Support for Dhoni

Just in my last post i talked about media being high handed and see what is happening. Dhoni is literally being assaulted. First of all, there were not even the slightest indications of a tiff within the Indian team. Secondly, a captain has the right to be angry with a player of his. There are 15 individuals out there. There can be personality clash. If two persons have a go at each other, you can't just say that , they are not in speaking terms.

There could be tiff, but when no media house in this country is ready to come forward with proof i feel that they should hold their silence. This is typical yellow page reporting. The Indian media is literally manufacturing news. Headline Today showed the Dhoni and a media person having a go at each other during the press conference. But they comfortably showed only that part and skipped the build up. Well i should say, irrespective of competitive spirits, cross cutting and undercutting one thing that we all need to learn from Indian jurnos is the way they close ranks when one of them is being proved wrong or credibility being questioned.

I liked the way Dhoni handled the issue. He came out and made it clear , now more than once , that he ain't gonna take any nonsense. Especially, when he asked the jurno "am i leaking the news", "All of you are here, if u feel I am leaking, stand up and say now", conspicuously, always questioning media did not have an answer. I read in Times of India, saying the way the press meet was held and the team stormed out (the show of unity meet) was unbecoming of an Indian team and unprecedented. They also said this was never done by a previous captain. Well, two things. One, There is always a first time. Second, you asked for it.

The Indian media is unnecessarily distracting the team's attention, by creating a mountain out of a mole hill (even if there are some issues). Instead of focusing on a Dhoni Vs Shewag tiff, if they media could concentrate more on, why a player was allowed to fly to a international tournament of highest grade, when he was not even close to passing the fitness test. Why there is no pre-travel policy for inclusion of players, and if captain wasn't briefed before flying about injuries, then why?. If Indian media concentrates on these issues, it will do greater good for Indian cricket and may be even contribute for a better Indian team.

If there is a tiff, media has to report. It has to tell the fans. But, timing is even more important. Indian media is now doing greater damage to the team and the reputation of the nation with this shallow reporting at this juncture. Dhoni's in your face attitude really deserves good comments. Indian media needs to understand that they can't get away with this every time. This time they have taken on cricket, which is religion for our people. This time they are on the wrong side. I still haven't found one person who ain't on Indian Team's side.

Media Gehetto

I personally believe that media plays the most important role when it comes to nation building, national integration and educated population. By educated, i do not mean literate. Even if we look at our history, the Independence movement was inspired and fed by the media. The strong media , without any fear of the administration had inspired the masses. It helped great leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, Tilak and many more to capture the imagination of the people.


But today the same national media that has such a colorful history has lost its plot completely. Journalism today is still a service, but not a social service but a commercial service. I really feel that the major reason for the misdirection of main stream media is a direct capitalist influence. Its more like , 'don't cast a news if you can't sell the news' and lack of quality. Take any product range, there will be quality products and not so good products packaged hi-fi. Same is for the news today in India 'Amitabh Bachan ne cheka' and that too in a 16 point bold lettered breaking news.

Let me break down on what i feel our media needs to improve.

1) Language quality- I read 'Times of India' every day. The number of spelling mistakes and grammatical mistakes the paper makes is really appalling. Its not the only paper, I have found the same in many major dailies like DNA, Hindstan Times etc. Times of India is supposedly one of our flagship newspaper, giving us a sense of pride. It carries really good articles too (I never miss a Jug Surraya article), including about English language (One of the best articles i have ever ready in any news paper comes from the same one which delt with importance of comma in English language)

I make a lot of grammatical and spelling mistakes, but there is a difference between me making a mistake and Times or any other major media house making a mistake. Infact i would say, lot of us readers are influenced by the articles, we pick up words and spelling from papers. If they are gonna screw up then its not good.

2) Presentation quality - This is something I found common in most TV Channels like NDTV, CNN-IBN, Headlines Today and a lot more . eg: "Market went up by 200 points. The BSE shot from 12800 to 13000. 200 points is what the market gained. The day opened in 12800 and closed in 13000'

Well, could we not have finished that in a max of two sentences 'Market opened at 12800 and closed at 13000 shooting by 200 points'. Many presenters complicate things, repeat or rephrase a lot confusing the normal viewer. I some times feel like laughing at these guys. These same channels cut their guests to go into commercial breaks. Can't we reduce this Mumbo Jumbo and show ADVs there. Also, the viewer is not a computer, she is gonna lose interest and go for the remote.

