alive after doing a mistake He or She can correct it! This does not mean I do not agree with your post Vj, I only say we all are humans! We can only hope that everybody learn what’s right and what’s wrong!
Santy
They’re all human – A statement I cannot disagree.
They’re entertainers – A statement I can’t accept but I can somehow swallow.
Despite these two claims, the crucial point here is that the NDTV coverage helped the terrorists more than anyone. Who were they trying to help/entertain is the question. And this was not a unintended mistake. I think this was done deliberately. Barkha said that she was so proud to hear from Narayanamurthy that the Taj incident coverage was superb. If it was a mistake (as you say), Barkha and NDTV should have apologised for the incidental help that was offered to the terrorist by their coverage of NSG operations and status.
P.S: If you break up your comments into paragraphs, it will be easier for everyone to read.
Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”
you know it depends on person to person when you call someone idtiot, one can totally ignore you,
other person can request you to please dont call him idiot, other person may sue you.
how the person behaves depend on his own personalities.
probably my first post on a blog, and i have santy to thank for that..
The Mumbai incident was a prime example of press being irresponsible.. Having said that, like we always see happen, Barkha is at the receiving end because she could be considered high profile and because she was better at her job – the question around the ethics in that job notwithstanding.
There were other press anchors and channels in Mumbai and though i can’t vouch for it, they were possibly telecasting the same information at the same time. So, press was irresponsible, Barkha just did a better job of it.
And yes, press should have freedom of expression and all of those good stuff like everyone should, but such freedom should never be expressed at the cost of hurting someone else.. In any possible way..
In my mind, Mumbai was a matter of national security, and though the press kept talking about it as one, they never treated it as one.
Hey Rajnesh! That’s a great gravatar!!
You’re right in saying that it was a collective miss by many news channels. Barkha is being singled out because she was better at it as you said. The fact is, it was not just NDTV, it was the whole lot of channels that wanted to be the first and best to cover a national tragedy.
Vj,
Just because I made claims it doesn’t mean that I do not understand the ethics of journalism. Obviously I did not learn it but I do know what’s right and what’s wrong as a lay man. What I wished to say everyone over here is, though it was wrong only wrong things are encouraged in this wrong World!
That night LIVE coverage was made even when the commandos landed over the terrace of Taj via helicopter! According to commandos it was a secret mission. But for civilians it was another interesting happening which made them stay awake watching it whole night grasping their snacks! For hostages another hope squashed! For terrosist vital secrets revealed as it was happening! Yes all are humans! Most being irresponsible!
“Journos question everyone” – Yes, they can! Why not? Who else can? Can I question a politican and lead my normal life after that? I am a civilian who want to live peacefully! If not me who else can? An opposition party? May be for this election but for next election or even before that they can suddenly make an alliance! Unfortunately noone is spared in the World of journalism. May be because their questions are targetted even at innocents or at someone so very early in their career!
The challenge of proving it wrong by a cricketer or by an artist or by a musician to the journal World might even help him or her step ahead in their career & give them the much needed visibility! What our little master is able to do every now and then! What’s more important is, someone else are also being questioned along with these innocents! “THE POLITICIANS” Whom noone else can question! I am very happy about with the way it is now! Atleast better than before!
However I see Journalism can be a much more powerful weapon of civilians if been handled with care!
Not just your comments I agree with your P.S as well