I feel ashamed and terribly appalled by the disposition of the Indian Television Media in the face of a crisis, which had buckled the entire world down to its knees. I couldn’t help but vent out the anguish and frustration when our news industry didn’t find any business in reporting and following the tragedy, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, which struck a small nation on January the twelfth. Haiti, a poor Caribbean nation which has been reeling under poverty for all the time registered in recent history, is torn and tossed apart. Magnitude and scale of the massive disaster can very well be judged by the fact that close to two hundred thousand are feared dead.
Although there is nothing at all to expect from channels like India TV and the (few hundred) like, it is disturbing to know that even those glorified by a façade of sterling personalities and a much-preached reputation for responsible, true and fearless reporting, didn’t find this important. Told or untold, the fact remains that for want of resources the Indian media cannot match up to the comprehensive coverage on BBC or CNN. One needs to laud the efforts of media-men on the ground, who have been capturing on-camera and paper, not only the massive devastation and loss of life, but also relief efforts, need for urgent aid and the burgeoning social imbalance. Probably our media too has its reporters there, on the ground, sorting rubble, making reports and feed for their channels. If not anything else, it was for them that they needed to keep business aside and engage in the cause in a more sensitive and responsible manner.
Instead, what they were running were raunchy shows and belligerent panel discussions. One was digging deep in the grave to prove or disprove, whether Jyoti Basu was bad for Bengal, another was evaluating prospective bidders for Afridi and Pollard at the IPL Bazaar Auction which was to follow the next morning and the remaining were making money from the ostentatious portrayal of the Indian bourgeois. Who is to blame? The close to hundred news channels, reporting sensationalized crime and love stories, or we and others like us who have made them loud and arrogant.
Although there is nothing at all to expect from channels like India TV and the (few hundred) like, it is disturbing to know that even those glorified by a façade of sterling personalities and a much-preached reputation for responsible, true and fearless reporting, didn’t find this important. Told or untold, the fact remains that for want of resources the Indian media cannot match up to the comprehensive coverage on BBC or CNN. One needs to laud the efforts of media-men on the ground, who have been capturing on-camera and paper, not only the massive devastation and loss of life, but also relief efforts, need for urgent aid and the burgeoning social imbalance. Probably our media too has its reporters there, on the ground, sorting rubble, making reports and feed for their channels. If not anything else, it was for them that they needed to keep business aside and engage in the cause in a more sensitive and responsible manner.
Instead, what they were running were raunchy shows and belligerent panel discussions. One was digging deep in the grave to prove or disprove, whether Jyoti Basu was bad for Bengal, another was evaluating prospective bidders for Afridi and Pollard at the IPL Bazaar Auction which was to follow the next morning and the remaining were making money from the ostentatious portrayal of the Indian bourgeois. Who is to blame? The close to hundred news channels, reporting sensationalized crime and love stories, or we and others like us who have made them loud and arrogant.
3 comments:
I completely agree with you, Avinash....Indian Media seriously needs to contemplate over their negligent attitude towards the benefit of the larger society. They are more worried about the future of Rahul Mahajan and what Big Boss Housemates have 'cooked' to eat than the future of a Indian Farmer and whether he has anything to cook at his home. Somehow, we have got trapped ourselves into the superficial world portrayed by media. They never take us to the roots..
Well done Avinash, perfectly well conceived and clearly envisioned perspective about the harsh reality..
Haiti was a disaster!!! I agree wid u avinash..
May because the nation was poor it din't get that much attention over here & who cares about poor anyway...we ourselves are to be blamed more profoundly coz the media will showcase only the things the audience wants to see...The TRP's are what that matters in today's world...
http://bhushan-oneworld.blogspot.com/
This is so true....for that matter even the north-eastern states of india are completely neglected...It is said that the media is the reflection of the society, they show what 'majority' of the people want to see. Now if this theory is true, then the situation is even worse..
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