EditIndia: Indian Media Journalism Website

Will The Hindu's aggressive advertising campaign against rival newspaper succeed!

2012-01-28T11:19:00.000-08:00

Ads are catching imagination but can they raise circulation!

For years The Hindu remained a respectable newspaper in North with a limited circulation.

Its reputation was mostly for its traditional style of journalism and restrained reporting in terms of Bollywood, celebrity gossip and trivia.

It continued to be a dominant paper in South India. But its Delhi edition couldn't pick up. Hindustan Times, Times of India (TOI), Indian Express remained the top newspapers though Express' circulation has been falling over the years and has drastically decreased in last two decades.

Now 'The Hindu' suddenly seems to have woken up from its slumber. The aggressive ad campaign cleverly shows that readers of The Hindu are more aware about the world than the rival's, who are more aware about Bollywood and love affairs than real issues or political affairs.

The ad shown on TV channels also suggests that people reading a particular paper are morons who know only about Hrithik Roshan's name Duggu with which he is addressed at home and Page 3 parties but have no real general knowledge.

The lip movement shows little for imagination when they are asked which paper these morons read. Clearly the rival would not be too happy. But does Hindu has a plan to take on TOI or even HT. It has no presence in Mumbai or Kolkata.

Unless it has a long-term plan, in terms of editorial revamp, it can't change the habit of newspaper readers. Times of India might have focused excessively on P3 culture. But as far as quality of journalism is considered, only the real morons would take the campaign seriously.

TOI and The Indian Express are also known for doing wonder journalism in terms of breaking stories. The Hindu rarely published a national story that is either revealing or that can shake the entire nation (or has wider public interest). The South-based Hindu mostly reports official functions, drab events and dull press releases.

Either it is the story of police framing innocents or story of army personnel getting medals by killing civilians who were termed militants are rare to be seen in The Hindu. It might run an advertising campaign that targets TOI but the paper will only get visible if it takes anti-establishment journalism seriously.

Though considered a pro-left newspaper, it never pursued stories on Gujarat carnage or the anti-Christian violence in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Its reporting on terrorism were also flawed as police versions were given in case of Ajmer, Malegaon and Mecca Masjid Hyderabad blasts, that later turned out to be the handiwork of right-wing groups.

Not publishing trivia is fine. But what is more important is that newspapers should practice journalism sincerely. Papers that publish scams and real hard stories get noticed immediately. To survive and thrive, The Hindu needs to do much more in terms of good journalism, stings, stories exposing the corrupt, before it can fight the war with either of the big papers. Of course, the ads are fun.

Dalit Monuments in UP: Is Media Biased Against Mayawati?

2011-10-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

NOIDA: Dalit power close to Delhi

Even as criticism grew over the money spent on monuments in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati on Friday inaugurated the Rs 685 crore Bhim Rao Ambedkar memorial park in NOIDA lambasing the Congress for ignoring Dalit leaders.

If one went by the reaction among Dalits, it was clear that her gamble has succeeded. Criticism of Mayawati's display of wealth and the construction of huge monuments under her rule, has proved counterproductive for these parties.

It is true that money has been spent. But this is equally true that for the last 64 years, public funds have been spent in similar manner across the country. There was never this much scrutiny or criticism in the past. Dalits do get the impression that Mayawati is targeted by an elitist and 'Upper Caste' media.

Is it that the press is not comfortable with Mayawati's opulence or the assertion of Dalit identity. On CNN-IBN Rajdeep Sardesai's question that wouldn't the money be better spent on hospitals or schools, invited wrath.

For a Dalit who feels pride when he walks into these memorials, there is no such connection. For the weaker sections of the society, it is a historical correction, something which is needed to restore pride among them after centuries of casteist exploitation.

On various TV channels, pro-Dalit speakers retorted:

"Why no one questioned when vast amounts were spent on stadiums in a country that can't afford to splurge money?". "Why government spends crores on Kumbha Melas?". "Why this question was not posed when thousands of monuments were built in different states for decades?"

"If this is misuse of funds, why not the tonnes of gold kept in temples be used for public welfare?". "Why not all forms of luxuries including ACs in government offices or luxurious stay for ministers and babus in five star hotels or travels in flights not questioned?".

"Why no one is uncomfortable when schemes were named after Gandhi, Nehru, Indira, Rajeev and Deendayal Upadhyay or Shyama Prasad Mookerjee but only questions are raised when memorials built for Mahatma Phule, Dr BR Ambedkar or Shahuji Maharaj?

Clearly, the above mentioned questions indicate that Dalits are troubled by the fact that projects, schemes and monuments named after upper caste personalities have not been questioned but Mayawati's actions are selectively targeted.

In discussions on TV channels, more and more Dalits are openly speaking up. They are strongly supporting Mayawati, defending her actions and labelling the media as hostile to her. They claim that even though law-and-order situation has improved, she doesn't get as much credit for her.

The section of Dalits feel that it is for the first time that their heroes are getting the much deserved respect and honour. There is anger that whenever Mayawati displays her jewellery or splurges money, she is attacked but others don't get as much bad press as she has to put up with.

The debate will continue but is it just a question of perspective. Do Dalits feel that for centuries they were denied entry into temples and now they are rediscovering their heroes and giving them proper place to secure honour in the casteist society.

So shall the society and journalists make an exception for Mayawati and be less harsh on her! The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief knows well that her actions appeal to her constituency. That the monuments symbolize Dalit pride.

Perhaps, India not given proper place to Dalit icons till now. Or just mere symbolism by naming a few places after Ambedkar. But the Dalits want more. They want equality.Ter opulence and wealth give the so-called lower castes a sense of satisfaction.

The fact that apart from Kanshi Ram, she also has got her own statues installed, is criticised more often. Each of her monuments has sent a strong political message. Now the monuments have come up not in Lucknow or Agra but close to Delhi, the national capital.

The sprawling park in Noida on the border of Delhi, unnerves the Congress. BSP's hold on Congress' traditional vote bank, the Dalits, gets stronger despite Rahul Gandhi's visits and stays at Dalit houses in UP. Understandably, Congress doesn't like it. Obviously, the SP, BJP also don't like it.

But does the media also dislike it? This is the million dollar question. It is a well-known fact that mainstream English and Hindi media is largely dominated by Upper Classes and Upper Castes. So is the media really biased towards Mayawati?

Gay or Straight: Karan Johar on his sexual orientation mystery!

2011-09-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

Filmmaker Karan Johar's personal life, particularly, his love life has drawn the attention of not just gossip columnists and journalists who cover glamour but also mainstream newspapers.

Time and again K Jo has been asked, either directly or subtly, about his sexual preference. Does media really need to hound any person and does Johar owe explanation to them?

Once again actress Simi Garewal in a television interview asked him about his orientation. And again Johar said that whether he was 'bisexual, trisexual or heterosexual...was none of anybody's business.

In the interview, he said that whether he was in love with women or men, doesn't need to be told to anyone. True, to an extent, it is not anyone's business. But a celebrity has to pay the price of his status, especially, in the world of movies.

Johar is a victim of that. He hasn't spoken on his sexuality. To an extent, media persons are also justified, as Karan has once again refused to clear the air. The 39-year-old, who is also an actor, appeared on the TV show India's Most Desirable.

Despite opening up a bit and speaking about his issues with other Bollywood personalities and his relationship with Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan, Jauhar didn't fall in the trap when the veteran actress asked her about the rumours surrounding him and the secret about his love life that remains hidden from public eye.

Johar, the son of film producer Yash Johar, hasn't been linked to any fellow star or shown interest towards any actor. As a parting shot, he said in the interview that he didn't mind when people speculate about his sexual preference or rumours abound that he is in a homosexual relationship.

Is the media too intrusive in this case? A single at 39, hasn't he been bothered enough. Perhaps, it's time to leave him alone.Garewal has asked him directly the question which was in the minds of millions of his fans but now that he has openly said it that he won't speak on his sexuality, it's time to stop bothering him.

Of course, you can make up your mind after his refusal. Won't you!

English daily DNA faces flak for newspaper's pro-Hindutva tilt

2011-09-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

When DNA recently published Janata Party president and maverick Subramanian Swamy's long article, it caused an outrage in Indian media circles. Readers reacted sharply and so did the intelligentisa, independent writers and civil liberties' groups.

They said that Swamy's article was divisive and it used derogatory language for Muslims but was it just an editorial decision to let Swamy's rant go into print or part of a plan to position DNA as a pro-Hindutva brigade newspaper. The article was indeed in a bad taste.

It also questioned loyalties of Indian Muslims and made absurd allegations on them. I is a known fact that most of the English newspapers and channels are either pro-leftist or pro-centrist. The sole exception in national media is The daily Pioneer, which doesn't have much readership and has lost its credibility.

On the other hand, a large section of urban middle-class and young generation that has been brought up on the right-wing propaganda considers these newspapers and TV channels as Congress mouthpieces. The buzz on twitter and facebook gives this impression.

Though Swamy's article generated heated, it is also true that it was lapped up on the internet and widely circulated. Is DNA now preparing or a new leap. Having remained the third most circulated daily in Mumbai after Times of India (TOI) and Hindustan Times (HT), the paper may now be hoping to target a new readers' constituency.

To DNA's credit, they did publish replies to Swamy's 'objectionable' article. But media watchers say that DNA may be turning itself into a pro-populist paper. There are allegations that the paper was soft on Hindu youths who were convicted for bom blasts and refrained from calling them terrorists. On the other hand, youths arrested in the past were mentioned as terrorists even before trial.

Unlike Pioneer, DNA is a smart newspaper that has a substantial readership in Western India. When other papers can ashamedly be pro-Congress and pro-Secularist, why can't other papers be pro-RSS or pro-BJP or say pro-Hindu interests?

What's wrong in that, after all. Let's see in the days to come if the paper is indeed toeing a slightly pro-right wing line or it was just a conjecture of the eternal commies (communists) among the media circles about the newspaper.

Role of media in Anna Hazare's movement: Are TV channels, newspapers driving Jan Lokpal movement!

2011-08-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

Anna Hazare's movement seems to have struck a chord with the urban Indian middle-class though there is support form rural areas also.

Definitely there is anger among citizens. The Congress-led UPA is now shaky as it hasn't encountered such a popular surge of people's movement.

But it is also true that the news media, particularly, the TV channels have played a key role in keeping up the tempo. By ensuring round the clock coverage and maintaining the pitch, they have ensured that the protests occur across the country and there is a mass frenzy.

Even though the channels haven't stated much about merits and demerits of the proposed institution of Lokpal or educated citizens about the implications of the ombudsman, TV and newspapers are visibly the driving force behind the anti-corruption movement.

It is rare to see issues taken up with such seriousness. Even the India-England cricket series was ignored. The frenzy has been such that TRPs are also rising. Either it is kid getting named Anna by his parents or an elderly walking barefoot to express support for Hazare, everything is being telecast enthusiastically.

The movement has also shown how media can effectively be used. Though the propriety regarding active participation of news media in a movement is debatable, it is true to an extent that Indian media has voluntarily become a party, a sort of participant, in this drive for Jan Lokpal Bill.

There are charges that elitist media groups that are mostly anti-reservation and want to establish hegemony over institutions, are behind this movement. No wonder that the ruling party feels that this monster (mass movement) is a media creation.

There is also a fear from sections of Dalits, OBCs and tribal intellectuals, that the Anna Team is more upper caste dominated and has no member from the under privileged sections including SCs/ STs and other religious minorities.

Anna Hazare's movement may not have grabbed as much attention if the TV channels had ignored it after a day or two. It may not wipe out corruption. It may be urban-centric. It may not be something like a Tahrir Square revolution.

But it has propelled Anna Hazare to the centre stage of Indian politics. Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and others are also in the focus. Perhaps such a movement may not have succeeded in an era when we had just a single channel--Doordarshan (DD), which today shies from reporting happenings at Ramlila Ground.

It is true that channels have given excessive coverage to Anna Hazare. But that's what happens in case of all major movements. It has given Anna Team a bargaining power, it has brought people on the streets and it has forced government to become flexible and agree to talks.

Let's wait for a few more days to see if Anna magic continues or it was just a passing fad for TV!

Media Ignores A Murder: Who Killed RTI Activist Shehla Masood?

2011-08-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

The news of social activist Shehla Masood's brutal murder didn't get adequate attention on national media due to the excessive coverage given to Anna Hazare.

It is even more ironical that she was supporting Anna Hazare and had left her house to organise a protest and signature campaign in support of the issues Anna stands for.

While Facebook and Twitter remained abuzz, mainstream media didn't give her adequate attention. Media reports about her death clearly suggest that she was murdered by professional killer.

Did any corrupt bureaucrat got the murder executed through a contract killer? We don't know. What we know is that she had revealed major corruption scandals in a state where IAS officers have been caught for amassing hundreds of crores.

She had exposed forest mafia and bureaucratic corruption, she was fighting land mafia, illegal diamond mining and also corrupt police officers. Shehla Masood had filed numerous RTI applications against politicians also and this was the reason she might have been killed.

Almost three years ago she had made serious allegations against IPS officer Pawan Srivastava who was then posted as Director Culture. Her charges were serious. She had even given a CD to the DGP to prove her allegations.

In the letter to DGP she wrote that Srivastava was harassing her, threatening her on phone and also making unreasonable demands. This complaint against Pawan Srivastava was not too seriously taken. IG Shailendra Srivastava investigated it and nobody came to know what came out.

IANS reports that Shehla had again complained to DGP SK Rout last year. It is a different matter that such accusations can't be taken on face value. But do police investigate the complaints seriously. Shehla had filed RTI applications against 17 IAS officers, 13 IFS officers and 7 IPS officers.

Wasn't she becoming a threat to corrupt Madhya Pradesh bureaucracy? Whether moneyed contractors or land mafia were involved in this incident or someone else, it is a question that haunts every one. High level inquiry must be undertaken to solve the case.

Blackout in Bihar: Media ignores police firing in Forbesganj

2011-06-13T03:18:00.000-07:00

Indian Media has committed an unpardonable sin. Most of the mainstream newspapers and channels either ignored the police firing on villagers in Bihar's Forbesganj or just gave the news a single column space.

Some 'national' dailies who get advertisements from Bihar government did not report the incident for 3-4 days. Only when it became impossible to suppress the news, that the report about the killing of four persons in Forbesganj (Araria) was printed.

This is a shameful chapter in Indian journalism. If there are police excesses, it is the duty of media to report. Even authorities don't expect the journalists to stoop this low and stop publishing the reports that go against the government.

Major Hindi newspapers--Dainik Jagran and Hindustan did not publish a single line about this massacre for almost a week. Once the same media hounded Lalu Prasad Yadav. Today it doesn't dare write a line when there are brutal killings in Bihar.

But a section of media that comprises sycophant journalists have taken up the task to ensure that no word against the Nitish Kumar government goes in the press. Are they journalists or 'dalaals' taking up the job to 'manage' and take care of the government's PR.

National Hindi dailies and English newspapers published from Patna are mostly guilty of this cover up. But they forget that in this age, it is impossible to stop a news. Forbesganj killings has become a major issue and it would trouble Bihar government in coming days.

As far as media is concerned, it has once again failed in its primary task. Channels like NDTV, CNN IBN and Times Now have also followed suit. They either ignored the news or deliberately tried to stop this story from reaching the viewers.

This is undoubtedly Indian media's shame. The top guns in Indian journalism and the media houses must answer. If the so-called pillar of Indian democracy is crumbling, can we sit silent and merely watch?

Al Jazeera channel gets telecast permission in India

2011-02-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

At last, Al Jazeera is all set to for its Indian debut. The government has finally cleared the proposal and the international news channel would be visible in Indian homes soon.

The channel that has revolutionised news media and is credited for creating awareness regarding citizens' rights and democracy in autocratic monarchies of Middle East, rivals the BBC and CNN in terms of its coverage.

Though there is a perception that it is more Arab-centres, the fact is that Al Jazeera has brought competitiveness in reporting and its journalists have shown extraordinary commitment in reporting from war zones and places torn by ethnic/religious/political conflicts.

It also has plans to launch a Urdu version in India to target the 150 million strong Muslim community also.The channel was waiting for a nod from Indian government. After getting the downlinking licence, the channel is ready to go for a marketing blitz.

Does The Week's cover story hurts managazine's credibility?

2011-01-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

News magazine 'The Week' has steadily emerged the leading English weekly in the country and its rise is almost parallel to the decline of India Today.

However, its cover story and the selection of 'Man of the Year' has been surprising to say the least. Activist Satinath Sarangi has been eulogised as saviour of victims of the world's biggest industrial disaster, the Bhopal gas tragedy, by the magazine.

Many consider this choice as controversial. No denying that the suave Sarangi remains in focus through websites and his occasional events in India and abroad, the truth is that the opinion about his organisation are entirely different at the ground level.

Unlike activists who have fought for victims on the street, his group is known for what NGOs have become in popular imagination. The fact is that holding candle light marches once or twice a year, something which appeals to Western media, is clearly not enough.

Real activists like Balkrishna Namdev, Abdul Jabbar and Sadhna Karnik who have all these years kept the issue alive, fought for victims, remained watchdogs, organised victims, fought legal battle and ensured that victims get treatment at hospitals were ignored and given a footnote in this long report.

At least, a magazine like The Week that symbolises standard journalism could have done a bit of hardwork and research before writing about activistm in the aftermath of the gas tragedy in which nearly 25,000 perished and 5 lakh were affected. Philip Mathew would better take a tour and find the truth himself.

In the past magazines have hurt their image and credibility by publishing surveys of best colleges and best hospitals that often found to be undertaken on the desk, on the basis of factors other than real data and statistics. Shouldn't The Week learn from it!

Prabhat Khabar's false reporting about militants in Ranchi

2010-12-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

Hindi newspaper Prabhat Khabar is in controversy for allegedly publishing a sensational report about terrorists presence in a Ranchi township Baryatu.

The report not only made claims about the terrorist presence in the locality but also gave their names and identities, which proved to be false.

The police and intelligence officers also denied that they had any knowledge about Home Ministry report to which the Prabhat Khabar and Dainik Bhaskar reports pointed to. The aim was probably to create sensation for boosting readership in the Jharkhand capital where the arrival of a new newspaper had led to cutthroat competition.