3) Commitment to National Interests - This is something I found lacking in most mainstream media. 26 11 2008 mumbai terrorist attacks really proved that our media gives more importance to commercial interests than to national. Well, the defense team had specifically requested the media to not show any operational activities live and guess what may media houses delayed relay by few minutes. Some Jurno's even tried to interview officers in action.

There was this great article in Times of India where a female jurno describes what she saw on that day and how one of the jurno from a channel crawled to soldier who had take position and tried to interview him. NDTV's Barkha Dutt even issued a note saying NDTV delayed relay by 10 minutes. Well, for NDTV 10 mins may be life time but for national welfare it ain't. All the main stream media houses went live that day with the action thriller right out side our windows.

Media houses should act in a more responsible way , not showing live means, not give out any details that would help the enemy to change the outcome of our defense action. Now think abt the delays provided by media houses ? I even posted a reply to Barkha's post on NDTV website, but never saw my reply posted for next two days. I then did not follow up any more.

Another interesting case is that of CNN-IBN and the cash for vote scam. CNN-IBN took the video, did the sting operation, but did nothing from its side to stop a national tragedy from happening and then we saw wades of notes in the parliament and a national shame was broadcast live, replayed and again by many mainstream media houses.

4) Ethics - This is some thing really missing in today's media. There is nothing but sensationalism in there. 'If there ain't a story, lets manufacture one' seems to be the mantra of today's media. I can think of a lot of specific instances but will mention two to prove my point. One, the news report that Sehwag and Dhoni are having a tiff. After the strong statement from Dhoni, no media house has had the balls to speak of that story again. None is coming forward and providing proof for what they reported. I strongly back Dhoni in the way he responded.

Another case of Poonam Yadav, who was a strong contender in the show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa of Zee TV. Some gossip column reported about an alleged affair of this young girl with her mentor Ismail Darbar without any proof and just because she was hospitalized they said she had gone through abortion and tried suicide. Well, where is proof. When Editors allow this kinda story they should ask for verification to their journalists. She is an easy prey also since she is poor and the media house knows she can't afford to take them to court. I did a Google search on this girl to see how her career has shaped after the show (since she was my fav contender of that year) and I could find no website with the Info, instead all fed me with this news and that's how i came to know of this. The girl came forward to clear the air and call this character assassination. I also remember a Delhi teacher being maligned by a Hindi news channel sting.

Well,I feel we need stronger laws against such indecent publications. In Italy, you can't publish a person's photo without his permission. Well, I won't go that far, but still believe that we need to protected the common man more.

5) Follow ups - Our media never follows up on any issue. They write when an issue is hot or when it has a element of sensation or sting or any thing. But never follow up unless they get some really good sound bytes that will re sensationalize the issue. I completely dis agree with this attitude. Even the American Media acts in a more responsible way when it comes to follow ups.

I can think of a lot more, but i will stop this here since this post is getting too long. Will continue in another post.

I hope that our media will be more responsible at the face of another 26 11. Self restraint has been show by citizens, can media do the same is a very important question.

Mumbai Carnage (part 1)

Well, my first blog is here. Would have really loved to start off with something brighter but lets just say the time has forced my hand to start of with a much sadder note. After all being a mumbaiker cldn’t just turn a blind eye to what my beautiful city has had to go through again. Well I will also join the chorus to say “THIS IS THE LIMIT”. Bu I would like to differ at a many a good no: of points.

