January 20th, 2009 Joydeep Ghosh
|
I am angry.
Every time something goes wrong, it’s the media’s fault. Just today, I received a mail that read something like this:
“Attached are the new Sebi guidelines for FMPs. No portfolio, no indicative yield, no exit.
This product just got killed. I hope the media is happy. Every one is going into bank deposits where the loan book is very, very transparent!!!”
(A confession first…I did a spell check on this letter.)
Whether it is coverage of the Mumbai attacks, undoing of some fund houses, or even the Satyam fracas, it’s always the media that’s to blame.
More ridiculous is that some websites or columnists have even said the media should have delved deeper into Raju’s machinations before promoting or giving him awards.
Can someone answer this simple question: With Price Waterhouse as auditors, very capable (now, very maligned) independent directors and Fortune 500 companies as clients, why should the media get the flak?
Or is it a crime to report anything negative?
When the going is good, no one complains. That is, if there are a few frauds (and there are quite a few ones) during boom time, they are overlooked. Even if there are strong reports, positive sentiments override them. The attitude then is, “arre, aise choti choti baatein hoti rehti hain“.
But when everyone is strained, jobs are under threat and making money becomes a difficult task, people are quick to pounce on the ‘messenger’.
As if the messenger caused it.
Let’s get this clear. Skeletons have to come out of the cupboard for them to be reported. And these things happen more during a downturn because there are fewer places to hide.
The Satyam saga and the World Bank’s strictures on Wipro were reported following a confession in the first instance and the second being put up on the bank’s website. And the media has not tried to hide it under the carpet.
Of course, there could be more similar violations. But we, more often than not, do not have the manpower or the expertise to explore such areas. No wonder, we have to rely on secondary and sometimes, even tertiary sources. And sometimes when investigation is done and gets reported, it is conveniently termed witch-hunting.
The media’s role is to report…often unsavoury things. But they did occur in the first place, right? That’s why we reported them.
|
Loading ...
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 at 6:23 pm and is filed under General.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Disclaimer
All the content posted in the 'Business Standard Blogs' section, unless specified otherwise, are made by Business Standard employees. The content posted in 'Business Standard Blogs' does not follow routine internal Business Standard reviews and editorial processes and should be considered only as the views and opinions of the employees and not of Business Standard.
March 10th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Hi Joydeep,
You can pour out your angst in www.angstcorner.com!Make sure you visit this,will definitely help!
February 5th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
First, let me thank all of you for the responses. While I am not surprised that many of you feel that media is irresponsible - 26/11 or Arushi murder case or Mangalore being pointed out by many to prove their points. Even I do agree that media has gone over board many times, especially when it comes down to reporting sensitive issues. And the quality of reporting maybe wanting in many cases.
The issue is something else.
My anger stems from the fact that we cannot be made whipping boys for all that goes wrong. Whether the quality was good or bad or sensationalised is something for the reader/channel watcher to decide.
But the point here is that we did not cause the events to happen. We reported what happened. Unless people would rather not know what happened on 26/11 or in Arushi Murder case…
February 5th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Mr Joydeep
You must be sorry also for media sins, look how media had branded the officers of oil sector as “Deshdrohi”/ “Atankwadi”. This is only one example. Second one in Arushi murder case ‘how media delivered the verdict that her father is murderer of daughter”. Is any news channel apologised for such type of false reporting. These are few examples. Media should be sorry for misleading the general public. Now it is your turn so u are feeling angry. When you people are tarnishing the other then be ready for your turn also and do not get angry.
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 am
Mr Joydeep, you are angry…we (common man) too….you feel the pain when you get to receiving end….we have seen horrible media (esp electronic) reporting in recent time (Mumbai attack, Satyam issue)…most of media houses look for “masala” and make business out of it….seems these days media houses are diversifying into manufacturing (of news)….
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:33 am
Dear Joydeep
Kindly give us general public to express our opinion about you folks too. Just as much no should blame the messenger for the bad news, you should not hold it against us from expressing what we feel about the media. I am sure not everything about the media is above board. Is everything written/broadcasted above board? Introspect and you will find it is not. The fact of the matter - you guys are in the “business of news” and accepting it let’s stop taking a high moral ground. All these stuff about “Free and Fair” reporting sucks!!! It is a given fact that man with the money decides (or makes) the news. Unless you feel it is good for your business news is not a news. The practice of creating a news for the sake of news is not a rarity in the industry too. Recently, I happened to listen to a very learned and senior journalist who was pitching for his newspaper - look my newspaper never showed color photographs of deadbodies unlike others who do so without any concern for the families of the dead. Some justification this!!!
Joydeep, I am sure you watch the news channels, read newspaper - the coverage is blatantly for business. Create a movie out of a tragedy, sensationalize, wait for the right soundbytes, put words into the mouth - anything that can increase your eyeball count. Where is the responsibility? We saw how responsible the news channels were during the 26/11 (or for that matter any such tragic situations). I rather refer to your tribe as news(makers) in the literal sense, people who makes (as in create) news even if there are none. The Mangalore incident got trivialized into a stupid political battle and thanks to the clowns in the media, it sure will die its natural death with all the culprits getting scotfree attributing the whole thing as a political tamasha and not worth the ink it is printed on (or the time it is on air). As you can clearly see, it has lost its news-value!!! and slowly out of the media radar.