It was surprising to see the report in Prabhat Khabar which has a reputation for fair journalism. But Bhaskar, Jagran, Telegraph also printed similar stories. Media website Coutermedia reports:

Though, the police officials of the state made it very clear on the very first day that, there are no such information but newspapers continued its utmost efforts to manufacture Muslim terrorists and malign the Muslim concentrated localities or cities and districts. Prabhat Khabar in its sub-heading wrote, “Millat Calony Baryatu ke rahane wale hain Danish aur Imtiyaz urf Immuddin” (Danish and Imtiyaz alias Immuddin are residents of Millat Colony, Baryatu). The newspaper claimed as pointers, “Jamtada main dikhe the Hyderabad main blats karne wale, Jamshedpur main pakdaye the do, Ajmer ghatna main Jamtada se giraftari, Hazaribagh main mare gaye the do” ( The bombers of Hyderabad were seen in Jamtada, Two were arrested from Jamshedpur, Arrest from Jamtada in Ajmer incident, Two were killed in Hazaribagh ). Dainik Bhaskar wrote, “Vanarasi Blast main wanted dono aatanki ke Ranchi wa Jamshedpur main chipe hone ki aashanka hai…inme ek ke Baryatu thana antargat chipe hone ki suchana hai”.

The countermedia report can be read at this link. Let's see if Prabhat Khabar or any other Jharkhand newspaper comes up with clarification. If they stand by it, they should corroborate facts and come up with a reason for publishing such reports that can cause panic and communal reaction in any city.

Will Indian media publish Barkha Dutt-Niira Radia conversation?

2010-11-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

Open, the RPG group's magazine, has definitely taken a lead over other mainstream magazines and newspapers by publishing transcripts of coversation between controversial lobbyist Niira Radia and NDTV anchor Barkha Dutt.

The story is an instant hit and has thrown a challenge at other periodicals including Tehelka, Outlook and India Today. While Outlook responded and published a series of articles on the issue involving senior journalists and the 2G spectrum scam, national news channels and papers have remaind silent.

Will journalists protect senior members of their fraternity? Indian journalism has been different in the sense that private lives and scandals of politicians and public figures were ignored. It was termed sleaze. With introduction of TV channels, Page 3 and celebrity journalism came to centrestage.

But still the media groups avoid publishing dirty secrets of politicians, leaders and business tycoons. Editors say that it is their private life. But even tabloids and channels thriving on sensation avoid touching such scandals. Why?

Is it because of a real code of ethics. Is is that somewhere mediamen fear that if this practice begins, they will also be targeted. By publishing the transcripts of the telephonic conversation (from leaked tapes of Income Tax department), Open has shown a new direction to Indian journalism.

It is not sleaze. It is about self-assessment and introspection also. When news media can criticise others, it should also be ready to take on its own dirt. So far most news channels and national newspapers except Mail Today have ignored the scandal.

But journalists no longer rule the news world. Twitter and Facebook have changed the game. There is pressure and it is better to be candid and stop this holier than thou approach. Media's prestige is at stake in India.

While Vir Sanghvi's website carries his statement, there is nothing from Barkha Dutt as yet. It is Barkha who really faces the charge of lobbying between DMK and Congress leaders. If media groups don't take up the issue, it will hurt their credibility.

It is better to report the basic story on the controversy which is now known to almost everybody. But blacking out the entire episode will turn the reader (viewer) sceptic about Indian news media's fairness.

Can MJ Akbar revive India Today magazine?

2010-10-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

Seasoned journalist MJ Akbar was recently made the Editorial Director of the India Today group with former head Prabhu Chawla shifted to the position of Editor (Language editions).

Chawla, who is considered close to BJP and the Sangh Parivar, had a long innings with India Today. In this period the taste of Indian reader also changed. While circulation of newspapers grew despite the channel boom, the magazines failed to retain their readership.

India Today's circulation has also gone down significantly. Under Chawla, India Today somehow acquired reputation of a pro-RSS magazine unlike the pro-Congress or secularist Outlook edited by the veteran Vinod Mehta.

With The Week going up in popularity in recent times and Tehelka also furthering its base, competition was hotting up. The arrival of Open, which is priced higher, put further pressure. The quality of content wasn't improving and there was no innovation.

It was in this backdrop that Akbar was chosen by Aroon Purie to head the prestigious magazine. Akbar, who has successfully established institutions and launched publications like The Telegraph (newspaper), Covert (magazine) and The Sunday Guardian (weekly newspaper).

Though Akbar is more harsh on Congress for the last few years, his aggression is not considered ideological because of the quality of his writings. He has contested election on Congress ticket in the past but doesn't seem to have a good rapport with the current regime.

However, journalists like Akbar are needed as they take on establishment and write critical pieces on the ruling party and government. Now a days few editors write aggressively and even fewer are critical of the establishment.

One hopes that Akbar would be able to give a new direction to India Today. The management also appears keen on shedding the pro-RSS or BJP-friendly tag on the magazine. Akbar will also head the Headlines Today channel.

It was a known thing among journalistic circles that till now state bureaus and reporters of India Today gave a subtle pro-BJP line to their reports to pitch them, as they felt this brightened the chances of their stories for proper space in the magazine's issues.

Whether it goes from Right-wing to Centrist-Leftist-Antiestablishment mode is yet to be seen. But Akbar is certainly expected to revamp the magazine, which needs a change to survive and maintain its identity as the prime news weekly of the country.

RSS, BJP discomfort over 'Saffron Terrorism'

2010-08-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

BJP leaders are miffed with the use of the term 'Saffron terrorism' by Home Minister P Chidambaram during the annual meeting of police chiefs. The party raised a hue and cry in parliament and demanded apology.

The uneasiness of the party is quite understandable. But it must enlighten us whether it considers Saffron as the colour of Hinduism? Or it can suggest another term to cover such terrorist acts.

Would BJP be comfortable with 'Hindutva-inspired terrorism' or 'Right-wing terrorism'? Now senior party leaders scream that terrorism can't be linked to any religion. But did they oppose the use of the term Islamic terrorism in the past? Its leaders used to make fiery speeches about Muslim terrorism (aatankvad).

Even today when media screams 'Sikh terrorism returning to Punjab', does the BJP object?'. In fact, there should be the same parameter while talking about all acts of terrorism. The BJP is beset with ideological confusion as it is part of the Sangh Parivar that has organisations including renegade militant cadre.

Terrorism is not just planting bombs which Abhinav Bharat or SIMI have been accused of doing in the past. Can the society forget Dara Singh who had burnt to death innocent children of Graham Steins in Orissa and a senior BJP MP had even launched a movement to free him.

Babu Bajrangi's role in Gujarat is equally worse. Similar is Pramod Mutalik whose Ram Sene organisation is known for beating women and dragging them by hair or even engineering riots. All these are acts of terrorism that should be dealt with an iron-hand.

When a few weeks back, self-styled Hindu groups, Bajrang Dal, VHP and Shiv Sena goons were publicly kicking girls who had dared to sit in park with their boyfriends on Friendship Day and had blackened their faces, even tearing clothes, didn't it hurt the sentiments then?

Ever since we remember, BJP's off-shoots have been going on rampage and attacking women on Valentine's Day and similar occasions. The mass terror caused by MNS drive against people from UP and Bihar, had even seen deaths in Maharashtra.

Why BJP doesn't dissociate itself with them? The irony is that the party is caught in a bind. It has the same root cadre as groups like Abhinav Bharat and Sanatan Sanstha because of RSS links. It has to defend and even safeguard such elements wherever the party is in power.

On a lighter note, Saffron is most commonly grown in Kashmir, a Muslim-majority state, with which the BJP has a strange political relationship. Saffron is also the colour of many Muslim Sufi saints who wear kesariya or geruwa robe.
The Congress should also avoid playing politics. First, Chidambaram speaks about the threat from Saffron terrorism and then the party general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi disapproves of the statement.

It would however be prudent that no prefixes are used along with the word terrorism. It should remain plain and simple, Terrorism, whether the perpetrators are the Islamists, the Hindutva-wadis or the Naxals. All of them should be condemned in the same breath.

Scribes cause Suicide: Man kills himself due to journalists!

2010-08-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Two journalists working for GTPL and Hyderbabd-based TV9 coaxed a man to attempt suicide by setting himself afire in order to get government's attention but when he got engulfed in flames, they didn't try to save him.

Kalpesh Mistri had believed that he would just set himself ablaze and the journalists would save him. But he he was not saved. A tea stall owner who made the complaint to police, said that the journalists even stopped him from going towards Mistri when he was getting burnt.

Mistri died of burns. Now the Gujarat police have registered case of abetment of suicide against Kamlesh and Mayur, the reporters. This is not the first such incident in India. But shouldn't channel owners also introspect? The fixation with TRP is threatening journalistic ethos and is hurting the image of news media.

Reporters and stringers in small towns get no salary but a small amount per story that gets telecast. As a result, journalists try to create stories. This is an utterly disgusting situation. Channel heads must pay fixed salary so that journalists shun this tendency to go for sensation by creating news rather than reporting facts.

Update: Journalists not guilty

The Broadcast Editor's Association has found that the police falsely implicated the two journalists and blamed them for instigating the man to hide their failure in acting timely.

The fact finding committee found the role of police suspicious. Even the FIR against journalists appeared motivated and filed at the behest of senior police officers.

Peepli Live: Yet another movie makes fun of journalists, electronic media

2010-08-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Recent Bollywood movie Peepli Live has taken a dig at journalists, in fact, electronic media, for its sensationalism and skewed vision.

In recent months, many movies including Rann and Tere Bin Laden made fun of the reporters and TV channels. But the Amir Khan productions' movie should serve an eye-opener for the journalists' tribe.

After the protagonist Natha who has announced that he would commit suicide, goes missing, the journalists look for his footprint and even the spot where he last went to attend nature's call.

Further, the movie shows a journo speaking on camera, informing viewers that the colour of excreta can tell a person's psychological state and goes on to describe even more. Everybody didn't find it hilarious or funny as some journalists felt it went too far and made them a laughing stock.

Journalists argue that serious reporting and hard news analysis don't get as much TRP (ratings) as a story on the secret behind Salman Khan's black specs, a haunted house or a vengeful naagin. They claim that they show what the viewers want and there's some merit in this argument.

Eyeballs are important and after Rajat Sharma's India TV, other channels also took to Bollywood gossip, ghosts, trivia about celebrities & all sort of nonsense to get TRPs. The fact is that there are innumerable cases but only Jessica Lall's case gets highlighted or the Arushi murder mystery, and other stories aren't chased.

It is perhaps because they happen in metropolitan city. If media takes up the case of Ruchika Gehrotra, the teenager who committed suicide, when a former DGP molested her and later harassed her family, society should also respond.

In hundreds of other such cases, neither the local officials get alerted, nor the society become vigilant. In Ruchika's case, High Court refused bail and took a serious view of the ex-cop's past conduct. Shouldn't this happen in similar cases elsewhere.

The trouble is that our bureaucracy and more so, the society don't react either. Such stories should alarm citizens and NGOs to ensure that injustice doesn't happen. However, our society remains largely apathetic when a Dalit or a poor girl is raped in a rural area. It reacts when someone 'like us' is at the receiving end.

However, media persons need not get offended. The movie is a black comedy. It makes fun of the politician as well as the government official. Anusha Rizvi's film shows the widening rich-poor divide and the ever growing urban-rural disconnect.

But yes, we should take the criticism in the right spirit. TV reporters and anchors may learn to work on their language and grow beyond the 'Aapko kaisa lag raha hai' question which is darted by journos irrespective of the situation.

Sexual harassment in Star News stuns Indian media circles

2010-04-29T03:38:00.000-07:00

The alleged sexual harassment of a woman employee in Star News and the attempt to silence her and later coverup the entire issue, has shocked journalistic circles.

The fact that the victim Saima Sahar (probably she spells the name as Sayema) was constantly harassed, forced to drink, and two senior persons made sexual overtures on her, but her complaints were ignored and HR failed to take any action, illustrates how deep is the malaise and how the entire system works against the victim.

The culture of forcing women colleagues to go to late night parties and offering them drink and then taking liberties is not new in Delhi but in this case the complainant has showed exemplary courage by taking on the entire hierarchy that not just saves but also promotes this culture.

Sahar deserves to be congratulated for risking her job and approaching the National Commission for Women (NCW). Sadly, the Human Resources department of Star News channel tried its best to save the persons accused of harassment and took no action whatsoever.

If one goes by the emails written by Sahar, it appears how HR wing sat over her complaints and took no step despite her repeated complaints. As in most cases where victims are accused and their character questioned, here also the victim was defamed.

She was sacked from the post of Creative Sales Head recently. However, Sayema continued her fight against the two bosses National Sales Head, Gautam Sharma and Regional Head North India, Avinash Pandey.

One hopes that other media groups take a lesson from this controversy and ensure that such shameful inidents don't happen and there is an in-house mechanism that redresses complaints rather than shielding and supporting the perpetrators.

Indian Express' disappointing 'idea exchange' with Chanda Kochhar

2010-03-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

Indian Express dedicated half-page to ICICI bank MD-cum-CEO Chanda Kochhar but the brilliant brains of the paper failed to come up with a single hard-hitting question, instead it turned out to be a PR exercise--almost a textbook case of how journalists can get overawed by personalities and do injustice with their own profession.

They went ga ga over Kochhar being a woman and heading the bank but forgot that just two days back a woman became a widow because of the harassment of the bank's recovery agents.

The man committed suicide because of the ICICI bank's recovery agents. Isn't that woman's tragedy an issue that needs to be addressed? Shouldn't Kochhar be asked what the bank intends to do for that poor and illiterate woman who now has to raise up three children?

Chanda Kochhar is definitely a role model. But what happened to Indian Express journalists who simply wasted huge print space in their 'Idea Exchange' published in the Sunday edition.

Read this ridiculous exercise of Indian Express. It's frustrating how you forget common man's problems and fall on feet of the so-called high and mighty. The bank repeatedly gets chided for its malpractices but there was no query on this issue either.

Harbhajan's anger over irresponsible TV channels justified

2010-02-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

Cricket star Harbhajan Singh expressed his anger over the manner in which TV Channels [wasn't it Star News?], mocked at the Indian cricketers after they had lost the first test to South Africa.

Today Harbhajan blasted the channels for irresponsible reporting and rightly so. By terming three playes as 'Three Idiots', the channels did cross the line. It was neither reporting nor editorial comment, but plain defamation.

Harbhajan is right when he says that an idiot can't take 350 wickets. In fact, TV channels don't have the right to call anybody an idiot, even if someone has made a contribution or not. It's true that Harbhajan Singh, though flippant at times, is a hero.

Earlier also, programmes like 'Match ke Mujrim' have made fun of players. When they score well or take wickets they are eulogised but the very next day they are mocked. Criticism should be healthy and within limits of decency.

You can either praise some one or point out their mistakes. But everybody can make mistakes and it's not a crime. You shouldn't berate them and try to humiliate them. TV doesn't have this right. It's high time the honchos of the media houses learnt it.

PTI report: News Agency's Mistake or Mischief

2010-02-19T02:55:00.000-08:00

News hungry TV channels are known to get hysteric but not the news agencies, especially PTI that has a glorious tradition.

But has the agency also got bitten by the sensationalism bug? PTI should remain Press Trust of India, not Press Tarnishing Institution, writes Gujarat-based analyst NM Sampathkumar Iyangar regarding the arrest of US-citizen Winston Marshall. Read the article:

PTI turns passenger into terrorism suspect, links him to Headley

A 61-year-old passenger was getting his personal baggage checked at the security check booth of New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on February 10. The security man found a knife in the baggage and reported the matter to his officer. A spokesman was not able to specify the type or size of the 'knife' but could only tell the media, "We found a knife in his baggage. When we questioned him, he could not give any reason so he was detained and handed over to the police."

The incident may not ordinarily be considered to be newsworthy. However, the passenger Winston Marshall happened to be an American national. It was natural that it immediately attained some news value.

While an online TV blog flashed it as "Delhi police detain a US National at IGI airport", a more 'enterprising' one focused on the resident of New York and said: "US terror suspect held in Delhi.” The police were checking if he had any terror links after finding from his passport that he had travelled to Pakistan and Bangladesh recently, according to another media circus that said: "American detained at Delhi airport for suspected terror links"

Press Trust of India, whose ticker is frequently picked up and quoted in the big 'national' press as well as the vernacular press across India, had other news peg about the incident. PTI is considered to be the Xinhua of India, and not without basis. Ever since the Agency got nationalized through the backdoor and lost its independence soon after independence, it disseminates the news as desired by government authorities.

Although supposed to be autonomous and 'free', it often propagates the views of the reigning rulers more than the news of incidents. Naturally, PTI is considered across the world as the State-owned or 'official' news agency of India. Its ticker: "61-yr-old American national detained at IGI airport."

The style of the report accurately reflects the current status of Islamophobia in India. It explains the actions of the rulers in New Delhi, such as on Batla House fake encounter, eyewash retrials on post-Godhra pogrom, ban on SIMI, etc. In fact, PTI seems to stand for Press Tarnish of India to brand anyone professing the religion of Islam as a terrorist. No wonder, the 'staff reporter' of PTI highlights some "juicy details" not obvious to unbiased observers.

1. The passenger was flying to Doha, in the Arab heartland.

2. He preferred to take a Qatar Airways flight.

3. He changed his religion some 40 years ago (PTI described him as Kensinghton Carmichael, a convert from Christianity to Islam)

4. He travelled to various parts of the national capital

5. He had multiple tourist visas and had visited Pakistan and Bangladesh earlier.

Maybe, the passenger would not have made news for PTI had he opted for a major airline carrier such United Airlines, KLM Royal or British Airways; had been destined for London or Amsterdam, had he desisted from converting to another religion; if he had remained confined to Delhi airport while in India; and had he not visited Dhaka, Karachi etc, with due entries in the passport!

It is not odd that the PTI staff reporter found the presence of a knife or whatever "reminiscent of the case of terror suspect David Headley, arrested in Chicago in October last for allegedly plotting terror strikes in India!"

Incidentally, the mischief comes close on the heels of preventing an elderly couple from attending a marriage in Dubai. The Emirates flight with some 400 passengers, in which the 71-year-old and his wife suffering from a heart condition were traveling, was called back from the runway just before takeoff. While the detention of the ‘terror couple’ hogged the limelight, not many media businesses cared to inform viewer/readers the outcome: There was nothing that could incriminate the senior citizens and the whole airport drama was based on a hoax call warning about the terrorist in the flight.

[The author is an unattached policy analyst based at Ahmedabad, India

Frontline magazine completes 25 years

2010-01-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

Frontline has just turned 25. The magazine published by The Hindu group, is the premier news and current affairs magazine which has the trust of readers.

It's not an easy job to survive in the ever-shrinking print business where the readership is drying for magazines. But Frontline has held its ground and maintained the standards.

While India Today has lost its credibility and is more talked for its listings an sex surveys, N Ram's magazine is taken seriously for its reports and well-researched articles. Indian journalism needs this magazine and the group deserves fulsome praise for the success of this magazine. The special issue has glimpses of the last 25 years.

