News Excess
I am not really a news freak; at the most, I view the various news channels (and there seem to be quite a lot of them!) with nothing more than a perfunctory interest, stopping at them just long enough to catch the headlines. Beyond this, their utility seems suspect. At times, they look idiots pretending to be intellectuals.
This sudden deluge of news is unbalancing, especially since I have lived without TV for long.
Even the size of newspapers is shocking. In Kathmandu, leading English dailies like Himalayan Times were at the most 12-16 pages, while Kathmandu Post finished in 6 pages; no supplements, no add-ons! In Delhi, the newspapers seem to be more weight-lifting instruments than reading materials!
Electricity Shortage Coverage
Delhi’s electricity woes are quite legendary. Hence, I didn’t find it very odd that despite privatization the situation is only marginally better, but overall quite status quo as before. Hence, I found it very funny the way all channels went ad nauseum about the power shortage in the past few days. Funnier sights were the way they interviewed some citizens, and collected a small crowd together clucking their tongues and grumbling about the power situation. You had this fifty plus gentleman with a serious face cribbing about For all you know, that person would have literally grown up without electricity in his childhood; I am sure the situation is much better than that now! There was a young yuppy-ish father lamenting on loss of study time for children, while two precocious kids smiled gleefully into the camera, not really looking that concerned about missed studies! Another lady came on, more content that she was on camera, than making any serious point about power generation.
The entire sequence wore a grotesquely comic look, and gave a farcical effect –an attempt at making serious news out of nothing! Surprisingly, there was no soundbyte from the power company honchos or government powers-that-be, which could have somewhat added value to the show. Overall I fail to understand the purpose of creating such a program- there is power shortage, inform it and move on; what was the point of creating a masquerade that served no better purpose other than probably making those who came on-screen call up their friends and relatives to boast that ‘they came on TV’!
That was one instance. The other was obviously the detailed coverage of Pramod Mahajan. This was kind of given in today’s world. Celebrity sickness and death have become the nation’s entertainment. However, it all depends on the celebrity and the way he/she choses to die!
Celebrity Deaths
Two celebrity deaths in a week’s span were shocking. But it’s the print media’s coverage of both that left me extremely cold (I will only mention print media here, as I skipped the television channels). While Pramod Mahajan got full front page space, music maestro Naushad’s demise was relegated to small column corners.
This only led me to think on two aspects – a) are we really a nation crazed and obsessed with politicians, politics and power, while finer things like arts/artistic talent are relegated to sidelines? b) Or, are we so given to sensationalism that a normal death hardly matters to anyone, even if the person involved is someone of Naushad’s stature!
Following is a letter I shot off to Hindustan Times (and published today; print edition):
Pramod Mahajan’s family has suffered a great deal but as a politician he didn’t do much for the average citizen. On the other hand, Naushad’s music has charmed millions down the ages and continues to entertain. If the media reports on the basis of a person’s influence on people is to be taken, then surely Naushad’s death should have been given at least half as much space as was devoted to politican Mahajan?
Particularly galling was the fact that responsible newspapers like Times of India got their facts completely wrong – Pakeezah was not Naushad’s score! To put it up as a choice on their daily vote was downright pathetic. Pakeezah’s major portion of music is by Ghulam Mohammad, and Naushad Saab only did the background score and one ’tarana’ after Mohammad’s death.
More likely, the difference in the coverage by newspapers lies in the third option: it’s the “age of the present” – ‘chadte sooraj ko pranaam karna’ is a famous saying in Hindi. And Naushad Saab was definitely not at his prime when he died. In this jet-age where a two month old song becomes eligible to be featured in ‘bhooli bisre geet’ program, Naushad was a relic from a forgotten era. Many youngsters would not even know his name, though they might dance to a remix from his ouvre.
Perhaps, it’s time to think and stop a while that in our race to move ahead, in this mad rush to be on the top, we are forgetting a lot of our past – be it the freedom fighters, or the artistes, or more near us, our grandparents/elders! Wasn’t Rang De Basanti really trying to say this?
I will not condone the way actor Rajkumar’s fans went berserk, bringing the entire city to a complete halt. That was the other extreme.
I am sure there is a middle path that will honor the legend adequately, as well as keep the news diarrhea in check!
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May 11th, 2006 at 9:41 am
So you started to compare between Nepal And India.
Seeing the news coverage of Nausad in TV channels I also feed bad about it. As you said the proverb is Hindi we have, “baleko aago sabai taapchhan.” Means people get warm their hands if there is fire burning.
Everywhere power or money speaks………..
So nice to see you are regular here
.
May 11th, 2006 at 10:05 am
Hey I’m came here again
.
The news of the headline “MaiN Na SunuNgi” was related with remix. In one program when Lata di hears the remix, she put her hands on her ears. And you could have seen the pain on her face……
Yesterday, I got to see the headlines “Jeb meN Bollywood” So thought let’s see what the news was that. You won’t believe that it was news about bollywoods game in mobile and there were interviews with girls and other person and teaching how to play etc. It was really too much.
