Sensationalism - a distasteful part of Media

The Bad and the Ugly news Media

Annotation: The following commentary emphasises the glaring inaptitude of the present -day Indian Media in discharging its onerous duties with due diligence. At the same time, I feel compelled to offer my apologies to the old-timers for my somewhat harsh comments on the frivolous and cavalier attitude of the contemporary reporters towards news reportage and as also to pay them due tribute for their outstanding contribution to news reportage in the best tradition of the profession.

If globally a trophy was instituted for an odd piece of sensational news casting, the Indian Media is bound to do us proud by winning it pens down and lips sealed.

For, the new crop of our uniquely talented media reporters have developed extraordinary skills at forging or finding fault in order to manufacture unwholesome controversies.

All it takes is: pick an odd phrase out of a text or speech, subject it to cynical manipulations of biased reportage and then blow it out of context to fill a column, splash the most preposterous bit as a front-page headline, and then sit back and revel in the resultant exhibition of sickening national-outrage. And lo the reporter?s day is made on cooking his unsuspecting victim?s goose!

Therefore, it?s not odd if off the cuff innocuous remarks made by the inherently unintelligible George should become the subject matter of a set of controversies, leading to scorching Bush fire; forgetting the fact that President Bush is more famous for a whole series of outstanding public bloomers rather than for his circumspection in dealing with matters of national and international import. That is the reason, if given a third term of presidency, he?d be quite capable of burying all burning problems, along with the rest of us worldlings, in God?s acre.

But in spite of it all, what was it that George really said that should raise heckles all around? Isn?t it a case of simple economics to reckon that when demand outstrips supply, whatever the reason, it creates shortage? Shortage may occur due to the influence of any number of factors prevailing universally or nationally. An important factor responsible for shortages mentioned by Bush is no doubt the burgeoning populations of countries like India and China. Out of the estimated six billion world population, India and China alone account for roughly one forth of this total. It?s an accepted fact that emerging economies fuel consumption necessary for growth. In addition, overpopulated nations are bound to consume more, especially when it comes to bare necessities like food. Instead of playing stupid blame game we should be earnestly identifying factors detrimental to national progress and harmony rather than wasting our breath on meaningless controversies. The underlined factor most responsible for all our woes, to which we all seem to be blind, is the uncontrolled spillage of people from each nook and corner of our hearths, leading to formation of a vast sea of humanity within our coasts; the contribution from the illiterate and poverty-stricken masses being the most glaring in this respect. I don?t mean disrespect to these hapless beings but am merely stating a cruel fact that has been glossed over by the authorities, economists and the media so far. The worst effects of overpopulation are bound to result in want, hunger, disease, pollution, natural calamities; and bloody public unrest, conflicts and riots. We are already beginning to feel the heat of some of these factors. Unless we act promptly and work diligently in controlling population, we may soon be enjoying the dubious distinction of being the most populated country in the world, with little scope of loosing our first position in the future. On the contrary, somnolent policy makers are unduly complacent to the dangers of neglect or probably believing in the dictum, the more the merrier. I may be harping on the subject to a point of causing annoyance all around. But you see, it is simply a question of life and death for all of us! Our rulers and economists ought to know that digit percentage growth of economy can never keep pace with geometric progression of population growth, and therefore leading to perpetually progressive shortages in every sphere.

Now to pose few questions to the witless: is Bush responsible in any way for the dismal failures of our policy makers, who are known to flounder from crises to crises, groping in the dark looking for solutions without the aid of good sense to show them the way to progress and national harmony? If our politicians lack the wisdom to realise the gravity of our hopeless situation chiefly arising from the problem of a burgeoning population, which has crossed all the limits of manageability; will it help matters by simply blaming Bush or someone else one way or the other?

Instead, why don?t we cut the crap and take a moment off from our trifling tirades against phantom adversaries and just ponder this awhile: if ?army ants? can devour everything in its path and lay the surface bare in no time; what destruction can be wrought by a multitudinous chain of hungry human beings on the rampage? You may try and guess but I am sure of the answer.

But our so-called public servants and illustrious Media are too preoccupied with pedantic governance and superfluous reporting to pay attention to anything worthwhile in the public interest. Politicians are always depending on media sent chances to divert attention from their utter inadequacies in tackling pressing problems facing the nation. And the Media on its part is ever so obliging in addition to suffering from a most miserable plight. It seems to have abdicated its duty for the lure of the buck. That is why it deems fit to serve you sometimes the morning paper snugly wrapped around in a colourful advertisement. No space is sacred from the pervading blot of Ads. Repetitions of controversial, absurd and cricket-driven news and inexpressive photographs are order of the day the weeklong. Add to it the pettiness of reportage; your morning cup of tea is bound to taste insipid. That?s one reason why newspapers often acquire the character of a third-rate tabloid, for which serious readers have no taste. One would hope the honourable editors and their esteemed staff of reporters would remind themselves of the vital role they were expected to play in determining the course our democracy should follow in order to reach its cherished goals and as also of the fulfillment of their onerous duty towards society by pursuing the task of moulding public opinion to good effect.

But it seems the Media has lost all love for labour. Instead of scouting the land for worthwhile news, its reporters prefer the air-conditioned comfort of the armchair to scribble contrived news stories crafted from half-truths. In spite of it, one supposes, they are earning handsome pay-packages by simply dishing out unpalatable fare with a dash of spice on top to whet one?s curiosity and make you ingest the lot --- and this write-up is simply the throw up of the ingested rubbish served by the media after having suffered from a prolonged bout of indigestion.

As far as Visual Media is concerned, news channels are simply beneath contempt even for a cursory comment. Each time you access most of them, you?ll be left nonplussed on encountering a blast of garbage. Suffice to say their licenses should be cancelled forthwith without notice, baring few exceptions for being relatively tolerable. Those allowed to continue should be asked to sift trash from substance in programming or face the ignominy of being slapped with official writ for closure.

It would indeed be futile to expect a modicum of expression in expiation from the addressees if at all by some lucky chance this exposition is as much as glanced over by them.

Flt. Lt. R. S. Sekhon (retd.)
May 9, 2008