So take a walk, gentleman! You get what you deserve. Nothing new about this!!!
January 30th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Joydeep can be angry and is in right being so as he seem from media and have to defend fellow colleagues or even go on offence in attacking web columnists and bloggers who found a fault with their type of reporting.
Joydeep, I have some queries if you can address them with rationale and without being angry!
Mangalore incident: It is a very sad incident in which girls were beaten by 6 or so men in their twentys, as reported. But the incident came to light after TV channels made a movie out of it. Media guys were informed priorly by Sene to come to the place. What stopped media from reporting it to Police first so that such crime would have been avoided. No… if they do that they loose the chance of a sensational news for the day!
Media continued this ‘Breaking news’ saga for 3 days calling fellow Indian citizens compared to Talibans…. Is it fair? Iam not defending the committers of the crime but telling clearly the abettors cannot escape from their basic responsibility of informing the authorities and help in averting such nasty incident. This clearly shows even after 26/11 attack, still media hasn’t realized its blunder of sensatioinalising things thereby causing maximum damage to people’s belief in media.
My next question - we know how Taslima Nasreen was treated in india last year before she jumped off the country, for its helpless UPA rule not able to give protection to one woman. We saw her getting beaten up black and blue by 50 MIM (Muslim political party in Andhra) activists with chairs and cheppals at a discussion forum in Hyderabad. Not to mention what happened in Calcutta where she stayed for more time facing all verbal threats, abusive phone calls and finally turned to be riot situation with minority muslim youth forcing local government to slam doors for Taslima. Have you (media) reported these incidents in the same breath to that of mangalore incident? Are the so called Number1 news channels flashed news for days and conducted hot discussions by calling those criminals Talibans?
Can media ever report such tragic incidents fairly and condemn them in equal terms? Can we the general public who read your newspapers and see your channels of news and believe whatever you report, can ever expect a fair play from you guys in future atleast?
All this unfair reporting makes one to think he/she became less favoured in their own nation as per their religion / state they live in. Is this we call a fair reporting?
Let me tell if you still feel angry it should be on your fellow media reporters for misrepresentation some times and sensasationalize most of the other times.
January 29th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Electronic Media’s role considering it as an extension of Fourth estate in a democratic setup like ours is much higher than just explosive reporting. Be it 26/11, Satyam, Arushi murder case, it was media who first reported also milead and broken the faith of Indian viewers.
For instance take 26/11, the way media reported it giving the details of guests in the hotels and their whereabouts ultimately helped terror groups in Pakistan to suitably change their strategy by deploying terrorists at vantage locations. So called awarded journalists were all thru the nights telling people ‘first on our channel’ … is it not ‘bikao kaam’? What is that media trying to prove that they are first n best in showing horrowing / terrifying scenes and by telling their own fantasies for every gun shot that got fired.
In Arushi’s case also by pressurizing police to make fall flat as ‘father being the killer of daughter’ … is it not medias’ hastyness going after police every minute and telecasting / debating on the sad event for days together only made police succumb to media’s pressure and ended up like a routine case ‘pehle arrest karo phir investigate karo’ type.
More recently in mangalore incident, while certain media houses has got calls from Sena activists of their ensued action and even took media camera men along with them, why not those media guys inform police first, so as such incident wouldn’t have occurred in the first place.
But media doesnt want to stop a incident from happening but want to sensationalise and report it later after nice editing of the pictures of vulnerable girls being hit. Later make repeat telecasts and hike your TRPs … shame on such media houses
But since media people still defend their own unprofesional unethical actions without an iota of guilty, People shall urge once again govt to bring out such legislation with Dos and Donts for media coverage. But then citing impending general elections UPA will not loose good-will as it needs them to campaign for UPA
January 29th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Electronic Media’s role considering it as an extension of Fourth estate in a democratic setup like ours is much higher than just explosive reporting. Be it 26/11, Satyam, Arushi murder case, it was media who first reported also milead and broken the faith of Indian viewers.
For instance take 26/11, the way media reported it giving the details of guests in the hotels and their whereabouts ultimately helped terror groups in Pakistan to suitably change their strategy by deploying terrorists at vantage locations. So called awarded journalists were all thru the nights telling people ‘first on our channel’ … is it not ‘bikao kaam’? What is that media trying to prove that they are first n best in showing horrowing / terrifying scenes and by telling their own fantasies for every gun shot that got fired.
In Arushi’s case also by pressurizing police to make fall flat as ‘father being the killer of daughter’ … is it not medias’ hastyness going after police every minute and telecasting / debating on the sad event for days together only made police succumb to media’s pressure and ended up like a routine case ‘pehle arrest karo phir investigate karo’ type.