ND Tiwari 'sex scandal' outrages Andhra Pradesh

2009-12-25T08:13:00.000-08:00

A TV footage allegedly showing veteran Congress leader and Governor of Andhra Pradesh ND Tiwari, 86, in bed with three women has caused a major controversy in the country.

The sex clip shows an old man who is naked in bed with three women. Governor House was quick to issue a denial. Telugu channel ABN Andhra Jyothi had been airing the video since afternoon.

But the High Court was approached and it directed the TV channels, not to telecast it. By then the channel had, however, shown this clip that had apparently been shot with a spy camera, for hours. But on websites like Youtube.com the clip was visible.

Though another Congress' leader and former governor, who is also in 80s, had faced similar allegations, there was never any video or photograph that could be thrown to substantiate the charge. With Andhra Pradesh undergoing a volatile situation due to the KCR's agitation for separate Telangana, the scandal is adding to the discomfort of Congress.

Selling Editorial Space: News Up for Sale in Indian Media

2009-12-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

Someone had to write it someday and the weekly Outlook has finally brought up the subject, with a cover story on the unethical side of the news business.

The dirty practice of paid and sponsored content in Indian media has reached a point where the ethos of journalism are under threat.

Even advertorials have become a thing of past, as news content is bought and sold openly. First Times of India began selling editorial space and published paid reports as news. Now almost all the major newspaper groups are bargaining for packages during election campaigns.

In Hindi and vernacular newspapers, the malaise has spread fast. All political parties, leaders and candidates are approahed. If they pay up, the campaigns are given coverage and news stories are planted, suggesting that they are winning or the voter is wholeheartedly with the candidate. Else, the contestant is blacked out.

Ironically, bigwigs in media and the toothless Press Council remain mute specatators to this dirty practice, which is now a multi-million industry in every major state capital in North India, either it is civic and assembly poll or the parliament elections.

Will the Outlook story shame the media barons! Read the article by Anuradha Raman, 'News you can abuse' online in the issue titled 'FOR SALE JOURNALISM', that also has articles by Vinod Mehta and Neelabh Mishra.

Justice Liberhan humiliates journalists, says 'get lost'

2009-11-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

It was another low for Indian media. Justice (Retired) Liberhan shouted at journalists and asked them to 'Get lost' but the journalists still ran after him and their channels showed the entire scene.

Not one of them had the guts to tell him, 'Lay off' or 'Get lost' for heading a commission on which Rs 15 crore (150 million) was spent and that took 17 years to submit its report.

Is it not incompetence that the Commission takes ages to present its report and even then comes out with strange observations like overlooking the Centre's inaction during the demolition of the Babri mosque.

Ironically, electronic media had no option but to telecast the 'byte'. The impolite and rough tone of Liberhan could have been blocked. The media has the right to ask how the report got leaked but when someone speaks discourteously, it should also be able to confront him for his lack of civility.

Unfortunately the TV channels have brought disgrace to themselves and the entire journalists' community by airing the comments. The reporters and cameramen are pressed to get byte and this rush to get the 'version' even when the person is unwilling, has shamed the media world.

Dainik Bhaskar's biased reporting in Madhya Pradesh!

2009-10-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Following is the communication of some youths from Bhopal who feel that mass circulated Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar has been mis-reporting and distorting facts, which falls in category of unfair journalism.

Sir,

We are young students who take newspapers seriously and feel that they should guide the young generation but we have realised that the reporting of Dainik Bhaskar in the recent case of arrests of suspected terrorists was wrong and misleading.

From October 15 to October 30, the paper carried reports about the involvement of right-wing Hindutva-inspired radicals in blasts in Ajmer Dargan, Mecca Masjid, Samjhauta Express and Malegaon-Modasa. In this period Muslim hardliners of SIMI were also caught.

Newspapers are not courts (or judges). Either they should write all of them as 'suspected terrorists' and 'terror accused' or mere activists. But the paper's journalistic policy is strange.

When the Sanatan Sanstha members who had bombs died in blast, it cleverly gave the headline that the organisation has been blamed but didn't mention the word terrorist or even extremist. When Indore's links emerged in all cases of blasts, it once again chose mild expressions. When SIMI members were caught, it straight labelled them as terrorists.

We feel that either they are all activists charged with disruptive activities and terrorism or they are all terrorists. Similar is the case of Naxalites who brutally kill innocents but are not called Terrorists. Either newspapers should leave the job of judging until a court convicts them.

Until then the arrested persons could be called 'suspects in terror attack' which is the standard practice. If the paper wants 'sensational' news then the words used should be same for all groups irrespective of their affiliation and closeness to the workers of a party, in power at the state.

Is this correct? Your paper's email address doesn't seem to work at all. Letters to editors are generally not published if they are critical of you and phone calls are never directed to editors. We hope that you will think about guiding youths correctly with fair and ethical reporting rather than sensational, biased and one-sided journalism.

Thanks

Ashvini, Prayag, Dilip, Ramiz Qureshi, Azra, Vinay and Sutapa

Journalist's apology for faulty reporting: Ishrat Jahan encounter case

2009-10-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

Senior journalist Punya Prasoon Bajpai has expressed regret over the manner in which Ishrat Jahan was termed a terrorist in the media. He has apologised for the sensational reporting of the infamous extra-judicial killing in Ahmedabad.

Though it's a personal apology, it should be seen in wider context. Bajpai is a widely respected journalist and the fact that he wrote a column titled, 'Ishrat hamein maaf kar do', in India's largest circulated Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, is no ordinary thing.

It's rare to apologise, specially in media circles. But the candid piece and the expression of guilt over an encounter that was staged, is not just praiseworthy but also shows mirror to other journalists who accept the official line even though it is a farce.

In this article, he recalls that how the local reporter had called from Ahmedabad and describing the scene of encounter, said that it clearly appeared that the four persons including the college girl were shot dead from point blank range and it was not an encounter.

But as other channels had by then telecast the sesational story of 'fidayeen women terrorists' and Muslim girls taking to militancy, the race for TRP and the jingoistic rhetoric made it difficult for his channel to take another line or question the encounter.

Five years after Ishrat's death, a magisterial inquiry clearly stated that it was a case of cold blooded killings without any exchange of fire. The police theory was absolute farce. Fake encounters are staged by police officers to get promotions, bravery medals and increase one's worth in the eyes of their political masters.

Punya Prasun Bajpai needs to be congratulaed for taking the stand, accepting the responsibility of reckless coverage and sharing his moral guilt, which should instead be a collective guilt for Indian electronic channels.

Voice of India: End of a news channel

2009-09-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

News channel 'Voice of India' is no more. Within a year of its launch, the channel that had earlier launched state-specific channels, is now dead.

VOI was off-air for quite sometime and now it's final that the channel is not going to be on-air. Desperate employees are running from one place to another, complaining to officials like Labour commissioner and meeting authorities to get their salaries and dues.

But Triveni media limited's venture has collapsed. Hundreds of journalists and other employees are on the street, jobless. Sadly, neither newspapers nor the TV news channels have time to air their plight.

When Jet Airways had sacked its employees, the papers (and electronic media) had fought their battle. But when the journalists lose jobs, no paper prints a single column news. That's an irony of Indian journalism.

Poor planning is said to be responsible for the channel's sudden end. Despite CEO Amit Sinha's optimistic assurances that the channel will survive, it's clear that VOI is now history.

It is believed that having a channel will give you a clout and the owners can use the power of media to get contracts and strengthen their business. But that's an old story.

Running a 24 hr news channel is no joke. Even the channels that grab most eyeballs find it difficult to get advertisements. In the times of recession, it is even more tough.

VOI's end is an alarm for other groups that plan entering the already crowded world of electronic media. Surprisingly, despite the failures of several such ventures, there is a long list of applications at the I&B ministry awaiting clearance.

Going ga ga over Nandan Nilekani

2009-07-19T02:23:00.001-07:00

Avid newspaper readers might have noticed the unusual hype that is being created in most Delhi-based English papers ever since Nandan Nilekani has assumed charge of the Unique Identification Authority, a union government's project.

Not a day passes without Nilekani's photograph or stories about his style of working. It was understandable in the initial days but weeks after the decision came, Nilekani remains in the spotlight.

Among the other newspapers, Indian Express has clearly gone overboard. Day after day the reports tell the 'laymen' (readers) as if its a revolutionary change and Nilekani will do wonders. Photos of the techie in various moods keep getting published every other day.

It's true that he is an eminent software professional and was CEO of Infosys. But the project appears a fantasy. Anybody who is aware of ground realities knows that in a country where millions are homeless and tens of millions keep changing rented homes apart from nomads and destitute, it's a near impossible task to give unique identity numbers of every citizens.

Our bureaucratic setup makes it almost impossible for the poor and the lower middle class citizen to get his due rights and privileges. However, even if Nilekani is the best man to do such a colossal exercise, shouldn't we let him do work before we keep eulogising him for nothing?

Is it a PR exercise or the newspapers are simply making a fool of themselves by going to absurd lengths to promote and project him. I doubt that a person like him would want to have such publicity (for no reason), as it may also bring expectations that might be difficult to fulfil.

Will Jagran's national edition catch readers' fancy?

2009-06-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Dainik Jagran is almost ready to launch its Delhi edition. The paper has presence in many Hindi-speaking states and now wants to be seriously taken as a national Hindi daily. But will it happen?

Is Jagran going to succeed in its new avatar. For a paper like Jagran, an image makeover is not an easy task. It was never known for highest standards of journalism and remained editorially allied to either one or the other political party.

The paper has been accused of communal and casteist bias in its reports for a quarter century. The owners want the paper to be taken as a national Hindi paper so that it can get better revenue.

They are changing language and layout to give it a funkier look. The paper succeeded in adding readers in Uttar Pradesh and other states. But it's unlikely that the paper will get a sudden response in Delhi.

It is considered an old-fashioned paper from UP. The reports are uninteresting and stories lack balance. For Delhi, Jagran is an outsider. However, coming days will see a sudden advertising blitz and effort to paint the town red with Jagran's banners and posters.

'Women are communal because of sexual frustration'

2009-04-19T07:10:00.001-07:00

Khushwant Singh's remarks that women who tend to be religious fanatics are sexually frustrated, have caused a stir. In a recent article, Singh analysed the behaviour and life of four women close to Hindutva ideology.

He also said that female species are often more deadlier than males and if a woman turn venomous, 'she can hiss like a cobra'. The BJP is aghast and has condemned Singh's column.

The nonagenarian Sardar cites examples of Sadhvi Ritambhara, Uma Bharti, Pragya Singh Thakur and Mayaben Kodnani. They are all from the ranks of the Sangh Parivar (RSS).

He says that Rithambara indulges in double-speak, on TV she is sugar and honey, holding children but in real life spouts venon against Muslims. Former MP Chief Minister Uma Bharti wears saffron robe and terms herself a protector of cows but openly claims her role in demolition of Babri Masjid.

The next on Singh's list is Sadhwi Pragya Singh Thakur, who is in jail for Malegaon blast case. Singh says that though she is a good-looking woman, she turned a killer (though yet to be established as case is in the court).

The last is Gujarat's ex-minister Mayaben Kodnani, who is in custody for her role in Naroda Patiya massacre where nearly 100 Muslims were killed. She is alleged to have incited mobs.

She is a gynaecologist and took the Hippocratic oath to save lives but provoked violence, writes Singh. They are all ladies and educated and love Lord Rama just like Gandhi did, he further writes.

The Dirty Old Man goes on to write that if these ladies had a fulfilling sexual life, the venom which they spout have been drained out of systems.

Sex is the best therapy against frustration. A woman has heavier responsibility than a man in bringing up children. I appeal to these worthy ladies and all others to ponder over the words of M.K. Gandhi....

Of course, some BJP leaders may object but it is equally true that in India writers rarely so candid. That's the reason why columnists don't have enjoy huge readership here unlike in the West.

Well in his 90s, Singh still keeps ruffling a few feathers and that should be inspiring for journalists who avoid writing things that would displease others.

Jorunalist Vs Activist: Throwing shoes is not journalism

2009-04-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

When a Sikh journalist threw a shoe at Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram, the reactions varied. However, the worrying issue is that there was not enough condemnation of the action in media.

It is true that the act did help in delayed action against Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. The anger among Sikhs community against these persons who were accused of involvement in the killings of 3,000 Sikhs in Delhi, is justified.

But a journalist should remain a reporter, a person who watches events as a bystander. A journalist should not become an activist. If he becomes one, he ceases to be a journalist.

It is a dangerous trend. Once you are a journalist and you are covering an event, you ought to forget your association with your caste or community. Tomorrow a journalist may wear any identity on his sleeve.

He may become a Muslim and the target of shoe-gate could be a BJP leader or a North Indian journalist may hit a Shiv Sena leader for campaign against migrants from UP and Bihar (or a Tamil Nadu politician for support to LTTE).

A Dalit journalist may hit an Upper Caste person or vice versa. Yes, it grabs attention but it is an unhealthy trend. Congress MP Naveen Jindal is the latest as he was hit in Kurukshetra when Ram Pal, a retired teacher hurled his shoe at the MP.

It had started with Muntadir Al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist, who threw his shoe at George Bush. He missed the target and again took off the other shoe to hit at Bush which the then US Prez ducked. Now the trend is catching on in India.

Ideally a scribe must respond as a reporter, with his pen. He should ask tough questions but must not act irresponsibly. He is privileged to meet the high and mighty as an unbiased representative of the citizens and society.

India TV upsets Bohras: Internet-based low IQ journalism causes major goof-up [Baitullah story]

2009-04-08T13:37:00.001-07:00

Excessive reliance of internet and declining standards of journalism have resulted in acute emarrassment for Rajat Sharma's India TV.

Searching the internet and trusting the results without verifying has put the channel in deep trouble. The blunder of showing the head of Dawoodi Bohra community, Syedna Burhanuddin, in a programme that focused on Taliban, has the entire sect up in arms against the channel.

If you search google image for any person or event, it is not necessary that the result is exactly what you want. Any other image present on the page can also be shown. It's not for nothing that the old adage 'one needs brains for copying' is repeated so often.

So they were doing a story on Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsood. It seems in search, the page showed up the image of the holy figure of Bohras. And without verifying, the dumb heads inserted it along side a fake 'created news' of Baitullah's so-called marriage 'nikah' ceremony.

His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) is the spiritual head of Bohras, who are a peace loving and gentle community. But their patience ran out. Many of them reached the India TV office and rest have protested in the towns wherever they live.

The channel has apologised. But will it learn? The standard of journalism and journalists are deteriorating. They read less and rarely consuled encyclopedias, rather prefer wikipedia or a search engine and don't use brain when they go for search.

India TV has been criticised for its stress on spreading rumours and showing news and shows based on superstitions, spirits and sensationalism. The latest incident has hit its credibility. But one expects that other channels would learn a lesson and urge their staff to use brains.

Does media ignore terrorist strikes in Assam?

2009-04-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

Assam has again become the most terror prone state in India. The serial blasts that hit Dhubri, Sonitpur and Maligaon caused the death of ten persons.

Did national media give adequate attention to it? No. Though compared to past, the channels gave a few extra seconds but the coverage was far from satisfactory. There were hardly any analyses and detailed reports.

And there was no emphasis on talking to the families of victims. The fonts of headlines were slightly bigger because the bomb blasts occurred on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Assam.

Soon the news about Shahrukh and Amir Khan coming together, eclipsed all. Among newspapers, Indian Express covered the story better than other papers. This is not surprising as ULFA remainst just a militant outfit for the media.

It somehow doesn't probably qualify as a terrorist group in the eyes of our editors. Or is it that Assam and the entire North East still remain a distant part of India, which the newsrooms in Delhi don't relate to, as much as they do when the Cities ravaged are Bangalore or even a small town like Modasa?

Maya Kodnani: Justice Waghela's landmark judgment advocates death penalty for mass murderers

2009-03-29T02:17:00.000-07:00

The landmark judgment of Justice DH Waghela of the Gujarat High Court that sent Mayaben Kodnani in the custody, has once again proved that it is the judiciary that has become the sole hope for the poor and the underprivileged fighting against the high and the mighty.

Had the bureaucracy and politicians acted responsibly, the minister should not have roamed free for six years after the 2002 massacres. But Mayaben Kodnani, the minister for Woman and Child Welfare, who incited mobs to kill women and children, has finally learnt that there is a rule of law in this country.

Equating religious fanatics with terrorists, the judge clearly said that 'A murder committed due to deep-seated mutual and personal rivalry may not call for death penalty but an organised crime for mass murders of innocent people would call for imposition of death sentence for deterrence'.

The strong and scathing words of Justice Waghela that indicted politicians and police force, have raised hopes for victims of the Gujarat riots. He even came down heavily on the lower court for giving anticipatory bail to Kodnani.

A gynaecologist who runs a nursing home, Kodnani, had become the ugly face of Gujarat riots. The hands that gave birth to babies, distributed weapons to the mob that had attacked Naroda Patia and Naroda village inhabited by Muslims in post-Godhra riots.

It is not just the anti-Muslim and anti-Sikh riots, but in most cases involving the politicians and persons with clout, the police often prepare loose cases and tamper with the evidences.

Fortunately, the higher judiciary hasn't come under pressure and delivered judgments that symbolise hope and give a message that everybody is similar in the eyes of the law. Justice Waghela' judgment is another reminder for the bureaucracy and politicians to reform themselves else courts step in to act in the space left by them.

After all, in the age of free media, someone can't get away easily with crimes just because they are supposedly high-profile and well-connected. Read a related article about the BJP leader: The rise and fall of Mayaben Kodnani

Times of India affects salary cuts

2009-03-19T12:46:00.001-07:00

The Times of India (TOI) has decided to cut the salaries of its staffers due to the 'recession'. Several editorial and non-editorial staffers are also being sacked.

It is laughable if the TOI managers say that the company is not making profit. For decades the organisation has made huge profits and even if we agree that there is a slight loss this year or lesser profit, the company is not poor enough that it needed to take such steps like cutting salaries.

Sadly, while the employees in other departments can get jobs elsewhere, for editorial staff the options remain less, as they have to search for jobs among the few available newspapers.

Despite being one of the oldest and among the highest circulated English dailies in the world, TOI has failed to earn respect. It was the first newspaper that ended the supremacy of editorial and the editor.

It made the managers all powerful, began publishing junk at the cost of hard news, gave excessive space to news about celebrities and gossip, covered little of the problems faced by the poor and even put the editorial space up for advertising.

Now it has again added a new chapter to its 'rich' history. Sadly, Hindi and other vernacular papers where journalists are paid even badly, can take similar decisions. After all, the Times has done it now.