From a Carnage to a Circus

Let me confess. I committed a lot of murders in last few days. And my victims, our soft spoken PM , L K Advani, Modi and Deshmukh at least 10 times each (while I was in the toilet, while hitting the sack at nite, or while traveling in the Mumbai localllll). I am sorry but I think I can now write a new blog on “how to kill politicos”..lol. But the politicos never stop to amaze me, “Bade Bade shehro mein aise ek haath hadse ho jathe hai”….. wat a comment… Well that comment would have made the LeT feel as if they hvnt even been able to say “booooo” to the indian politicans. Wat a reply? And I applaud Mr. Deshmukh for his great ideas even in the face of adversity. After the great indian innovations of religious tourism and medical tourism here he presents a grand idea called “Terorrist Tourism”. He could start letting people go into Taj to take a peak after paying a ticket of 10 or 20 bucks. Well what a way to show respect to your able officers. But BJP nevers shy’s away from competition. If congress makes a blunder they will not be far behind. Mr Naqvi is the great leader of BJP who is now going to decide who can offer condolences and prayer meetings and who cannot. May be BJP should try adding that to their election manifesto, that they would enact a law not letting reporters with lipstick cover terror situations or westernized girls to offer condolences. Well thanks but no thanks, I would rather prefer the shariah law.

Hey BTW, I just forgot to ask, where is Laloojii, Mulayamji and Paswanji. Neither did I hear from Sir Chandrababu Naidu or the great Communists (whether they be L M N O P or Q or even be without a Q). Lalooji can think of taking a leaf out of Deshmukhji’s book … he can make more profit for railways by running train via Jaipur, Ahmadabad, Surat, Mumbai, Hyderabad. May be even extent it to kannur in kerala. The Home ground of SIMI. Marthi Manoos Raj Thackerayji… now u can come out of ur house, some Maharashtrians , south Indians and north Indians together have killed the terrorists 3 days back so that u can safely pursue ur holy war. Let the circus begin. I am sorry to say this but MNS guyz,,,, ur Raj Thackrey is not half the maharashtrian Hemant Karkare or Vijay Salaskar turned out to be. Jai Maharashtra( with full repsect and a feeling that I too am a maharashtrian… may be born a south indian..But I live here… this is my home and I like maharashtra as much as I like my mother…).

Well, why blame the politicos alone, even the media was not far behind.And by writing the next few lines I am gonna ensure that no media house is gonna read my blog any more. Well at least not NDTV and Mumbai Mirror. What I am talking about? Well Barkha Dutt screwed up big time while otherwise meticolous coverage of this carnage by NDTV. Well she was standing at the door steps of Taj on the Saturday morning when NSG had just done taking care of all the terrorists ( I hope the took good care ) and shouted up to the NSG guy on the first floor who was looking out of the window “Any more terrorists”. I just blurted out “Sweatheart, do u think NSG is drunk to let u so close with a terrorist alive?”. Well my second fav statement was a whole article from Mumbai Mirror. The article carried how smartian a paper it was by not carrying messages of various B list stars and wanna be starlets. Lemme just ask.. What are you guyz then doing now by writing four columns on these stars and their PR people? Look who is crying foul at others trying to take mileage out of situations. Anyway Times Now, CNN-IBN , Headline Today had their share of blunders, with one of these channels saying ( I think CNN… not sure) saying that they had warned abt sea routes almost a year back.

Let me be frank here the media is though lesser but still a culprit. Wat do they do once they have broadcasted these stings and operations? How many times do they back up, revisit and update ppl on the status? They make as much money as possible with the initial hue and cry and then just let it go. We need a strong media to build a strong nation. Not a media that just sensationalizes news but ensures that the common man does not forget it. A media that loads his guns as the common man fights his wars. Asks the right questions to the right ppl and more importantly repeat the question till an acceptable answer is received.

The Indian media I am very sad to say is not mature enough to self censor and self direct (I still remember the images of a police officer begging a reporter not to go into the hotel behind the terrorists folding his hands and shouting “Please, Please…..”). I some times fear that Indian media will try to broadcast live the rape of a girl than try to stop it. That too is rape. A rape of morality of us viewers, a kind of thinking that pen is supreme that sword. Its strong but not supreme I should remind my friends in the media. Though after saying all this, I should say that they were far better in covering this carnage than previous times.

Well I just wanted to write a few good ideas on how to deal with the current situation and how to fight this war… Not the “War on Terror”… But an internal war….a war for security, accountability, focus, use of technology and most importantly a better leadership. But all this bashing just took up al the space.. So please wait for my next blog. I am not asking for a fan following or smtng. Just ready my blog. Sleep over it and use any idea that I give if u can…..and fcrse gimme some that I can use (other than the idea of “Stop bloggin”…lol). Looking fwd to some good encouragement.

(plz frgv me for the spelling and grammatical mistakes...never was good with them)