Voyeurism of News Channels: Media can go to any length for TRP ratings

Matuk Nath, a Hindi Professor in Patna was 'caught' with a girl. His face was blackened, the man was beaten up and humiliated.

This made the lead story on Indian television channels on Friday. It reflected nothing but the voyeuristic face of channels and the sadism of Indian society that gets a kick out of seeing others' plight.

Do the channels have the right to intrude in anybody's private life that of two adults and pronounce judgment on an individual's morality. Don't journalists have extra-marital relations. In fact, some senior journalists are far too promiscuous and it's well known.

I am not supporting the man for his infidelity but this trend is extremely worrying as no where in the world national channels have stooped so low just to boost their TRPs. The media channels have chosen the path of soap opera journalism. Needless to say this will keep the viewers and middle-class occupied, titillate them and let the real issues go to the dustbin.

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Don't scream baby & Horror Woman's crime show on Channel 7

So the last year's rains in Mumbai was a big news and Star had picked up enough TRP to get numero uno in Indian TV News industry. Naturally this year the rains were the Big News.

And you could see the excited reporters screaming about rains. The lady reporter of Channel 7 was shouting and yelling. So if a train (not local) was five minutes late, it was a Flash and that Airservices were not disrupted was also News.

Mr Ashutosh (former Ajtak) who now heads Channel 7 has truly energised his team. The lady who does the Crime Reporting show is surely horrifying. And it is the channel Rajdeep owns. Is he nuts! Or jus to give a competition to Ajtak, the Hindi Channel ought to be so shabby!

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Media ignores Middle-East, Kashmir and Hard News

The national press and electronic media in particular largey ignored the events in Middle-East. The bombing of PM's office in Palestine by Isreal was not given its due in columns or bytes.

Unfortunately, the killing of a physically challenged musician in Kashmir also got ignored. He was killed in firing by security forces. Inayatullha, 25, was a familiar name to those listening Radio Kashmir.

Is it that the editors feel enough of real news. That's why any story about NRI like Mittal or the 'sizzling' Rakhi Sawant would fetch more eyeballs!

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