Shameful. Especially because the Bennett, Coleman and Company has pockets deep enough to survive such meltdowns.

Varun Gandhi's speech: Why newspapers misinformed readers on anti-Muslim comments?

2009-03-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

Even after reading the mainstream newspapers, many readers were left wondering that what Varun Gandhi had exactly said in his communal and provocative speech at an election rally in Pilibhit?

The situation arose because strangley most of newspapers didn't report the offensive parts of the speech. Rather, the less provocative part was mentioned in the newspapers.

Take the example of Hindustan Times. It mentioned that Varun said if anyone raises a finger at Hindus then I swear on Gita that I will cut the hand. But this is the least of provocative part from his speech.

Even if the correspondents had seen the video footage on any of the channels, they could have realised that Varun had said lot more. The speech was inflammatory because he allegedly used the word 'katua' (circumcised) for Muslims and vowed to kill them.

On murder, rape and cowslaughter
The words could have been replaced by asterixes but the newspapers didn't report this at all, leaving the readers perplexed. Even the next day, HT's senior journalist Shekhar Iyer who covers the BJP beat reported the same sentence without mentioning the inflammatory lines about Muslims and wild charges about rapes of Hindu girls and cowslaughter or the comment regarding Pakistan.

The Times of India was no better. The Hindu was an exception. One reason was that print journalists didn't bother to watch the barely 2.36 minute video clip available on the internet and websites of other news channels. There is another reason.

Excess reliance on news agencies
The reliance on news agencies. The agencies like PTI are always extra cautious. They didn't report the harsh words and the extreme parts about the statement. The desk guys didn't take the trouble to find out more. Neither the reporters did.

As a result the readers who hadn't watched the video on TV channels, couldn't understand why the speech was considered so offensive that everybody was gunning for Gandhi junior and asking for his arrest.

Journalist or politician?

2009-03-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

It was interesting to see eminent journalist Chandan Mitra sent as special emissary to Orissa to save the BJD-BJP coalition. Mitra is not just editor of The Pioneer but also its MD and a Rajya Sabha member close to BJP.

But it does raises a question whether it is appropriate for a journalist to take sides and align himself openly to a political party? Doesn't it affect his credentials (as also the newspaper). Though Mitra, who is credited with turning around the 130-year-old newspaper, is not the first of the 'journalists' who nurse political ambitions.

He has surely gone beyond being a pro-BJP editor. He should have realised that the moral authority of a journalist (or editor) gets eroded when you get involved in the game of power. Journalists get more respect because of their supposed fairness.

Once you are not just an editor but also own the paper, do you need anything more? Rather being a political broker hurts the image. As in the case of Mitra, who returned empty-handed. He was not taken seriously by Naveen Patnaik.

In Indian Express, Coomi Kapoor wrote in her weekly column on March 15 that 'when Patnaik learnt that LK Advani had sent Mitra as the emissary for negotiating seat sharing, any little hope of reconciliation with the BJP ended.

Patnaik felt that BJP did not take its alliance with the BJD very seriously else they would not have sent a light-weight who is not even a party functionary'. Though Mitra is surely not a light-weight, it is true that he is no politician either.

A journalist will get far more respect from all the parties and the society if he remains fair. However, if you align yourself with a party, your stature doesn't go up, rather it becomes a liability.

Once you are seen as partisan, it hurts your credibility and your voice or writings no longer carry the same weight. And you can't expect yourself to be treated as a celebrity politician just because you have been a journalist.

The Statesman editor's arrest & media over-reaction

2009-02-25T11:29:00.001-08:00

It was interesting to see the outrage over the arrest of The Statesman's editor after re-printing an article.

The writers conveniently ignored that if there is a police complaint made against you, the police have to arrest you. The names of editors and news editors are published in the paper's print line for them to take responsibility for both the good and bad.

The editors who are blaming pseudo-seculars easily forgot that whenever an ordinary Indian is called to the police station or is arrested, he doesn't get this VIP status of police completing the 'formality of arrest' and releasing the person within minutes.

Read the editors' (Vir Sanghvi, R Jagannathan and Rajinder Puri) angry pieces here, here and here. They should remember that whether right or wrong, everybody in India has the right to protest and lodge a complaint. Howsoever absured may be the reason for demonstration, we can't negate them this right.

Editors shouldn't feel that laws would be made more flexible for them.

Indian TV channels' obsession with Taliban

2009-02-23T11:15:00.000-08:00

First, it was the India TV that got bitten by this bug. Now almost every channel has become obsessed with the Taliban.

You see a story about Taliban every time your switch on the TV. One day we are threatened that the Taliban are just a few 'hundred' kilometres from Indian border and the next day we are told that the Taliban are ready to sneak in into our territory.

Then there are reports about Taliban sending heroin and drugs to India and all sorts of story angles possible under the sun--either its about their ruthlessness or their growing power. Aaj Tak, IBN Khabar, Star News and News 24 love it.

Even English channels are now trying the Taliban trick for TRPs. Though the reports are often compiled amateurishly without any research work and mostly aimed at riveting viewers by causing a scare.

These 'special stories' about Taliban are telecast almost every day. It is not certain how much TRPs the channels get by airing such reports. Of course, its easy to create them because there is adequate masala that just needs to be put together and spice added to create a new hysteric report.

But isn't it going overboard? Taliban would surely like such international publicity.

Indian Media's softness on LTTE's terrorism

2009-02-23T04:43:00.000-08:00

The Al-Qaeda like attack by the LTTE in Colombo didn't generate any outrage in Indian media.

In most newspapers, the air-craft attack in Sri Lankan capital were termed as 'daredevil attacks' by 'rebels' or 'Tamil Tigers'. There was no mention to the word Terrorism.

This is the same Indian media that brands any body who is a mere 'suspect' because of a police version, as terrorist. From SIMI to Abhinav Bharat (Malegaon blast accused case) and Sri Ram Sena, the word 'militant' and 'terrorist' is used quite easily.

Even words like 'Hindu terrorism' and 'Muslim terrorism' are used commonly. But the organisation that is responsible for the first suicide bombing on Indian soil--LTTE is let off easily. Most papers called the attackers as either LTTE guerillas, separatists, Kamikaze or rebels.

None termed them as Tamil Terrorists or LTTE Terrorist or just Terrorists. Its important for Indian media to deliberate discuss and arrive on a definition of terrorism.

Else, it must be answered why the group led by V Prabhakaran that is responsible for killing of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is never termed as a terrorist organisation?

Noida 'strip tease' MMS scandal & Media's role

2009-02-20T12:17:00.000-08:00

The print media has come under severe criticism for publishing facts about the victim in the Noida 'strip tease' MMS scandal, which is unethical and establishes the girl's identity.

Further, the papers didn't stop at naming the locality and even publishing the visual from the clip (just face blurred) of the MMS. Everything about the girl was mentioned.

The photo clearly shows the cupboard, the chair and the room in such a way that every relative and acquaintance of the girl's family will have no problem in identifying the victim. The carelessness and disregard to the prestige of the girl's family has been shocking.

First, it was the English tabloid Midday that printed the story. Later Hindustan (Hindi) carried it on its front page. Other Hindi and English papers also found it 'juicy' and published information about the girl without giving any thought.

The girl, a 23-year-old, was in love with a fellow student at a business school in Delhi. She did a strip tease for him, which he shot using his cell phone camera. But when they fell out, he sent the video clip to friends through email. He allegedly hacked her mail inbox.

Sad times for journalism.

Statesman editor arrested for 'provocative' article

2009-02-11T22:49:00.000-08:00

The editor of The Statesman, Ravindra Kumar, and the publisher Anand Sinha were arrested following a complaint against the paper for publishing a provocative article in the newspaper.

There were large-scale protests in Kolkata against the newspaper for publishing the article. The protests had forced police to cane charge the demonstrators. On the complaint of Jamat-e-Islami, the police registered a case of insulting and hurting religious feelings of Muslims.

The organisations said that the sexual references to holy figures in the article were clearly written with malicious intent and the publication showed insensitivity and recklessness of the local Kolkata paper.

The police booked the two persons. They were detained and soon after released on bail. The editor regretted the publication and issued an apology. He said that it was an error of editorial judgment to reprint the article that was published in the Independent (UK) earlier.

HT praises, Express 'exposes' Narendra Modi on development

2009-01-26T03:05:00.000-08:00

If you read the two national English daily newspapers, you would wonder which of them to believe.

Indian Express' lead story 'Report by own Government punctures Modi's Gujarat hype' says that the claims were proved wrong. The government said that 61% of promised investments came to the state but the truth was that just 21% could materialise. Read Indian Express report.

In sharp contrast is the report published in the Hindustan Times (HT). Here the writer, Neelesh Misra, tells us a different story. Though it was neither a Sunday paper or a supplement but it was a full page promotional campaign for Gujarat with a headline 'Prime Minister of Gujarat'.

Misra appears going overboard on Modi's success in governance. The story is not a sort of impact feature but goes extra mile in promoting Brand Modi, just when there is a section within BJP that wants to prop him as PM candidate.

Isn't it confusing for readers? It's true that Modi has attracted investment and the governance in Gujarat is miles ahead of other states. There is less redtapism and bureaucracy works faster than in other parts of the country.

But should a paper look like a propaganda pamphlet? Sadly, it has become a norm for papers (and journalists) in India, to promote and help people in building their images.

After the Mumbai terrorist attacks, every journalist worth his name was busy in eulogising the Taj Hotel, for its spirit, its values, its history and its staff. Vir Sanghvi had written an almost never-ending story in the Sunday supplement about how they considered him and his kid as the part of Taj family.

Shekhar Gupta and other senior journalists appeared to outdo each other in lauding Taj. They forgot the CST (formerly VT). They forgot that Taj is not the symbol of Mumbai or even middle-class Mumbai.

Even more sad was the fact that five star hotels held New Year celebrations, just a month after 26/11 though hotels in other faraway cities across the country had either shunned the parties or opted for low-key functions.

Even then, the editors were all praise for Taj and calling it an iconic structure though 90% of Mumbaiites can never step into the hotel in their entire lifetime. But that's what image-building is.

After all, it's fashionable to call yourself middle-class though you have your breakfast in Singapur, lunch in Dubai and dinner in London or Paris. If these editors belong to middle-class, I wonder what's the class the rest of Indians earning between Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000 (or even Rs lakh) per month belong?

Another daily newspaper faces closure: Meltdown hits Media

2009-01-22T12:25:00.003-08:00

Metro Now, the joint venture newspaper of Hindustan Times and Times of India, is going to be a weekly paper. The daily newspaper, which had started publication in early 2006 had a life of just over 2-1/2 years.

The paper was borne out by the fears of HT and TOI groups. They had sensed that India Today was all set to launch a paper and DNAs Delhi-launch may further erode their circulation and revenue.

It was in this backdrop that the groups had come together and the daily tabloid paper was born. But two years down the line, the paper is being turned into a weekly.
And India Today's evening (afternoon) paper Mail Today has already become a success in Delhi.

HT's business daily Mint has published a report that informs us about 'possible jobless' and the casual statement of Sidhant Khosla about the steps needed to make the paper more 'efficient' (and in process lose some staff).

The HT-TOI experiment seems over now. One wonders whether the plans to run a weekly would materialise or it's just a way of winding up things. The only consolation is that it did have a longer life than the Mumbai tabloid 'Yuva' which had closed down recently.

Sanjay Dutt-Manyata & Priya Dutt: 'Surname' controversy & role of Channels

2009-01-21T01:26:00.000-08:00

How news channels love to invent stories and then create hysteria is not a new thing in Indian media. Hours are wasted over the ongoing controversy surrounding late Sunil Dutt's son and daughter.

Even NDTV India, a comparatively sobre channel gave unusual airtime to it. Specially, it took cudgels on behalf of Congress MP Priya Dutt. Firstly, Sanjay Dutt is an adult and it his prerogative to fight election on the ticket of any party.

When his sister Priya objected and criticised the step, it became news. However, Sanjay Dutt must have felt infuriated and he suggested that she had no reason to poke her nose in their matters.

His indication that the Dutt surname belonged to the couple, is now blown out of proprotions and the channel appears ganging up against him and trying to unite women to speak against Dutt for his male chauvinism.

Of course, it is the inaliebale right of any man or woman to to retain their earlier surname after marriage or even discard it. The problem is that it is basically Priya's dislike for Manyata, which is quite evident, and is at the root of the problem.

When Sanjay married Manyata, his sisters didn't accept the marriage. It was his choice to marry her. Now she is playing an important role in Sanjay's life, which Priya seems unable to digest. The troube is that Priya and his sister Namrata appear biased against Manyata because she was a 'mere item girl' and not a star.

Why this 'class bias' is not being talked about? The daughters of Dutt household aren't comfortable with a girl who isn't as 'sophisticated or stylish' and feel that they have to cut a sorry figure because their brother went a step down to marry Manayata.

Isn't this insulting for Indian women? NDTV that is quite vocal on 'surname' controversy, should first focus on this issue. After all, why Priya doesn't approve of Manyata, and treat her as daughter-in-law of Sunil Dutt's household.

Is a person approved just because of his/her social status? These double standards also need to be exposed.

Bhadas: A window to the world of Indian media

2009-01-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

A website has become a forum for raising media-related issues in India, especially the Hindi print and electronic media.

No longer can a newpaper refuse to pay salaries to a stringer or a group sack its staffers without a whimper. It was an irony that exploitation within the media world remained unreported and nobody could raise voice.

But the website Bhadas4Media has changed all that. Yashwant Singh, who is the editor of the site, is credited for brining this change. When Bhadas reported that a particular media group hadn't paid its stringers, the news reached across the Indian media world and the money was released.

When Dainik Bhaskar, a prominent Hindi newspaper group, that is a profitable venture, started sacking journalists without rhyme and reason, the site raised the issue and Bhaskar editors had to send emails to stop the panic and put an end to the controversy that was bringing negative publicity.

The website has achieved this fame in little time. Literally Bhadas (or Bhadaas), a Hindustani-Urdu-Hindi word is used for giving vent to one's angst, frustration or pentup anger.

The website has brought a sea change as things which couldn't be printed in papers, are being openly reported and discussed. News from this journalistic watchdog website spreads across media circles in a matter of minutes.

Apart from news from within media, the interviews and autobiographical accounts of journalists have made the site, a successful venture. Our congratulations to Bhadas4Media Team and the Editor Mr Yashwant Singh.

Arnab Goswami faces flak for war-mongering on Times Now

2008-12-22T12:07:00.000-08:00

The Editor-in-Chief of Times Now channel, Arnab Goswami, was always considered a balanced anchor in comparison to several other journalists who wage wars on the screen.

But in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist strike, he has also received criticism for his role. Though most of the viewers' anger was directed at Barkha Dutt, the unusual statements of Goswami have also been condemned.

Writers, media-watchers, bloggers and journalists were shocked to see the 'level-headed' Goswami lose his sanity and lash out at Arundhati Roy and Prashant Bhushan who were neither on the show, nor the channel was talking to them, absolutely without context.

Mala Bhargava writes that 'Arnab Goswami was acting like God on Judgment Day'. "There should be an etiquette school for the media. Well, someone’s got to stop them interrupting their own guest speakers!"

The standards of journalism plummeted sharply in the period. Blogger Smoken Frog writes, "While the Sangh Parivar does not seem to have come to a final decision over whether or not it is anti-national and suicidal to question the police, Arnab Goswami, anchorperson of Times Now television, has stepped up to the plate. He has taken to naming, demonising and openly heckling people who have dared to question the integrity of the police and armed forces."

Poet and Novelist Prakash Kona says that "Arnab Goswami had no right to take the names of Arundhati Roy and Prashant Bhushan and to term them “disgusting.” How dare he do that just because he has the power to do so!"

"Firstly, directly or indirectly he’s associating Roy and Bhushan with the Mumbai attackers in the minds of the viewers. Just because she’s offering a perspective on the attack it doesn’t mean she sympathizes with the attackers. Secondly, apart from being entitled to personal conviction, she’s offering a point of view that needs to be carefully thought about. Most importantly she is making her audience think in alternate ways.

As another blogger middlemiddlemuddle gave a advice:

'You can redeem yourself, everybody makes mistakes'. It will not be easy for the once adorable and balanced person, Arnab Goswamy, to redeem himself after he sounded the battle cries and in process lost a part of his journalistic identity--credibility.

Bush Booted: Iraqi journo throws shoe at outgoing US president

2008-12-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

The moment cameraman Muntadir Al-Zaidi threw his shoe at George Bush and the later ducked it to face another one which also flew past him, it caused a storm in diplomatic circles as also creating ripples in the media and blogosphere.

The ugly incident did reveal the rage of Iraqis who feel Bush responsible for messing up their country. Over a million have died in Iraq over the years due to economic sanctions, war and local militias' regular battles.

Heavily escorted Bush may not have faced protests on the street but the journalist took up cudgels on their behalf and did his best to insult the once-most-powerful-man-on-the-earth.

To Dubya's credit, he did gain composure within seconds and handled the situation well. But in Arab media and blogosphere, Zaidi's action has also evoked some sort of sympathy and support.

Zaidi also called Bush, 'Dog', which was heard on television across the world. Now he has been arrested and faces a minimum sentence of two years but there are demonstrations organised to secure his early release.

His outburst in Arabic can be translated roughly as, 'This is a farewell kiss, you Dog!'. In the middle-east, from Egypt to Yemen, Zaidi is hailed as a hero and termed the 'Proud Arab'.

Media's role during Mumbai terrorist attack

2008-11-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

Indian media failed to rise to the occasion once again. It was a tragedy that unfolded in Mumbai for 48 hrs but channels didn't appear sombre and regulated.

Instead, they were over-excited and showing everything as if it was a 'live war reporting' though wars aren't reported in this manner either. There were alerts, flashes, scrawls and breaking new for 50 hrs.

The aim was to grab eyeballs. Ads were not shown as the viewer could switch to other channel in the meantime. The news channels wanted highest TRP in this troubled times, so that they can later demand higher rates for advertisements and stay up on chart.

Much will be discussed in the coming days whether it was prudent to show the positions of police, commandos and officials in the initial stage of encounter in Taj Hotel that left officers, ATS chief Hemant Karkare and others dead.

Worst was the conduct of the so-called celebrity reporters who wanted their cameramen to zoom on everything as they lay on the ground. A star reporter-cum-anchor spoke lying on the ground to create the impact that he was reporting from warzone.

Others were not sure how to be on the ground and either grotesquely prostrated themself on laid down on their back or side. The same anchor was drunk when he first appeared in the first hour of the tragedy.