May 11th, 2006 at 10:36 am
Chalo, you are back to blogging!
about the news channels, the lesser said the better… they are no more news channels than entertainment channels…. what with programs like ’saas bahu aur saazish’ on star news, an entire hour devoted to television soaps!!!! GROSS!
As far as pramod mahajan vs naushad’s coverage is concerbed…. you yourself have pointed out in your post ke naushad was past his prime. and how many childern of toda’s generation would’ve heard of him you think? even though they may have heard his work, they may not be aware of the man himself…. and newspapers and tv channels dole out only qwhat they think their readers ansd viewrs want… hence the less coverage…. another fact is the huge family drama around mahajan’s death…. shot by his brother, battled for his life and finally succumbed to his injuries…. it was by no means a natural death…. ppl love controversy…. naushad on the other hand was aged…. and they was no controversy there…..
May 11th, 2006 at 10:36 am
what i like about wordpress is that it allows us to write looooooooooooooooooooooooooong comments!
May 11th, 2006 at 10:39 am
looks like i missed yesterday’s post by a minute!
May 11th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Welcome to the world of NEWS CHANNELS….these ppl keep repeating even a small incident n number of times…kya kare they have to fill something or the other 24×7…
I remember as a kid…News on DD…ahhh…those days !!:)
Though i enjoy various shows on ‘NDTV 24×7′ & ‘NDTV Profit’…’Times Now’ is new and bearable.
Dilli Ke Garmi…arre yaar with the increase in P’s..the avg temp around the world is increasing every year…btw I did like Ms Dixit’s idea of closing down the markets early to save some bijli….lekin anth mein kuch nahin hua…:(
Agree with your views about the coverage on Mahajan’s Death and Naushad’s…n appreciate you writing to HT.
May 11th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
Yea I agree…the deaths of 2 media personality was surely a shocker…however, i disagree slightly with what you say…both Pramod Mahajan and Naushad Sahab stood out in their field of work…the coverage given to both these people was hopeless…be it the time when Pramod Mahajan was shot which somehow was hte front page news for 2 days n then shifted to page 3 etc… same goes for Naushad Sahab, paying a tribute nowadays has become more like a cursory job. Sad that the media should do so.
May 11th, 2006 at 10:46 pm
About the garmi darn it the lesser said the better….i think we are being roasted slowly and its just perfect with the power cuts!
May 11th, 2006 at 10:47 pm
And congrats on the letter making it to HT…and yaar ab toh party de do
May 12th, 2006 at 11:40 am
An overdose of News indeed!!!
And with soo many channels - it was sure to happen. What else will they show 24X7? Its a rather sad state really….. I am forced to think, why is this always the case in India. First there’ll be years n years or nothing and then a complete overdose! Be it news, mobiles or sexy stuff on TV!
When will there be a balance?
May 12th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
heyy.. nice to see u back in full form in this new blog
yeah.. even i felt the same as to why they were making a big issue of everything.. now even tht bhudia incident.. they r overplaying tht issue..
they have to do all these to maintain some viewership.. cos now there r sooo many news channels tht they r fighting among themselves as to how they cover each n everythin…
May 12th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
I would recommed Discovery’s Travel & Living big time…
May 13th, 2006 at 7:50 am
SILKY MOON Ab thode din toh aisa comparison chalega hi na
About remixes, well less said the better!
ANKS Eeks , Saas Bahu Aur Saazish from the name itself sounds GROSS! Thank God I hvnt seen it! Y’day Aaj Tak was showing a program on ‘Bollywood Jodis’ with spl emphasis on Kareena-Shahid. It was the kind of reporting and such basic stuff that even a third rate film magazine will not touch with a barge pole!
You wrote “and how many childern of toda’s generation would’ve heard of him you think? even though they may have heard his work, they may not be aware of the man himself” - But then who will make them aware , if not the media and the channels???
Oh yes, WP has that advantage
MEHAK Yep I realised that to fill the space they will put in real stupid stuff also sometimes. LOL , even me too remembers too well the good ol’ DD news days.
I wasnt too happy with the idea of shops closing early though it might hv saved bijli. Garmi mein din mein shopping karna is impossible, its better to have them open late and late them stay open late
Will check out Travel and Living on Discovery
ANUBHA Hmmm, I dont think Mahajan got any less coverage. Honestly speaking, tujhe mujhe jaise average logon ke liye how does Mahajan matter in the daily course of life? But Naushad saab’s music na ho toh its a big slice gone from Bollywood film music. That matters to me a lot!
Thanks … but lots parties from ur end are also due, starting from ur bday treat
So lets hv them !
NUPUR Bingo! U hv put it really well - badhiya summarise kiya!
PRASAD Welcome here , and do keep coming in
Yep, even i feel the Budhia episode has been stretched enough now!
June 30th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
you are the best