Somebody makes a mistake. Maybe the thief hasnt hid his track well enough . The businessman hasnt covered his affair well . The celebrity's escapades are not clandestine . A politician got caught in a sting operation . Everytime , regardless of the situation one huge organization goes crazy , dragging along millions of people with it , the media .
Knee-jerk reactions , instaneous decisions , melodrama , shouting , expert opinions characterize the famous masala industry of this country . Unknown people from all walks of life get to face demaaanding questions , experts of all subjects from poop-cleaning to economics face the glaring studio lights ; live reports are generated by reporters instantly signing off with a "for xxxxy channel , yyzz"(thats the only thing I can hear and understand clearly in the whole 10 minutes in which they speak non-stop).
The news channels never seem to let go of the world headlines : everything makes the headlines. From the 2g scam to the decision by the press on not to publicize the bachchan's expected scion's birth .
The television media has mistakenly taken itself too seriously . From doing dignified coverage of scoops and stories , it has moved on to a style that resembles more of a saas-bahu television namely that of shock and FUD . Reporters and people shout in the studios in the name of debates . Suits with a heavy Indian accent report you the breaking news with the same 10 sec clip shown for hours .Ladies call up unknown experts asking questions and refusing answers , pretending to know something about what they are talking .
This gets worse when a homicide case is covered . The 2008 Noida double murder case is a shining example of the media's insensitivity. Not only did they disregard the privacy of the family , the entire circus roamed around the house , which might have destroyed much needed evidence , pretending to be forensic experts and giving judgements on the outcome of the case .
What amazes me is their stubborn refusal to mend their ways and their determination in not letting any thoughts or criticism get through their heads .Its like getting a new idea is like catching HIV and therefore unhealthy at all costs.
While there are some good examples , the number and the occasions in which they are displayed are too few . Also lacking from the media is a lack of critcism . Barkha Dutt has no doubt earned the ire of many a blogger for forcing a blogger to take down his article which was downright against his constitutional rights. May the stupidity of the Indian media never cease .
Being nothing more than aam aadmi , we can do nothing but watch in despair as entertainment and news becomes one , how anything and everything is blown out of proportions just to get a goddamned number called TRP to increase, how insensitivity means more profit and less privacy means more viewers. An action against this would no doubt be derided again as an attack on freedom of speech despite the fact that freedom will be attained only when these speeches finally end .
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