The slur was visible and he was cut short. He later re-appeared on Thursday morning. In the end, all these channels together made a tamasha of the tragedy and served it to audience as if it was any other tamasha.

Where on earth the reporters are allowed to mob such a site? The government also woke up very late and by the time the TV channels stopping showing 'live' [7 pm on Friday], it was already too late. But our electronic media made a mockery of itself.

Extraordinary terrorist attack on Mumbai: 150 dead, hundreds injured

2008-11-26T10:45:00.000-08:00

It was nothing less than a war in Mumbai. Sophisticated guns were used in firing, grenades were thrown and bombs exploded as everybody appeared clueless in face of a terrorist strike of such magnitude in Mumbai.

The hotels like Taj and Oberoi were targeted. A restaurant, cinema hall, bus stand, railway station and a hospital were also among the sites that were attacked. Firing and explosions were heard on TV as journalists frantically ran for bytes and looked for the eyewitnesses.

It was an unprecedented attack and TV reports said that fidayeen were involved. Though it will take a few hours for the complete picture to emerge but TV channels were reporting 15 deaths*. The commando operations were planned to rescue the hostages in hotels.

However, the electronic media must think why it goes for sensationalism in an hour of extraordinary tragedy with constant alerts. Shouldn't they facilitate rescue operations rather than causing panic?

When OB Vans and reporters-cameramen from every channel reach each spot, it makes the job of police and relief workers more difficult.

This is an aspect, which the media must reflect on quite seriously. The army had been called and hostages were rescued as the operation was on till early hours of Thursday. After 50 hrs the siege at Jewish cultural centre, Nariman House, ended.

Later reports have confirmed that over 10 police officials laid their lives in the battle against the terrorists. ATS chief Hemant Karkare, ACP Ashok Kamte and Crime Branch officer Vijay Salaskar achieved martyrdom. The total number of deaths have exceeded 150.

[Photos: The dome of Hotel Taj that was set on fire and the Leopold cafe that was a target of terrorists]

Current: Weekly English newspaper relaunched

2008-11-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

'The boldest national weekly', is back and available on the news stands.

Veteran journalist Inder Malhotra is now the Chairman of Editorial Advisory Board while Asif Syed and Shahid Faridi hold the posts of Managing Editor and Resident Editor respectively.

The 20-page weekly tabloid doesn't have much competition in this segment. It is priced at Rs 10. Current was originally founded in 1949. The newspaper's launch ahead of Assembly elections in various states and the Parliament elections next year, doesn't come as a surprise.

Many papers are busy in the relaunches and several new magazines have begun publication recently. However, Current does have a good team. The New Age Media Private Limited is the publisher of the paper.

If the initial issues are any indication, the papers seems doing well. There is an element of agressive journalism visible in the stories. Manjula Lal and Sanjeev Acharya are the other names in the editorial team. Let's see how long the steam lasts though one hopes that it does.

TV journalist murdered by father

2008-11-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

The murder of a TV anchor didn't find any mention in mainstream media. Sripad Pandey, an anchor with ETV Marathi, was killed by his own father.

Pandey, who hailed from Aurangabad, was about to marry a fellow journalist. The girl was also an anchor. All his family members except father had agreed to the marital alliance. But Pandey's father, an RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh) worker, was opposed to the marriage.

He hit his son on the head with a heavy object. Shripad died in the hospital. A Hindi news website has report about the incident. The website also mocks at media house and other newspapers and channels for blocking the news.

India Today circulation goes down, TOI readership dips

2008-11-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

The circulation of magazines has been hit badly this year. The trend is not restricted to any particular section of magazines, rather magazines focusing on news, fashion, movies, gossip and even competitive examinations have seen a decline in readership.

As per the report of the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) the readership of India Today fell from 71.3 lakh (in the last survey) to 68.5 lakh. Readers Digest was hit even badly and its readership is down from 49 lakh to 40 lakh, while Star Dust is down from 26 lakh to 19 lakh.

Among English newspapes, Times of India saw a decline in readership though it was barely a lakh. Still, it is significant. TOI now has a readership of 133 lakh, far ahead of nearest rival Hindustan Times (HT) that surprisingly added more than 3 lakh readers but is still far behind HT with a readership of 64 lakh. The Hindu remains static at 52 lakh followed by Telegraph at 29 lakh.

The magazines in Hindi, Bengali and other languages have also suffered. However, major newspapers have seen a growth in readership. Jagran remains the leading daily in Hindi followed by Bhaskar though the latter added more readers. The readership: Jagran [557 lakh], Dainik Bhaskar [338 lakh], Amar Ujala [293 lakh] and Hindustan [266 lakh] followed by others.

Biased media coverage: Rajasthan Patrika newspaper vis-a-vis other newspapers

2008-10-31T15:34:00.000-07:00

For students of journalism, it can be a good example to see diametrically opposite views in Hindi press about the arrest of Pragya Thakur and her group for the Malegaon blasts.

Alok Mehta wrote a special editorial in Nai Dunia, the latest Hindi daily to have started publication from Delhi. He said that media had been soft on Hindutva groups and the firebrand Sadhus-Sadhvis. See the excerpt on the left.

Jagran played up the news with sensational headlines. Dainik Bhaskar tried its best to keep the news hidden in a corner and published the photo of Sadhvi with BJP leaders, after other papers had printed it, and it became a necessity.

But some papers even went to the extent of defending her. One column in Rajasthan-based newspaper, Patrika, owned by the Kotharis, which is now published from Karnataka and West Bengal also, almost justified the actions of Sadhvi and made fun of the entire situation.

The columnist, Ajay Setia, wrote in his column 'Jantar Mantar' that suggested why it was important to find out why Hindus were turning towards terrorism. On one hand, he seemed excited at the growing ferocity of Hindutva forces and on the other hand mocked at the police claims by saying that he has also bought many second hand vehicles and can be framed easily for a crime.

It was not befitting a respected newspaper that is considered editorially driven and has a history of fair journalism to publish the irresponsibly written piece . The article was in a bad taste and the writer appeared not just prejudiced but also sympathetic to the perpetrators of blasts.

Now compare excerpts of this article to Alok Mehta's article. Isn't it striking to read both the newspapers. The first article is objective and in keeping with the ideals of journalism. The second is written by a journalist who has a narrow-minded perspective. For students of journalism, the lesson is that even if they have allegiance to a particular ideology or party, when they start writing it should be free of that ideological hangover.

Mehta's article is balanced and insightful. You read it and you think over it. You don't gather any ideological leaning in the paper. Setia's article in communal and provocative. You wonder if Rajasthan Patrika has become RSS Patrika. This is the difference.

Terrorism is not exclusively Muslim in India: Hindu groups linked to RSS in police net for bomb blasts

2008-10-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

The story was known to most of the media-men but nobody dared to break it. For the last few years there was a confirmation that extremist Hindu groups, which may not be directly related to Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) were involved in bomb blasts and attacks on mosques.

Long back it was Shashwat Gupta Ray, who had published the report of brain-mapping test and narco-analysis of Himanshu Panse, an extremist from Maharashtra. He had said that Hindus had to attack mosques and terror strikes were necessary for the cause of Hindutva. He believed that Hindus would be considered eunuchs if they didn't do it.

But this story was not followed up properly. Tehelka report on the Hindutva connection can be read here. There were murmurs about involvement of Bajrang Dal cadre in blasts in Malegaon, Ajmer Dargah, Mecca Masjid of Hyderabad and other places where Muslims were congregating in large numbers.

Still, none of the newspapers thought of it much or shied away from publishing. After the Bajrang Dal grew fiercer and Christians were attacked in Orissa and Karnataka, that some journalists appeared to question their own belief that 'how can a Hindu group be involved in terror' though there were disturbing trends.

After Smita Nair's story was prominently displayed in Indian Express, other papers began to follow it. Until then even major English dailies that have editions in Mumbai, refused to accept it and even told their Delhi offices that it was 'suspicious'.

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur had strong links with ABVP though every Sangh organisation now claims that she severed her links with them long back. With the police for the first time openly accepting that a Hindu organisation is linked with blasts in Malegaon and Modasa, it's time media also need a introspection why there was no serious investigative reporting earlier and why reports published in the past were not followed. Now it's a long trail from Kanpur to Indore and Nanded to Malegaon and beyond.

Still, CNN IBN wrote 'three right wing activists arrested' rather than calling them terrorists or suspected terrorists. Other papers also remained sceptical and gave safe headlines like 'Murder charges on Sadhvi'. Is it fair?

Mumbai's youth newspaper Yuva closes down

2008-10-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

It's always sad to see a newspaper shut. Yuva, a newspaper that targeted the youths, has closed down. The sudden decision was taken just when the newspaper had completed one year of publication.

The English newspaper was owned by former Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane, who is now with the Congress. The management had a recent realisation that there was no market left for youngsters who were more interested in internet, radio and TV than a fresh newspaper.

Shouldn't they have thought about it well? Perhaps, Rane wanted to use the paper to target the millions of youths and in some way use the paper for furthering his political ambitions. It's sad nonetheless to see the paper close as many journalists and other employees of the paper will have a tough time, searching for jobs.

So much for the protest about Jet Airways but did any channel or newspaper report this news and ask Rane about his version?

Tehelka launches Hindi edition: Latest news magazine for heartland

2008-10-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

It's heartening to see Tehelka launching its Hindi edition. There is need for quality news magazines in Hindi and though a few periodicals have been launched, they fell short of expectations.

Tehelka, at least, brings to fore subjects that are often ignored by mainstream media or stories which newspapers don't like to publish, as they disturb us. In the era when journals thrive on infotainment and spicy gossip, Hindi heartland needs such a magazine that has concern and which does unsettle us.

Hard journalism is fast becoming out of fashion. Magazines and papers prefer soft stories and reports about fat salaries and fashion. But there is another India. Tehelka may have received lot of criticism but it's a good magazine.

There is no other proof needed for its fairness, as both Congress and BJP have been equally upset with the magazine at different times. For a healthy democracy and vibrant press, Ashish Khetan's reports are as much needed as the ideologically driven (euphemism for biased) stories of Indian Today correspondent Mihir Srivastava.

We do need Ajit Sahi's painstaking stories (or for that matter Harinder Baweja's writings) when seasoned journalists like Praveen Swami become pro-establishment to the extent of writing stories that appear coming straight out of police officers' mouths to save their skins. We need both sides of the stories. Not just about software revolution but also about Vidarbha's hunger and the misery of villagers in Chhattisgarh.

Till date Tarun Tejpal and his team has managed to be different and has presented the other side of the story. Just recenlty Outlook Hindi which was earlier a weekly magazine, became a monthly magazine due to financial reasons. Let's hope Tehelka succeeds in its new avatar.

Link: Tehelka Hindi's website address

Media ignores lawyers' unconstitutional act: Not defending 'Muslim suspects'

2008-09-26T02:34:00.000-07:00

The courts have somewhat retained their image of temples of justice. A strong and fair judicial system is a necessity in a democratic country like ours.

But the media and the state have been ignoring a dangerous tendency among a section of lawyers towards weakening the Indian Judicial system. One after the other Bar Associations in Uttar Pradesh took pledges not to defend a 'Muslim suspect'. And now MP lawyers are following suit.

Neither of the two main national newspapers, nor the other mainstream press took notice of this dangerous development. It is not a patriotic decision, which the lawyers want us to believe, but an unconstitutional pledge.

The BJP and RSS wings that were working among lawyers have managed to communalize the lawyers. Ironically, the failure of journalists to understand this nefarious game demonstrates their lack of knowledge and understanding of issues apart from commitment to fair reporting.

Every person is entitled to have his case pleaded. The killers of Prime Ministers were given lawyers (emindent advocates) and those who rape and kill children get advocates but 'those charged with anti-national' activity would not get the right to have lawyer.

When Bar Associations take such decisions and threaten to boycott any lawyer taking up a person's case, it becomes a serious issue. In recent times, the lawyers who were called from other places have been beaten up by local lawyers.

Strangely, there is no action. The Centre has not bothered to take stock of the situation. Editorials are missing on this crucial subject that can have vital implications for our future, as they curb civil liberties.

What, if a person is totally innocent, and is framed by police. Just because the police said a person is a suspect, he will languish in jail as there will be no lawyer taking up his case. This is unbelievable but is happening in India, in 21st century India.

In UP, the lawyers who fought such cases were expelled from Bar. Though a few voices have emerged and magazines like Tehelka have taken up this issue, it is going to further divide the society and create a situation where the poor will be worst affected.

It is the poor person who gets implicated by police, mostly, to hide its failure and many innocents will suffer, which will further heighten the feeling of injustice among minorities. Recently, Tehelka's correspondent Srawan Shukla did a story on the subject. He also cities the incident where lawyer Mohammad Shoaib was attacked in the court.

Unfortunately the malaise has spread to other states. Just this week Bhopal lawyers also took the same pledge. Though the lawyers are supposed to be intelligentsia who should guide the society, they are acting as agents of retrogression and fanning communalism, even dividing judiciary on communal lines.

If this is the way things go, what's the need for a judicial system involving courts and lawyers. After all, police says that a person is terrorist or a rapist, just believe it. Is it where our society is heading? Shame that none of the papers took notice.

Though, it's high time to approach Supreme Court on this issue. Those lawyers who act unconstitutionally by standing in way of a person's fundamental right to trial, should be taken to task. Else, as the saying goes, in this country: Chalta hai...Forget. Go Home and Sleep.

Media frenzy over Jamia Nagar encounter: Mail Today points out loopholes in police version

2008-09-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

Indian journalism has just changed. It has taken a drastic shift. It no longer asks questions, rather it accepts the police version.

Seeking truth is no more on its agenda. The courts aren't needed now. Just police version is enough to term anybody a terrorist. Sadly this happens in Delhi, the national capital.

The difference between a suspect, an accused and a convict, has ceased to exist. The result is that the same police that is termed 'useless' for failing to solve a murder case on a particular day by the media, gets so much praise that it is taken to the pedestal of 'saviours' the next day.

It's like a theatre now. Just like one day you criticise Dhoni and say that he is a waste and the other day he wins a match for you, and you are all praise for him. But this is dangerous for civil society. With all due respects to slain Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, we must remember that middle-class lumpenisation and such poor journalism would be detrimental for any democracy.

Indian press must act like a fourth estate & the scribes must not become 'embedded journalists'.

We don't say that the encounter is fake. But the fact that every time a new mastermind comes up and media accepts it, forgetting that the person named the mastermind and blamed for the same blsat earlier is now probably either lodged in jail or acquitted.

The media just ignored that Waliullah who was accused of bombings in courts, has been absolved of anti-national activities recently. Now new masterminds are blamed for those crimes. We all hope that those behind the blasts should be arrested and there must not be any eyewash.

It was in Delhi that the infamous Cannaught Place encounter had taken place ten years ago. Then also the middle-class and the majority of papers accepted the version. It later surfaced that the encounter was fake and court sentenced 10 cops.

And it was the same 'encounter specialists' of the Delhi police's cell, the officials of which took pride in flaunting the number of persons they had shot. The same team. At least, media shouldn't be so gullible.

Bharat Bhushan's Mail Today, though it comes from the stable of India Today, has stood out as a newspaper that doesn't get swayed by the frenzy. Let the police complete the investigations and the courts should be allowed to do their jobs.

1.Atif submitted his personal identification documents including driving licence, even photographs and cell phone number for police verification. The documents were with police.

2. Why Atif provided correct details about himself to police.

3. No terrorist would give his photograph to police after having staged a series of killer blasts (Ahmedabad and others), said an intelligence official, reported Mail Today on September 20.

4. Atif Ameen was brain behind Indian Mujahideen, had plotted and executed blasts in three cities that claimed 100 lives and had forged tenancy verification papers. The police statements are riddled with holes.

5. If police were acting on a ti;p-off why there was no protective gear for police. Even the slain inspector didn't have the proper footwear.

6. If Atif and his housemates were hardened terrorists what stopped them from using AK 47 which they said were at the terrorist's disposal. Why did they use only the pistols?

7. He submitted his papers at Jamia Nagar police station on August 20. Wouldn't it have been easier for him to fudge his identity or better still, retreat to safety of his home village?

8. On Friday, Aatif's flatmate Zeeshan took two re-exams to improve his percentage at IIPM and then re-appeared on TV channel to defend the innocence of his friend Atif. If he was a terrorist, he would have been better off fleeing Delhi after TV channels news broke of encounter. Police had no clue about his whereabouts and was arrested moments after he appeared on Headlines Today.

9. Had Atif planted the bombs that rocked Ahmedabad and Jaipur, would he be giving his home address in police verification report on August 15, three weeks after Ahmedabad blasts?

10. Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnail Singh said two youth escaped in the thick of action. Was it possible for two men to escape from a rabbit warren of a building with tiny rooms? They couldn't have escaped from the narrow lane teeming with policemen. The entire area was full of policemen and all residents and shopkeepers were earlier asked to go inside their homes and down shutters. Nobody else was on streets except policemen. To escape, the two would have had to jump from fourth floor, they'd have died.

11. How did Abu Bashar, in police custody for long, give clues only now?

Evening newspaper Mail Today in its September 20, 21 issues asks:

Newspaper poses questions to Jt CP

What exactly was the tip-off?

If the tip-off was about terror suspects why were the police not in terror gear and using bullet proof vests?

How the two escape if there was no back door or staircase?

Did Atif Ameen and his roommates give all their details to police?

If the suspected terrorists were involved in blasts, why would they submit these details to police?

Why did Zeeshan appear in public on TV channel if he was involved in blasts?

Who are the two who escaped? What are their names?

Why would a terrorist continue with his studies with 79% class attendance if he want to blow away cities?

Why were policemen not in anti-terror gear, one was wearing track suit, the other wearing sandals?

Meanwhile, it is pertinent to read Vir Sanghvi's article on Encounters. It is insightful:

Other cases of mistaken identity have rarely caused a stir if the victims have
been poor or powerless. A few years ago, the Bombay Police shot a chanawallah
dead after mistaking him for a gangster. The papers tried to make a fuss but
readers were simply not interested.

Can any society afford a policy where any policeman can kill anybody at will and then later claim that the victim was a gangster or a terrorist? And yet, that’s exactly where India is headed.

Link http://www.mailtoday.in/

Delhi serial bomb blasts: Aajtak's Himalayan blunder

2008-09-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

Thirteenth September, Aajtak's Blunder

Just when the story of the bomb blasts in Delhi was unfolding, self-styled 'best news channel of India' committed a colossal blunder.

It ran a flash that 'a kid with bomb tied around him' was caught. Just when the people were trying to cope with the gravity of New Delhi being attacked on the evening of September 13 2008, the news further surcharged the atmosphere.

