Journalistic Maturity

As I was watching the TV recently and scanning the various news channels I was struck by one thing - Indian TV channels have the most paranoid news reporters. They are extremely well versed in predicting doomsday scenarios.

There were four stories that made me sit up and listen that particular day on four different channels.
1. The money for query scam in the parliament
2. An illegal slaughter house running in downtown New Delhi that showed blood and animal parts on the streets. With the cameraman taking special interest and zooming in on a bladder.
3. The Meerut police beating up couples in a park . The reason I guess was being together !
4. Rape and murder of an HP employee in the early hours by a taxi driver. The news reporter in this case was more worried abt how the victim had married outside of her community/caste/religion against the wishes of her parents. Like that justified her killing.

Each one of these stories was as dismal as it could get. It was a bad start to the day. In all these four reports, the news reporter ended his report on a dismal note. "Ees desh ka kya hoga" ..

I switched to BBC. They were running a story of a refugee camp in some African country. The pictures they showed were horrible portrayals of misery and woe. Children and women were dis-membered and decapitated. houses were burnt and countless killed. However at the end of the program, the reporter was very positive. He ended his story , with words that bought hope. He chose to put aside all the problems and focus on how we can make it better for these people. Rays of light in the otherwise dark sky.

I then turned to CNN. They were showing a a documentary on the anniversary of the Tsunami disaster. How entire villages were destroyed and thousands perished in the terrible waves of the ocean. They then highlighted a story of a small group of young men who were setting up wi-fi towers in the destroyed village so that aid agencies could work together to co-ordinate better. Again, HOPE in the midst of ruin and destruction.

Our so called journalists and reporters need to wake up and understand that they have a duty towards the people who watch their programs. And we need to mature as a nation and not be drawn to glossy crime thrillers masquerading as News channels. Journalism and mass media have to be harnessed for the betterment of the country. These are the people who reach countless homes every day. they can build nations. they need to sow seeds of hope and not despair.

I like a particular snippet on NDTV. It runs through various B&W pictures of regular day to day people with a very strong commentary and ends saying "Sawal Poocho" (Ask questions).