More recently in mangalore incident, while certain media houses has got calls from Sena activists of their ensued action and took media camera men along with them, why not those media guys inform police first so as such incident wouldn’t have occurred in the first place
Since still media people defend their own actions without iota of guilty, People shall urge once again govt to bring out such legislation with Dos and Donts for media coverage. But then citing impending general elections UPA will not loose good will it propped with media all the years, so we can only expect more sensationalism not truth from media.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
THE FOLLOWING EVENT IS TAKING PLACE AND IT CONCERNS AMERICANS AS WELL AS CANADIANS PFIZER COVER UP OVER MEDICATION CELEBREX IN CANADA This is a very real situation and the media so far is being very sheepish! My FACTS are rock solid!!!!!! I will not be bought off! I will not let their lawyers make the suggestion AGAIN! They already have! I have many Youtube videos that outline the evnet and the user name is (zodiac1369) or a google search with the words (pfizer coverup) MAINSTREAM MEDIA ARE ACTING VERY SHEEPISH The Americans that have been hurt by this medication are being taken advantage of. Pfizer should not be getting away with this in your PROGRESSIVE COUNTRY . If not for the AMERICAN health system I would not have been able to prove this. So this concerns AMERICANS as much as it does CANADIANS. I STAND STRONG!!DAY 32 and counting HUNGER STRIKE The condition in question is known has a Patent Foreman Ovale and it is a hole in the upper chambers of the heart, its this hole that allowed the blood clots that the pill makes to pass into my artery system and cause the occlusion in my leg. That is why when they knew who I was (LEAD PLAINTIFF) during the first 2 times the test was done they created allot of confusion and even tried to lie about doing it the first time. It is why when I went to the Washington state Hospital and they had no Idea of my involvement with the lawsuit they report on the condition correctly.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
ICICI Bank Group Company $ 25 Bn Nasdaq Listed worked with PWC in e-governence space and Manipulation of Govt Funds happened
www.3i-infotech.com formely known as icici-infotech.
http://economiccrimeexperts.ning.com/profiles/blogs/icici-bank-group-company-25
Happy Republic Day,
Jai Ho..
January 25th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Not sure about media’s role in the FMP case as mentioned in the piece above and does not appear to be blamed, however the rapid growth in media sector is a cause of concern and has become too dangerously commercial.
But the majority of the concern is attributed to the TV media and less to print media. In recent times consider the ‘arushi murder case’ and it was utterly disgusting how media covered this. It was irresponsible and disappointing. I watched this closely not just because I was interested in the knowing who really did it, but wanted to check how any different people the media blames. What happened in the end? Still there is no conclusion and media had almost blamed almost all the people directly and indirectly related and the kid. It was not even investigative journalism, it was just a pathetic, 3rd grade sensational coverage to increase TRP.
A responsible journalism is something that should present the event and make any judgments or conclusions and force the audience to think that way. Look at most of the top news honchos who put a panel of so called thought leaders and bring special coverage in front of Gateway of India, On ocean front lobbies of Taj’s etc, they come with some framework of questions to conclude in his/her way. Please observe if any person in the section tries to put the discussion in perspective and give answer in different way, then they are ruthlessly cut from their talk and the anchors move on to people who agree with them. Its tiring to see Raul Boses, javed akthars being in the panel for any sorry thing that happens.
The 26/11 was a shame to Indian TV coverage. It was highly irresponsible and exposed our lack of sensitivity, immature, lack of understanding and irresponsible approach towards the situations, lackof knowledge and competence of the field reporters. It was shameful over dramatized coverage with jurnos falling, rolling, running and jumping totally uncalled for.
Media is putting so much pressure on the investigations that, unfortunately people have started expecting results overnight. And real concern is that media is trying to publish uncooked results and that is really misleading and affects the cases.
But having said this, we can’t take away credit from media that it has done its share of being watch dog and given justice to a lot of cases that would have gone unnoticed and a lot of people have walked free.
What we need is ethical, educational and un biased journalism often I attach these attributes to late Peter Jennings at ABC.
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:06 pm
The media is baised , incompetent and full of itself . There is little knowledge and comptence . Please we need to kick it hard and make it work , yes the Raju bida types need to be kicked harder !!
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:35 pm
It is very sad but true that some sections of media have brought disrepute to it. Let’s do some honest self introspection rather than spending time in posting this blog. Let’s look back and assess how the media handled 26/11 in Mumbai. It was so unprofessional. The whole nation has seen how some of the award winning journalists (the name are anybody’s guess) were making mockery of themselves in front of the camera with every gun shot.
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Media is not totally “bika hua”. This is roadside and teashop talk and some English speakers who always want to be one with the masses and public sentiments. There are good people and they are telling us everything on blog forums
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:40 am
Its not about what you report. Its about how you report and what you are trying to achive. There is no denying that good things come out of media and people benefit. Explain me why the same frames are repeated 10-15 times when you report any vandalism or bomb blast ?
Why any news has to be breaking news. Why could not anyone in media get that the same reporting could be used against the commandos and security personnel working to save lives. It was so obvious for everyone else. And with all hype and hoopla was media not hindering the progress? That’s where media is blamed.
But there are hell many good things that come out in media. I am no discounting that. But as always good things are forgotten in a hurry and bad thing linger on..
Good journalism is all we ask and want. No sensationalization, no drama. Report it objectively.