It kept on showing that the 'boy was arrested and taken away by police'. In fact, it was totally baseless and represented the height of irresponsible reporting. The child, Rahul, had seen a suspicious person, who probably planted the bomb or left it in a polythene.

The police took the boy away for quizzing him about the man. But Aajtak, that shamelessly claims itself to be 'Desh ka Sarvashreshtha channel', aired this unconfirmed news which was manufactured on the basis of probably some rumour and came from the realms of fantasy.

This is not just irresponsible but dangerous reporting. Such 'flashes' do create panic. Any news organisation, whether a paper or a channel, that claims to be doing journalism, should first confirm and then telecast a news let alone causing scare.

Within an hour, there was more panic as people thought that if a 'fidayeen' kid was used what could be the magnitude of terror attacks in future. The channel sheepishly showed a flash later that it was wrong information but didn't bother to apologise. It didn't feel responsible enough to say that and pretended as if the earlier report of 'boy used as suicide bomber' was not telecast on Ajtak. So much in the name of journalism!

Channels cause mass hysteria over Big Bang: Girl ends life, two others die

2008-09-11T00:13:00.000-07:00

A 16-year-old girl died in Madhya Pradesh due to the mass hysteria caused by electronic news channels over the 'upcoming end of the world' in context of the experiment to re-create Big Bang in a lab in Switzerland.

She was watching the TV for the last couple of days and got so panicked that she consumed poison in her house in Sarangpur. Her father said that though they tried to console her that nothing of this sort is going to happen when she repeatedly asked them the same question earlier, she got so terribly upset that she ended her life.

In UP, a teacher Gulab Singh had a cardiac arrest while watching TV. Another youth Sukh Ram died in similar circumstances in Hardoi. The electronic channels keep blowing up things for their TRPs and create panic in society, which is a crime.

It's time the editors and news editors of all these channels who termed it 'Maha Pralaya' be booked for scare, nuisance, mischief and causing deaths. They should be sent behind bars else journalism will become a joke (though it has already become). Do these channels have the morality left to show the news that these false reports have led to these deaths?

Accidental deaths: Now it's time to amend the weak law

2008-09-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

If you stab somebody on the road, you may land up in jail, but if you murder somebody by hitting him to death, you can just walk free. That's the strange law in this country.

Though Sanjeev Nanda did get the sentence in the infamous BMW case as he was booked for culpable homicide also, it is time the archaic section 304 (A) of the IPC should be amended and law given more teeth to deal with errant motorists.

Nanda got sentenced in this section of IPC, just because of media pressure and the hype surrounding the case. Else, he would have easily walked out.

Hundreds of errant drivers simply walk away, furnishing a personal bond, after killing people on the roads, every day.

The law suited the British, who were the rulers, and mostly they only had the motors. Else, among INdians the Nawabs, Rajahs, the top businessmen and lawyers were seen driving a car in those days.

An Indian's life was cheap then. And it was important to let a White off, after any such incident. But the situation is different now. Nearly 3 lakh (3,00,000) people were killed on the Indian roads in 2005 and the figure has gone up since then.

Traffic cops hardly have the equipment to check drunken drivers. It is unfortunate that the scenario has become so horrifying but there is little focus on the need for amending the existing law.

Coverage of anti-Christian violence in Orissa

2008-09-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

Most channels were confused about the communal carnage in Orissa. The murder of VHP leader Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his associated, led to attacks on Christians in the state.

It took a few days before the State responded. But the news channels and even prominent newspapers were quite delayed in understanding the situation. The battlefield was Kandhamal district where Vishwa Hindu Parishad is quite active. The district also has an unusually large number of Christians (over 20%) compared to their ratio in the state 2.4%.

Among English channels 9X stole a march over others in its reporting of the aftermath of the tragedy. It focused on the trauma of the women and children. Specially, the interviews of victims were horrifying. The fact that VHP and Bajrang Dal cadre gave them only the option to leave Christianity (re-conversion to Hinduism, as they claim tribals as Hindus) else get killed, was unsettling.

A Christian woman was told that she should leave her faith else her daughters would be raped. The fact that nearly 50,000 Christians fled their hometown and hundreds of churches burnt speaks volumes of the failure of the Naveen Patnaik government.

The relief measures are on but rehabilitation will be a major issue. Laxmananada Saraswati's death was a criminal act but taking revenge on innocent Christians was absolutely wrong. Still, the State failed to rein in Pravin Togadia and other VHP firebrand leaders.

Orissa has been the second hate Hindutva laboratory after Gujarat. Though Maoist (left-wing Naxalites) claimed that they had killed the VHP preacher, the mostly poor minority became the target.

A Kashmiri Hindu journalist's views on Kashmir: Hatred towards Muslims!

2008-08-29T03:15:00.000-07:00

Well-known cricket writer & journalist Pradeep Magazine has written a piece on Kashmir. It's an interesting article which begins with the writer's admission that as a Hindu and a Kashmiri he is supposed to write about the 'agony of exile' but that's not exactly the case.

Magazine left the Valley much before militancy and recalls his early impression about Kashmiri society. " I am afraid I will have to agree with my people on the ‘other side of the divide’ when it comes to believing that the Army/police, and even the top echelons of the administration, are unsympathetic — even insensitive — towards them."

"I say this on the basis of my own experience of the Valley when I went there a couple of years ago after a gap of almost 25 years", he goes on to say. In my memory, Muslims were everywhere — except in the kitchen, where they were not allowed by orthodox Hindus. They were the providers — the milkman, the sabziwala, the meat-seller — they were all Muslims, but were not to be treated as social equals.

About his visit in later years Magazine writes about the general feeling of hatred towards the locals-- One could see the hatred on the faces of the armed CRPF men towards the locals. It was only when they saw a bindi on my wife’s forehead did the armed men relax and ask us what we were doing among these “bhe…” (abuse of sister-fu*&#r).

"On one of the evenings that I spent at the fortified Gupkar Road, I had my fill of Scotch with some senior administrators. None of them was Muslim. In their utterances, it was clear that they, too, had a clear anti-Muslim bias that bordered on hatred. I savoured the delicious Wazwan, prepared for the senior members of the bureaucracy by their Muslim cooks. Unless they were deaf, the cooks must have heard all that was said in the room."

Read the article 'Home and Away' at the website of HindustanTimes.com

Such accounts reveal a lot about the way we have handled the state. The bureaucracy and the army has to be sensitised more. In wake of the current controversy it is more important. After all, nobody can dispute the fact that CRPF and militry do fire readily at Kashmiris (read Muslims) than on protestors in Jammu over the issue of Amarnath Yatra.

Now it's Covert: MJ Akbar's latest launch

2008-07-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

Covert promised to be different from the existing news magazines and it is rather too early to comment on it, as just a couple of issues are out.

It may not have revealed dark truths about Indian politics and the dirty deals as yet, still Covert can be counted upon. Surely it will give a good competition to the other magazines in the market.

With five weekly magazines already established in the market: India Today, Outlook, The Week, Tehelka and The Sunday Indian, it may not be too easy for Covert to make its presence felt, though it is a fortnightly, just like Frontline, but with a different flavour.

Priced at Rs 20, Covert has MJ's old hand Seema Mustafa and Joyeeta Basu as Deputy Editor. Akbar has successfully launched and run several journals inluding Asian Age, Telegraph and Sunday.

Frankly, it's not too impressive but its harsh to judge the magazine so early and write it off. Let's see what impact does Covert make in the days to come, especially with the elections drawing nearer.

The website of Covert: http://www.covert.co.in/

Amar Ujala launches Lucknow edition

2008-06-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

With its long-awaited launch in Lucknow, Amar Ujala has stirred the stagnant market of Hindi daily newspapers in the heartland.

It has started with 2.1 lakh copies that make it number 1 from the day of launch. Dainik Jagran sells 2 lakh followed by Hindustan (1.5 lakh) followed by Rashtriya Sahara (50,000) and Aaj (45,000).

Though the circulation which it has achieved is through marketing gimmick: Subscribers were given a juice set or non-stick pan for Rs 150 and Rs 350 respectively for six months and a year subscription of paper, which makes the paper almost free. However, such promotional schemes are not new and all newspaper use them for getting entry in the market.

Interestingly, the Group editor Shashi Shekhar said that a pre-launch survey revealed that 99% of readers found the Hindi dailies of Lucknow as biased. Time will tell, which paper will emerge the leader but as far as biased coverage is concerned, Amar Ujala has been equally notorious as Jagran and Aaj.

In the late 80s and early 90s, Amar Ujala also played an important role in fanning communalism across Uttar Pradesh through its inflammatory and false reporting during the coverage of LK Advani's Rath Yatra, demolition of Babri Masjid and later years.

But then, as the saying goes...Hammam mein sab nange hain (everybody is naked in the bathroom)....It is the same Lucknow where dozens of journalists took money from Mulayam Singh Yadav and the names of the recipients were disclosed in the Assembly.

So dark chapters of journalistic history are nothing new. Let's not talk about honesty or values. Newspaper is also a commodity now, just like a toothpaste or a detegent which has to be sold anyhow. Lucknowites now wait to see the new chapters that will be written in future by the newspapers and the journalists.

US court's landmark verdict on Guantanamo Bay prisoners' rights

2008-06-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

The US Supreme Court's verdict on the rights of prisoners illegally held in the Guantanamo Bay military prison on the shore of Cuba, has again strengthened the faith of citizens in the institution of judiciary not just in America but across the world.

Undaunted by the 'War on Terror' hysteria, the judges upheld the highest standards of justice when they held that the detainees held in this jail have the right to challenge their imprisonment before a judge in civilian courts in the United States. The ruling is considered a major setback for the George Bush administration.

"The laws and constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times", said Justice Anthony M Kennedy, in the 5-4 ruling that showed a divide among the judges over treatment to the prisoners.

In the judgment Kennedy further wrote that, "To hold that the political branches may switch the constitution on or off at will would lead to a regime in which they, not this court, say what the law is." With this historic ruling which gives prisoners the right to habeas corpus and thus allowing them to challenge their detention in court, the Guantanamo Bay prison now faces closure.

Across the world, the treatment of prisoners by the US military in Guantanamo Bay has come for sharp criticism. The unlawful jail has been termed a legal blackhole. For almost six years the foreign suspects have been lodged in this detention camp.

Of the 600 detainees who were lodged in this jail at one point of time, not more than two dozen, were linked to Al Qaeda, said a New York Times report, which exposed the hollowness of the Bush administration's claims. Many prisoners including children lodged in the jail were released without framing charges.

Now there could be a flood of petitions from the 270-odd prisoners who are lodged at Camp Delta. And with the prisoners in the jail enjoying the same rights as any other American citizen, the government no longer has a reason to keep these prisoners at the Naval Base.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain has criticised the judgment and right-wing politicians & columnists are finding faults with the verdict but this is one of the such path-breaking rulings that will make American citizens proud in years to come.

Can a country claim to be torch-bearer of freedom and liberty when it completely disregards the rights of a suspect for fair trial? Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have come down heavily on USA for refusing to apply the Geneva convention to suspects.

The UN Panel had sharply criticised US for the indefinite detention and violation of UN convention against Torture. The European Parliament had voted for closure of this camp. Now the Supreme Court decision makes it further difficult for the government to run this jail. This is the third successive rebuke to Bush administration from the courts on the same issue.

[Photo: Justice Anthony M Kennedy]

How Hindustan Times (HT) lost it to Times of India (TOI)

2008-06-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of years back Hindustan Times was the sole English newspaper in Jaipur, as Times of India had shut its shop in the City then. It was time, HT could have strengthened its edition and capitalised on TOI's exit but it chose to follow its competitor and shut the edition.

But after HT left the market, TOI again returned to Jaipur and launched a full-fledged edition. Soon DNA also followed suit. Now this important City in North India has two newspapers increasing their position with every passing day.

And HT that should have been the market leader had it stayed, is simply non-existent and nowhere in the race. Even if Jaipur was not bringing much revenue to HT's coffers, at least the organisation had a paper in Rajasthan, an entire state of nearly 50 million people. But they chose otherwise.

That's the story of HT. It's strategy has been perplexing in the last decade or so. Except the launch of Mumbai edition, it seems to have played in the hands of TOI and keeps playing second fiddle to the Times. It was in the early 90s that Times had suddenly started growing fast and gave HT management sleepless nights.

However, HT opened new editions and stabilised over the years. But the last couple of years it appears to be digging its own grave. Patna, one of the strongest editions of the paper, is in a bad state as the entire editing desk, left the paper due to poor salaries.

Surprisingly, Times that had given management greater authority in the past, has lately strengthened its editorial once again but HT is losing out on both counts. Editorial staff is deserting due to poor salaries and management is unable to take corrective steps.

The Kolkata edition is a failure. In Lucknow, it's not doing good at all. Bhopal and Ranchi are doing well though. Even the staff in Chandigarh where it is the market leader, is complaining. Earlier, HT shut Raipur and Nagpur editions. And now Times that reached there later, is well established in Nagpur.

Its strategy always remains behind Times. For example when TOI left Jaipur, HT management thought that Times is smarter and if they have left the place it means that there is no market for an English paper in the town, and it also closed its office a bit later. But Times had other plans.

HT seems losing because it has been following TOI and believes that the latter is the true market leader. TOI keeps growing because of HT's failure and lack of any other national paper.

In fact, HT's management has proved a big failure and it has suffered losses repeatedly but fails to learn. With DNA starting its editions from more Cities, it seems that TOI will get a competitor that is strong not just editorially but also in terms of marketing strategy.

Photos: Shobhana Bhartia [HT] (on top) and Samir Jain (TOI)

Case against Times of India editor for 'exposing' Ahmedabad police commissioner

2008-06-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

A series of stories that threw light on the alleged underworld connections of Ahmedabad police commissioner OP Mathur, has now resulted in vengeful action as Mathur got a case registered against Times of India's editor, crime reporter and a photographer.

The paper recently published reports on former underworld don Latif's links with Mathur. Stung by the revelations, the cop himself made a complaint and the case of sedition and treason (anti-national activities) was registered against the TOI Residet Editor Bharat Desai.

The Gujarat police's action is highly condemnable as it didn't file a defamation suit. Rather, a case of 'waging war against the Indian state' was made against the newspaper. The paper reported that many cops were on the payrolls of gangsters and criminals.

Mathur had allegedly passed information to a gang leader (Lateef) though he should have been hunting for him, wrote the paper on the basis of documents including a CBI inquiry. The paper maintains that its aim was to highlight the antecedants of the police chief of the city that is high on terrorists' hit list.

The FIR also named Prashant Dayal and Gautam Mehta. Dayal is crime reporter but Mehta, a lensman doesn't even work for the paper. It is heart-warming to see TOI that had become a soft paper lately, take on the top cop.

Read the Times story on Mathur describing him as ISI agent Latif's man.

Aarushi murder case: News channels go overboard

2008-05-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

Urban India was shocked and millions of eyes were tranfixed to news channels as police made the sensational revelations about the Aarushi Talwar murder case on Friday.

Though, it is to the credit of TV channels that the investigation picked up the pace and the police were under pressure to solve the case, the channels ignored every other important news item including the killing of 15 Gujjars in Rajasthan, on the same day.

The case had dominated the media headlines for the last week and after the press conference in which police named her parents Dr Rajesh Talwar and Nupur as killers of Arushi and Hemraj along with Dr Anita Durrani as an accomplice, everybody was dumb-founded.

However, the extent of media coverage is baffling. There are thousands of gruesome murders in this country ever year. Agreed that it was a case involving a doctor couple but there has to be a limit to the macabre coverage. Everyone had a gut feeling that the parents may later turn out to be killers and it turned out to be true.

By repeating the grisly details of the murder and later discussing them in panel discussions, the channels pandered to populist emotions. Ironically, people were disgusted by the news but they still wanted to watch it. And channels did the same, throwing all caution to wind and caring little what effect it would have on millions of teenagers and kids.

Sakaal Times: New English daily from Pune

2008-05-20T12:57:00.001-07:00

Sakaal Times, the latest English daily from Pune, is attracting journalists from all over the country.

The paper is paying well. The recently launched paper has got a good editorial team. It is rather too early to comment on the paper but the effort is laudable.

They plan to later publish the newspaper from Delhi and Mumbai also. But if they had planned to go national, they should have thought of a better name. Sakal may be a household name for Marathi speakers but it doesn't sound well and most of the people in other states don't understand the meaning of the word either.

On the paper's website (that looks pretty well), Anand Agashe, the Director Editor of the group, promises a lot. The start is good. Let's wait for a while before the review. Meanwhile, you can read the paper on the website http://epaper.sakaaltimes.com/

Rajasthan Patrika set to launch MP edition

2008-05-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hindi daily Rajasthan Patrika is all set to launch its edition from Bhopal. The newspaper has got an office, a huge staff and is now ready for publication from mid-June.

For Patrika it's time to take on Bhaskar in its own territory. Some years back Bhaskar had entered Rajasthan and thorugh aggressive marketing, hit the Patrika. Now it's the turn of Patrika. The Hindi market is already quite crowded.

The Nai Dunia group has re-launched itself under the new name Nav Dunia. Apart from Bhaskar, Raj Express and Dainik Jagran are established newspapers. But compared to UP and Bihar, MP still has fewer daily papers and Patrika can fill this void.

Amir Khan says dog 'Shahrukh' licks his feet: Arrogance or Attention-seeking tactics?

2008-05-14T01:17:00.000-07:00

It's okay if you name a dog 'Shahrukh' but when you write it prominently in your blog post that 'Shahrukh is sitting down licking my feet', it borders on obscene arrogance.

Actor Amir Khan should have known that it is not a childish mistake. It may not be deliberate but he needn't mention this. Shahrukh Khan, the reigning superstar, is also a Bollywood actor like Amir.

And Khan, who wrote this useless thing on his blog, could have simply said that the 'dog was sitting by his side and he was feeding him biscuits'. But the actor who is quite intelligent and methodical knew that this would cause a controversy. Was he seeking attention?

By any standards, it is irresponsible. He went on to justify also that he didn't name the dog. Does he think that the readers are fool and can't distinguish between what is just an innocent information or a cheap way to get publicity.

The news channels have picked up the news and are screaming for the last couple of hours. The website address Aamir Khan's blog is http://www.aamirkhan.com/. We are neither die-hard fan of either of the actors nor dislike them but blogging freedom doesn't mean that everybit of trivia should be written on your blog.

Whatever. It is surely in bad taste. The 765-odd comments on the blog suggest the same. Many advised the actor to write only if he has got a subject to make it into a blog post.

Indian News Channels' obsession with 'Khali'

2008-04-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

Tune into Star TV or Aajtak or anyother channel and the chances are quite strong that you would see a special report on The Great Khali alias Dalip Singh Rana.

The Indian professional wrestler has suddenly become a rage in the country. And in the madness for grabbing eyeballs, the channels are competing with each other in showing his bouts and programmes on his life. People did watch WWF in the past but such craze is amazing.

Khali, who was earlier a Punjab police personnel, before he shifted to USA and took to professional freestyle wrestling, fetches good TRP. Such is the craze that news programmes are sacrificed for him.

Khali, who is signed to WWE ie World Wrestling Entertainment, is now a permanent feature on TV networks. Whether he wins or loses is a different matter. Does his size and the thought of an Indian taking on the Whites probably gives a boost to our ego.

Else how can Khali dominate so much of airspace?

Priyanka had met Rajiv Gandhi's killer Nalini in jail

2008-04-15T01:38:00.000-07:00

Priyanka Vadra had recently visited Vellore to meet her father's killer Nalini, who is lodged in the jail there.

Though initial reactions were of shock. All news channels picked up the story that a daughter met the woman who was involved in her father's assassination. For Priyanka it was a visit 'that she thought would make her come to terms with her loss'.

Her brother Rahul also confirmed the visit and said that he stood by her sister's decision as the siblings don't believe in violence. The visit must not shock anybody. For a young girl who saw her father blown up in a bomb blast on Television, it must have been immensely painful in the years to come following Rajiv's assassination.

All these years it must have been bugging her that what had possessed this group of LTTE activists who plotted to kill Rajiv. It was surely a personal visit and must not be looked at with any political angle.

Priyanka reportedly asked Nalini that why she got involved in the assassination (the human bomb was Thanu alias Dhanu). She also asked Nalini when did she saw her father last and told her that every problem can be solved through peaceful dialogue and discussions.

Despite their dynasty rule and other human fallings, the family has lost two great --Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv. For an hour Priyanka spoke to Nalini and the news emerged through an RTI (Right to Information application). Else most of the people until now believed that she visited the temple in Vellore.

Irfan Pathan-Shivangi plan to marry

2008-04-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

Like any other celebrity Irfan Pathan's love affair has come under intense media glare but what turns one off is the Hindu-Muslim angle given to their proposed marriage.

Irfan's lady love, Shivangi, a chartered accountant, by profession, lives in Canberra. A Gujarati, she is the daughter of a bureaucrat with the Indian embassy.

Ironically certain papers, especially Hindi newspapers, have highlighted their marriage as if a Hindu-Muslim marriage is a rarity in this country. Irfan's family has given its nod and his parents have expressed their happiness over the marriage.

There are millions of people marrying in different castes and religions and it adds to communal harmony. I read at a forum, the headline that it will be another girl leaving Hindu fold. Isn' it childish. The writer obviously didn't mention Manyata, as an addition to Hinduism, after her marriage to Sanjay Dutt.

Inter-religious marriages should be encouraged as they strengthen the communal harmony and integration of the country. Let's not communalize these things. Best wishes to the young couple.

Times of India entering The Hindu's last bastion in South India

2008-04-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

The Times of India is all set to launch its Chennai edition next week.

The Times is again ready with aggressive marketing and going all out to lure the readers with attractive subscription rates.

Anybody can subscribe it for an entire year for a mere Rs 299 or for six months at the cost of Rs 170. Also, these subscribers who will pay this amount will be called as founder members and may get additional benefits apart from the gifts that come along with subscription like sports bag etc.

Old-timers and those who dislike Times for trivialising news, may not feel happy. But, with the Chennai launch, TOI would become in real sense, the most pan-Indian newspaper.

It has already captured Hyderabad and got a good circulation in Bangalore. Though it may take time to change the reading habits of the people of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Times will definitely give Hindu a tough time in future.

Telegraph blasts Hindustan Times' coverage

2008-04-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

On its editorial page, the Telegraph blasted HT's coverage and pointed out the errors in the story published on the banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The story 'The thirteen faces of terror' was published in HT on the nation page on April 2. Check the errors and lack of balanced coverage in the report highlighted by the Telegraph's Mukul Kesavan.

It may be termed as healthy criticism. and might check the habit of sensationalism which the newspapers seem to have borrowed from the round the clock TV News Channels.

Utterly Unwatchable: Star News and Aaj Tak

2008-03-10T10:54:00.001-07:00

See how 'Ravana flew the Pushpak Vimaan', that was the alert appearing on Star News, from evening.

Aajtak kept focusing on movies and promised 'Fight of Big Stars on Small Screen' on the national news network. So where was the news?

After the capsules on crime, cinema, horror, mythology and nonsense trivia, the space left is gobbled up by promotional ads (about serials on Start One) and of course advertisements.

For hardcore news freaks, the alternative: Watch Samay and see ex-Aajtak guy Punya Prasun Bajpai, rubbing his palms, and commenting on the disparities in India. At least, they (Sahara Samay) show the news.

Times of India headline turns 9,000 murders into 9 lakhs

2008-02-26T10:33:00.000-08:00

See this headline in the Times of India. The figure of murders is just a few thousands but the headlines says lakhs murdered and raped.
The truth is that even the murders and rapes together do not account for more than 5,000. Yes, Five Thousand.

But the headline screams 'Lakhs murdered'. Even the figure of whole India is not 'lakhs' that obvious means, at least 2 lakh with no upper limit.

Apparently the sub-editor didn't bother to read the story. The figure of 9.11 lakh includes everything from cattle theft to power theft and non-cognisable offences.

But he carelessly used the figure in headline. This is not sensationalism alone. It is poor and shoddy editing, which even tabloids can't afford to do.

But Times of India. Alas!

End of an Era: RK Karanjia's death

2008-02-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

The former editor of Blitz and the doyen of tabloid journalism in India, RK Karanjia, passed away on Friday. He was 95.

Karanjia was controversial yet innovative. Bold and experimental. Ironically he died the same day, February 1, which was the day Blitz was launched.

The newspaper was read for sensational news, investigative stories and the spice which was missing in morning papers. Later it was brought out in Urdu and Hindi also.

When his daughter launched Cine Blitz, it was Karanjiya's idea to put a streaking woman on cover. The model was Protima Bedi, who ran nude near Flora Fountain and later at Juhu, and the photo was published in the magazine.

Nobody but Russi Karanjia could come up with such a bold idea. He was born in 1912. Left Times of India in 1940 when he was Assistant Editor and later started the Blitz.

A war correspondent, he had published exclusive photographs of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose before Indpendence when the Indian National Army was fighting for India's independence. He interviewed major world leaders from Churchill to Nasser.

He was known for his aggressive brand of journalism. Blitz also exposed financial scams.

His daughter Rita Mehta survives him. Karanjia was brother of famous film journalist BK Karanjia.

Dumb India: Spreading superstitions on India TV and other channels

2008-01-30T13:59:00.001-08:00

I tuned in to India TV and a guy was telling 'what to do if a cat crosses your path'. Could you have imagined that 21st century India will be dumb enough to bear such nonsense.

Rajat Sharma's so-called News channel is not alone. Most other channels also have similar programmes. From Shani to palmistry and numerology guru, we have dozens of strange babas making a fool of Indian audience every day.

Is this the kind of media we need in today's world. And there is no criticism. No questioning. No accountability. It's outrageous. But the age of reason and rationalism has gone, it seems. All the news channels can go to any extent for the sake of TRPs.

At least, the good old newspapers never stooped so low for increasing thier circulation. Strange is the fact that our intellectuals and the so-called educated middle-class have lost its voice. It's sad and shameful.

Aajtak's 'Mahanagar ke Mard' to show Indian men are eve teasers and charcterless turns a flop

2008-01-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

On Thursday Aaj Tak, which apparently ran out of news, tried to grab eyeballs by its 'special programme' Mahanagar ke Mard.

A girl in micro-mini was sent out on the roads as bait and the expressions of youths and men who turned to look at her, were captured by camera. The aim was to show that the most Indian men are characterless and ogle at women.

But it was a disaster from the beginning. Firstly, the woman was deliberately made to wear such a provocative dress, was in itself an unethical thing. Anybody wearing such a dress in chilly Delhi winter will invite stares.

The dress was not only short (I am not saying vulgar) but also grotesque. Eve teasing is bad. But if a man stares at a beautiful woman, it's not a crime. But the channel gave an impression as if all Indian male are such (deprived of the sight of females) and the anchor was too judgemental.

The camera captured the behaviour of many persons but probably found just one or two persons that was a bit objectionable. But the aim was sensationalizing the issue and thus it was turned an All Male Vs All Female thing.

The anchor was clearly opinionated: all Metro (urban) Men are like That. Frankly, it's human nature. If men won't look at a beautiful woman, where they will. Due to social reasons Women may not stare at men openly, but its irrational and un-biological to expect that married men won't look at other women.

Then the channel was invited reaction through opinion poll and it was again a big disaster. The first flash said 'Vote A if you blame Men' but the Second line said 'Send SMS to A if you think her short dress is to be blamed'. This flustered the viewers and strangely the Aajtak-walas noticed this blunder only after half an hour, which was then corrected.

We are neither male chauvinists nor feminists. But such cheap tricks, just for the sake of TRPs and making news out of nothing, shows the channel in poor light. After all, it is the channel's own Prabhu Chawla who salivates the most when he interviews a model or an actress from Rakhi Sawant to Mallika Sherawat.

Court summons Prabhu Chawla, orders registration of case

2008-01-22T10:33:00.000-08:00

A court in Madhya Pradesh has directed the police to register a case against India Today group editor Prabhu Chawla, and summoned him for apperance for publishing a report related to lawyers' clash with railway employees in Jabalpur.

In the April 2007 issue of India Today, the report of the incident was published. The lawyers' union president RK Saini had filed the complaint in the court that the magazine published his version without talking to him. In the report, the magazine had held that Saini had apologized for the incident and blamed some lawyers for the attack.

The RPF and Railway employees had a clash with the lawyers in Jabalpur. After Saini approached the court that the magazine published something which he never said and also without talking to him, the court ordered registration of case. After the evidences were examined, the Judicial Magistrate ordered that Chawla and the local reporter should present themselves in the court on the next hearing and a criminal case be registered against them.

'Give Nishan-e-Pakistan to LK Advani'

2008-01-16T14:01:00.000-08:00

Not may journalists write political analyses these days and it is rare to see journos call a spade a spade.

Pankaj Vohra wrote a good piece 'Badge of Honour' and blamed Advani for politicising the Bharat Ratna Awards.

In this article that was published on the editorial page of Hindustan Times, Vohra, the paper's political editor writes:

Whether Vajpayee gets the Bharat Ratna or not, Advani has surely qualified
for the Nishan-e-Pakistan, that country’s highest honour, by praising Mohammad
Ali Jinnah and that too at his mausoleum. The RSS, which cleared Advani’s name
for being the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, will second such a
proposal.

We can safely assume this because the sangh parivar has endorsed Advani
though he has not changed his stance on Jinnah. It will be a coincidence and a
moment to cherish for the parivar if its ‘Vikas Purush’ gets the Bharat Ratna
and its ‘Loh Purush’, the Nishan-e-Pakistan. After all, according to the Sangh’s
ideology, we are one people and one nation. And, the end is, of course, ‘Akhand
Bharat’. Some of the aides who helped in Advani’s image makeover — from a
staunch Hindutva supporter to a moderate leader — can also be given some other
award for trying to bring together the people of India and Pakistan.

If one keeps the sarcasm out, Advani, by proposing Vajpayee’s name for
the Bharat Ratna, has tried to strengthen the suspicion that many had: Padma
awards and the Bharat Ratna are given out of political considerations.

Vohra further says that in order to pursue his own political agenda, Advani has dragged Vajpayee in the controversy and tried to play a masterstroke. Though Vajpayee's failure in checking Kargil intrusion, Agra summit debacle and his own past including suspicion on his role in Freedom movement and the ideology that is not in sync with constitution, make him unfit for the Bharat Ratna.

So what about Nishaan-e-Pakistan. After all, the only Indian to get it was a Gandhian and Congress-man Morarji Desai. (Though not many will tell the exact reason why he was given the award, after all, it is a diplomatic secret).

Then what the heck about Advani getting it!

Zee News 'discovers' Ravana's body, traces of Ram, Sita and Hanuman

2008-01-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

The TRP ratings of Zee News was soaring on Monday as it discovered the cave on an 8,000 ft high hill in Sri Lanka where they claimed that Ravana's body was kept in a casket (taboot).

The 'investigative report' went ahead with discoveries like the burnt soil at Raigla because Lord Hanuman had set ablaze Lanka when his tale was burnt. The channel's reporters also reached the place where the air-crafts (vimaan) of Ravana were made and repaired.

And if that is not all. This so-called news channel found the 'golis' (balls) that were thrown by Sita when Ravana had abducted her, to send message to Lord Rama. Though there was no casket or Ravana's body, the channel managed to find some guys, one of whom, said that he went into the cave and there was a red coloured 17-18 ft long Tabut where the Ravana was kept inside and it is guraded by Asuras.

After blending mythology with news and spicing up with sceneries of Sri Lanka, the news channel ended it up saying that it was impossible to reach the top of hill because the 'local say that certain powers don't want people to get there and the body was kept because Asuras believed that with Sanjeevani booti, he could also come back to life from death".

That's awesome. Isn't it. Yes, we were watching Zee news, not Bhakti or Astha. There was something missing though. The ten heads of Ravana were not shown. May be in the next part we will find ten mounds on the hill and the channel can claim that these mounds are because of the 10 heads of Ravana that lay buried underneath.

We all know the truth but then we are all so religious and full of devotion. I would love to believe this. Just that I wished it was not shown on prime time in News channel. That's total fraud in the name of journalism. Though I stand by your right to watch it, believe every word of it and yes go to Lanka and support their tourism sector.

Wah bhai Subhas Chandra Ji. Dhanya hain aap.

If you like to read the 'Mil Gaye Ram' special story and photos. Read it at Zee News site here.

HT Vs TOI: A comparison of Sunday editions

2008-01-13T15:33:00.000-08:00

On Sundays, the edit page gets replaced by columnists' opinions. The page is named 'All that matters' in Times of India and 'Reflections' in Hindustan Times. Here I am putting my impressions. Everybody has personal likes and dislikes but I am entited to my views. You write yours in comment section. I will later post m thoughts on Sunday Magazines (supplements) also.

Hindustan Times

Why can't I figure out what Indrajit Hazra writes? He gives me a complex. If he writes well, I should like it. I don't know anybody say it to me that he writes great. But then he keeps appearing on HT Sunday page that has four columns including the highly-readable Vir Sanghvi.

He tries to appear funny, isn't it? That's what the photo suggests. Whatever. My problem is that I don't enjoy the column and on Sunday I am in the mood to read and any column that goes above my head, is a waste. Come down to our level, Sir.

Coming to Vir again. The other day I felt Vir was also getting slightly out of touch. He wrote that Indians don't know much about Pakistan now and are less interested in its politics compared to past. I would like to humbly point out that Indians know much about Pakistan and Pak politics than ever thanks to the overdose of Channels and the coverage in papers. In the past there was never this much Pakistan in our homes.

You say that it was Punjabis who shared the same culture. Of course, that generation must be having the interest. But only Punjabis then knew so much about Pakistan, not the rest of us. But know Pakistan is thrust into us through our eyeballs, throat and nose.

We know it much more than we did in the past. But he is the best writer in India, undoubtedly, one whose articles you read in a single sitting and you don't need a dictionary to understand him.

Karan Thapar! Never tires of his Pertie. Still, some find him readable, others don't. I think if he should write only when he is in mood and not to just continue the column every week, he will certainly be a hit. Else, he keeps enlightening about the English and ways of the Britons, when he doesnt' have much to say.

Times of India

Times of India is getting quite Right these days. We have Swapan Das Gupta, the journo who writes from an altogether different perspective. Why doesn't he start wearing a Saffron robe as well.

Sometimes you get to see our old Lady, Shobha De. She may be repetitive but not biased. Swaminathan Anklesariya Aiyar tried hard to tell us last week how Gujarat riots were bad and disgusting but still...(I hope you understand). If Mani Shankar Aiyer is the extreme secularist, Anklesaria Aiyar has to defend Modi. Shan't he, even if he has to go back to Sikh riots again and again to put Congress in bad light.

Week after week we have to celebrate NRI success with Gurcharan Das and the desktop journalist Chidanand Rajghatta, who does write beautifully at times. The lesser said of Jug Suraiya, the better it is. He himself claims to be the columnist who is least read. Bachi Karkaria sometimes goes overboard with her rhymestry and tukbandi.

But don't Times people have any replacement. Are we so short of good writers?

Indian Express

After they changed the look of Sunday paper, its Sunday opinion page has lost its charm. Coomi Kapoor may give you a gossip or two. Tavleen Singh is rarely the same person she once was. Sudheendra Kulkarni is sometimes sensible but I think now he has run out of ideas.

Exaggerated reports about attacks on Indians in Kenya

2008-01-03T02:12:00.000-08:00

Some news channels and papers have published exaggerated account of the violence in Kenya. The Indians, mostly Gujaratis, who live in Kenya are as much at risk as others.

It is true that local residents in Kenya don't like Indians much because the Gujaratis own businesses and are often seen as 'outsiders who have exploited their country'. But such was the exaggeration that false reports creating panic were aired on TV channels.

Dainik Jagran, a Hindi newspaper, with a massive circulation, gave the kind of headline like 'Ek lakh Bharatiya khatre mein' (One lakh Indians at risk). The paper is notorious though and has a bad track record for triggering violence and reporting sensitive issues.

Other channels also gave the impression that many Indians were killed. The 'flashes' would show that 'Indians targeted' followed by '300 killed' as if the figure was on Indians and didn't clarify that it was overall figure and there was not one Indian, who died.

Just the fact that expatriate Indians are involved and there was an Indian connection, the section of media including respectable English channels, showed utter irresponsibility and went overboard while reporting a mob violence which began after elections in that country.

Festival overdose on News Channels

2007-11-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

Just because India was celebrating Diwali, the news channels also decided to serve us with an overdose of the festivities.

Every news had a Diwali angle. From sweets to rangolis, not one angle was left by the creative editorial minds. Whenever you tuned in, there was an anchor telling you something about Diwali.

For godsake, shut up, we know every thing about Diwali. Don't they realise that the person who has already celebrated the festival, is turning to the television to get something different and isn't he entitled to plain unspicy news. But news channels had everything to offer except News.

Except DD News, all other channels lost sense of propriety.

A new chapter in Indian journalism: Operation Kalank

2007-10-27T01:45:00.000-07:00

The BJP is blaming Tehelka and questioning motives of the channel. Aajtak Correspondent Dhimant Purohit has been booked in a false case in Gujarat.

And in Gujarat channels that showed mirror to the politicians and a lumpen society were blacked out. But Indian journalism has emerged victorious. Tarun Tejpal's sting and the painstaking work of reporter Ashish Khaitan in bringing out the truth is an outstanding achievement.

The total subversion of justice in the state has been proved. Despite mainstream journalists' reservations about use of hidden camera, this particular sting operation will go down as one of the most important milestones in courageous and investigative journalism.

It has proved that Gujarat riots were no less than a Holocaust. And this is no ordinary feat.

Creating a climate of terrorism

2007-10-06T02:12:00.000-07:00

The intelligence agencies are powerful. They have a network of informers. They use journalists to plant stories in the press and create a certain climate. A climate in which the courts can come out and say things like “the collective conscience of society will only be satisfied if capital punishment is awarded to the offender” (as observed by the Supreme Court in its judgement against Parliament attack accused Mohammad Afzal Guru). This complete impunity is getting alarming...

...A “climate of terrorism” has been created. Many players — political parties, intelligence agencies, militant outfits — benefit from the attacks. Nothing is ever investigated; if an enquiry is ever set up, it’s usually a smokescreen, a way to defuse a crisis. Whether it was the Parliament attack case, the burning of the coach of the Sabarmati Express in Godhra, whether it is the killing of the main witness of the Nithari murders or the fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, or the killing of the main witness in that case too. The establishment ensures that no one gets to the bottom of anything. It all sinks into the marsh, and then everybody puts their own political spin on it...says Arundhati Roy in an excellent interview with Mihir Srivastava.

It’s an unholy nexus. Whatever you touch falls like a house of cards. But even when there is an exposé — like what happened in the case of the Parliament attack, or what we’re seeing now in the Red Fort attack — when it is shown that evidence was fabricated, that we have been lied to, when we know what those lies were and who told them, still nothing happens.

The police get medals, the judges get promoted, the journalists get salary hikes. In the case of the attack on Parliament, we’re talking about a case which could have resulted in a nuclear war. A case in which, on the basis of what has turned out to be false and fabricated evidence, the government of the day moved half-a-million troops to the border where they remained for eight months. But speaking of cover-ups, look at how it all works in Gujarat, it’s more than a coverup, it’s criminal collusion. It’s happening now, right now, while Tata and Reliance call Gujarat a dream destination for corporate capital, while the CII sucks up to Modi, while Sunita Williams accepts accolades and shares a stage with him.

After the carnage in which thousands of ordinary Muslims were butchered and about 1,50,000 driven from their homes, the man who presided over it all, Narendra Modi, is still the chief minister. No one from the UPA government has so much as squeaked about it. Of the 287 cases filed under POTA, 286 are against Muslim and one is against a Sikh. Offences under POTA, as we know, are non-bailable, so they’re all still in jail. The property of those accused in the Godhra massacre was attached. The property of those who were released on bail in the post- Godhra carnage was not. Different laws for Hindus and Muslims.

In the case of several massacres, the lawyers that the Gujarat government appointed as public prosecutors had actually already appeared for the accused. Several of them belonged to the RSS or the VHP, organisations that proudly owned up to the killings. Survivors found that when they went to the police to file FIRs, the police would record their statements inaccurately, and refuse...

...When it comes to these things, I can no longer believe what I’m asked to believe, I have no faith in what I read in the papers, in what I see on TV. It’s mostly crap. No one ever gets to the bottom of anything. It’s all left hanging, the air is thick with the ghosts of the victims of unsolved crimes. We seem to suffer from a pathological lack of curiosity.

Read more at Tehelka here

Tehelka in new avatar

2007-09-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

Tehelka looks smart and fresh in its new look. It's good to have a standard weekly news magazine. India Today and Outlook (also The Week) must brace up to face the challenge.

At least, journalists working for Tehelka have some conviction and have an interest in taking up social issues and report from the grassroots unlike India Today that has reduced itself to money-making venture through its issues on Best Chief Ministers, Best States etc.

Everybody knows how to get to the top in these lists and how the listings are done.But lack of alternatives force us to sometime buy it, mostly during train and bus journeys for passing time. Outlook has a core dedicated readership. Anyway, it's going to be healthy competition with another weekly magazine in the market.

Editor, RE guilty of contempt of court

2007-09-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Delhi High court recently held the editor, publisher, Resident Editor and cartoonist of Mid Day guilty of contempt of court for writing and publishing a series of articles against former Chief Justice of INdia YK Sabharwal.

PTI report said that there is sufficient material to hold them guilty of contempt of court. The Supreme Court judgments have laid down the 'Lakshman Rekha' which the publication has crossed, observed the HC division bench.

Editor of Midday MK Tayal, Publisher SK Akhtar, Resident Editor Vitusha Oberioi and Cartoonist Irfan have been asked to be personally present themselves before court on september 21. The tabloid had published reports alleging that Sabhwarwal's son had ties with mall developers who benefited from the sealing drive during his tenure in the office.

Interestingly, Tehelka weekly had done similar story before but they probably handled it better. The cartoon should have been avoided. Earlier a press confernece by a group of legal luminaries and prominent citizens in Delhi on the same issue was attended by journalists but none published or broadcast it for fear of the contempt of court.

Live India's sex scandal 'sting' & how CNN-IBN was saved

2007-09-09T02:19:00.000-07:00

News channel Live India, has suffered a big blow to its reputation with the 'sting' of a Daryaganj school teacher (Delhi) involved in an allegd sex scandal.

But Rajdeep Sardesai must thank his stars as the journalist who planned the sting was earlier with CNN-IBN and the channel had decided to telecast it on Teacher's Day. Some sceptic guy were not convinced with the story and told the reporter Prakash Singh that he needed to explain a few more things about the operation.

The guy got left the channel and joined Live India, which foolishly aired the sting operation leading to outrage, mob violence and the teacher (Uma Khuarana's) dismissal. A fabricated sting has put the entire electronic media in the dock. Another wannabe journalist Rashmi Singh's role in the sting operation is under investigation. See the Indian Express story here and here.

Now Sudhir Chaudhary is saying that the reporter kept the channel in the dark. He had only recently left India TV to head Live India (formerly Janmat). What about the editorial skills of your editors. Poor Choudhary can't be expected to deliver better, after all, he is graduated from India TV school of journalism.

India TV's live encounter: Pintu Mishra's killing

2007-08-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

India TV's telecast of 'live encounter' stunned other news channels. Pintoo Mishra was killed in broad daylight in Allahabad last year and the footage, either taken by the police force's own video-grapher or some sharp cameraman who was all the way behind the cops, saw TRP ratings soar for the India TV.

No doubt the footage was astonishing. Still, Rajat Sharma didn't grill the DGP Vikram Singh. Those who were questioning why the video tape was not revealed earlier, should be told that the manner in which cops chased and murdered a man in the broad daylight in Civil Lines of Allahabad, and not in Chambal ravines, the person in possession of the tape would think a hundred times before parting with it, as he could be implicated or killed by the same cops.

My Sting Vs Your Sting

The Aj Tak, Start TV and other channels showed the video the next day. And Janmat's recently launched channel 'Live India', in desperation, openly took the side of police. Meanwhile, Star came out with the exclusive video of Abu Salem's narco-analysis test.

This apparently drove Aajtak to show a third-grade sting 'Cocaine and Call Girls' linking prostition with drug-trafficking. It was a poorly made show with Deepak Sharma and Shams Tahir Khan, failing miserably to put it together. They showed a woman craving for cocaine and several blurred faces. The viewers were unsure whether it was a real show or some women actresses (the likes of whom are used to enact scenes for crime capsules) were given the script to read out the dialogues and prepare a 'sting drama' within the studio.

Shiv Sena attacks Outlook office for equating Bal Thackeray and Dawood

2007-08-15T03:15:00.000-07:00

On the 60th Independence Day anniversary the weekly magazine Outlook made a list of heroes and villains.

The list of villains included Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, Bal Thackeray, Dawood Ibrahim, Nathuram Godse, Azharuddin, Narendra Modi, Sanjay Gandhi, Jagdish Tytler, HKL Bhagat, Sajjan Kumar, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh.The cartoonists' cadre took offence to Thackeray's caricature that depicts him as Adolf Hitler.

Nearly a dozen Sainiks barged into the Mumbai office of Outlook, asking for the editor and went on rampage. They damaged the office equipments, ransacked it and threatened the staff. The police have registered a case.

Here is the list and brief profiles about these personalities in the Outlook issue which which enraged the Shiv Sainiks.

Meanwhile, the list of heroes includes:

Jawaharlal Nehru
Sardar Patel
BR Ambedkar
Indira Gandhi
Mayawati

EMS Namboodiripad
Sheikh Abdullah
Pu Laldenga
MG Ramachandran
Jyoti Basu

Jayaprakash Narayan
Atal Behari Vajpayee
NT Ramarao
C Annadurai
Manmohan Singh

Maulana Azad
C Rajagopalachari
Salim Ali
Homi J Bhabha
Vikram Sarabhai

MS Swaminathan
Ela Bhatt
Medha Patkar
Kamladevi Chattopadhyaya
Arundhati Roy

Mother Teresa
RK Narayan
RK Laxman
Qurratul Ain Hyder
Amitav Ghosh

Sunil Gangopadhyaya
Khushwant Singh
Shivaram Karanth
Amartya Sen
OV Vijayan

Vijay Tendulkar
Girish Karnad
Verghese Kurien
Dhirubhai Ambani
JRD Tata

NR Narayanamurthy
MF Husain
T Balasaraswati
Birju Maharaj
Bhupen Khakar

Kapil Dev
Sunil Gavaskar
PT Usha
Vishwanathan Anand
Balbir Singh

Bismillah Khan
Raj Kapoor
Satyajit Ray
Amitabh Bachchan
Lata Mangeshkar

Begum Akhtar
MS Subbulakshmi
AR Rahman
Pandit Ravi Shankar
Guru Dutt

The list with profiles can be seen here.

Journos prompted Varanasi suicides & Rajkot woman's naked march

2007-08-01T23:09:00.000-07:00

There are no words to describe the level to which mediamen have sunk. The report that journalists had prompted physically challenged persons to attempt suicide by consuming poison, in order to get attention, has come as a shock to entire journalist fraternity.

The disabled persons were protesting the decision of local administration, which had removed their kiosks. Apparently the camera persons, photographers and journalists urged them to consume poisonous substance so that it could become a national news and in turn force the administration to reverse its decision.

The mediamen were, in fact, getting a news for themselves only. And the poor protesters were reportedly told that the particular medicine will only make them unconscious for some duration and they will gain consciousness later. However, five persons never woke up after they consumed the tablets. And all this happened in full public view at a busy square, with nobody trying to take the persons who were tossing and turning due to the pain, to hospital. Of course, the police ought to have acted fast and taken these persons to hospital but journalists can't escape the blame.

Earlier, in Rajkot, the woman (Pooja Chauhan) who had come on the street, naked, was also coaxed by the journalists to go about a unique form of protest. Later reports suggested that the media men had asked her to strip and move aroud in her lingerie. She was told that her tale of harassment by her husband and in-laws would be shown on television channels only if she went out in such a semi-naked state.

What a shame!

Chaitanya Kalbag's stint with Hindustan Times is over

2007-07-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Chaitanya Kalbag was supposed to bring radical changes in Hindustan Times. He came from Reuters and except the initial days, he hardly seemed to bring any positive change to the newspaper.

As an 'unbiased disinterested by-stander' with no likes or dislikes for him, I feel that he failed to deliver on most counts. His articles--those on edit page and the other stories--were mediocre and failed to interest the reader.

The day fire broke out in HT office, he wrote a page 1 article, which I read and my first reaction was, 'Oh my god, does he have any idea what he is writing about'. Many others shared this opinion. His lack of knowledge of India was also apparent.

When Kashi Ram died, he reportedly said that the story should be taken on page 8, until he was told who Kashi Ram was and what was his importance in changing the Indian politics. I remember once he wrote a piece on how the 'world was changing and newspapers will not be the same ten years from now....blah blah'. It was quite like a 'foreign-return' lecturing the ignorant 'desis'.

So he was writing about Korea, without giving a thought to the fact that there are hundreds of districts in India which still don't have 50% literacy. Yes, not even Hindi. Newspapers will continue to grow in this country. Tens of crores (Hundreds of millions) can't even recognize alphabets in this country let alone knowing English. So at least, English newspapers' circulation growth is not going to stop in the next 2-3 decades here. Worst was his treatment of ordinary reporters and sub-editors who were mis-treated and often fired.

May be it was the Barkha Dutt episode which led to his exit. Barkha's edit page article which appears on Saturday had not been published recently because Kalbagh had reservations about it and felt she was projecting her organisations (NDTV) through it. She got pissed off and in protest didn't send the article next week. She also spoke to Mrs Shobhana Bhartia, reported The Hoot recently.

The problem was that he was Editor-in-Chief of a big group but was taking interest in too petty things that should have been left for the Bureau Chiefs, Assistant Editors, Coordinating Editors, REs etc and his mere direction was enough but his intervention worsened things and made him unpopular. Also, during his stint the HT website took the new avatar.

It was a great news site but after the recent change it is neither a news site, nor a portal. They tried to make it a portal but the USP of hindustantimes.com was that it was a pure news site, which it lost after the transformation.

100 most controversial Indians ever & defending Dawood Ibrahim

2007-06-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

Hundred most controversial Indians in the last century, that's the list prepared by weekly magazine The Sunday Indian in its latest issue.

The list hardly throws up any surprising names. Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar has been profiled by Shyam Keswani, the lawyer of Haseena Parkar (Dawood's sister). And Keswani terms Dawood as an 'impeccable personality, brought up in an atmosphere of ultimate respect for elders, a brilliant student' but finally 'it is only destiny which drives every soul'.

Keswani further says that whatever Dawood is today is only due to the brilliant mind he possesses. He is clear at heart and can't be judged only on the basis of anecdotes circulating about him. The lawyer of his sister ends the profile with this statement, 'Although destiny has driven himt o the present upheaval in his life, I feel that otherwise, Dawood Ibrahim is a personality par excellence'.

Surprised!

The list is divided into six categories;

Rebels and Renegades
Nathuram Godse
Mohamed Ali Jinnah
Maqbool Bhat
Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy
Charu Majumdar
Shahbeg Singh
Jarnail Bhindrawale
Paresh Barua
T Muivah
Dawood Ibrahim
Veerappan
Natwarlal
Nadeem Saifi
Laldenga
Haji Mastan Mirza

Social engineers
Charan Singh
BR Ambedkar
Bhagat Singh
MG Ramachandran
Jai Prakash Narain
Dattopant Thengadi
Datta Samant
Phoolan Devi
EMS Namboodaripad

Lightning rods
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Narendra Modi
Sanjay Gandhi
LK Advani
Jagmohan
Justice Ramaswamy
KPS Gill
Sanjay Dutt
Hinduja Brothers
MF Husain
Salam Rushdie
Mohammad Azharuddin
Osho Rajneesh
Lala Amarnath
Jagmohan Dalmia
Kishore Kumar
Mohammed Iqbal (Sapru)
Amrita Sherginl
Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq
General K Sunderji
General KS Thimmaiya
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Manipulators
VP Singh
VK Krishna Menon
Giani Zail Singh
PV Narasimha Rao
Harshad Mehta
Dhirendra Brahmachari
Rekha
Ravi Shankar
Acharya Chatur Sen
Sathya Sai Baba
Nirad C Chaudhuri
Imam Abdullah Bukhari
Sheikh Abdullah
Jytoi Basu
Ranganath Mishra
Devi Lal
Morarji Desai
TT Krishnamachari
RN Goenka
Maharaja Hari Singh

Mavericks
Lalu Yadav
NT Rama Rao
Bal Thackeray
Ra Narain
Uma Bharti
George Fernandes
Saadat Hasan Manto
Khushwant Singh
Ram Jethmalani
OP Nayyar
Dada Kondke
Protima Bedi
Biju Patnaik
Subrato Sahara
Mahendra Singh Tikait
Pamela Bordes
Meena Kumari

Trail Blazers
Arun Shourie
Justice PN Bhagwati
TN Seshan
Begum Akhtar KL Sehgal
Rajesh Khanna
Raj Kapoor
Guru Dutt
Dhirubhai Ambani
Devika Rani
Periyar EVR Naicker
Sonia Gandhi
Potti Sriramulu
Kapil Dev
Shah Bano
Subhash Chandra Bose
Dr KB Hedgewar

Another interesting thing is the choice of persons who profiled these personalities. Phoolan Devi's written by Seema Parihar and Narendra Modi by Shankar Singh Vaghela.

NDTV sting operation exposes chinks in criminal justice system

2007-05-31T11:35:00.000-07:00

NDTV surely deserved credit for the sting operation pertaining to the BMW hit-and-run case. The story of criminal lawyer RK Anand negotiating with the key witness Kulkarni in order to save Sanjeev Nanda, is one of the most important breaking stories in the recent history of the nation.

Though it may said that it is only in such high-profile cases that the media takes excessive interest and rich brats are targeted for being 'rich', the fact is that such sting operations reveal the murky practices which are often widely known but not commented upon or seen in public.

The hidden camera shows Sunil Kulkarni negotiating a monetory deal that would allow him to avoid cross-examination. Public prosecutor IU Khan's role has also raised eyebrows and so is his alleged collusion with RK Anand. In 1999, six persons were allegedly killed in a mishap when a car driven by Sanjiv Nanda had ran over them.

Link to the NDTV's sting operation and related story is here.

IBN 7 exposes Babas & Vedanti's anti-Muslim comment

2007-05-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

IBN 7 needs to congratulated for the expose.

Babas, Sants and Mahatmas have been caught on hidden camera, accepting black money with the promise to turn it 'white' on a commission of 20-40%. The phenomenal boom in 'spiritual industry' in the country was raising eyebrows for long. CNN-IBN didn't carry the story though. The aggressive manner in which IBN 7 is going ahead with such sting operations, Aj Tak has a strong competitor now.

For details about the expose. Click here

Meanwhile, what took everybody with surprise was Vedanti Maharaj's comments about Muslims that were absolutely uncalled for. It was the first ever such incident in the history of Indian media when someone made such vitriolic comments.

After the sting operation, the channel spoke to him. And he all of a sudden burst out against the 'anti-national Muslims' whom he described as: ma&*r ch*^& and kat£$

This stunned everybody including the anchor, who had to intervene and stop him. He had to say that 'when you have come down to such a low level, we don't want to talk to you now'.