Bihar on television: Same visual - same voiceover.

Hope all media head love this! A new irrational though to a society, that really need attention.The 'Bihar' of India is a territory where the assumption and prejudiceness of common man has similar notions. This time this page shows you the agression about the television, covering them in same stereotypical frame!

http://www.petitiononline.com/biharis/petition.html

To: The Heads of Media Organisations

We are shocked, appalled and dismayed! Bihar and Biharis are offended by the unethical treatment of the mediastories on many national television channels. Media should refrain from stereotyping of Bihar and give up itslaziness which prompts it to cover sensational stories instead ofresearch based stories which improves the quality of life of thepeople. Media has always been biased towards, rich, powerful, urban,upper caste/class and males. Bihar is a poor state and hence the mostgullible target to be used in anyway the media wants to. It is notunusual to find storiesfrom Bihar that are often in extreme bad tasteand most of the time unethical.Please click on the link below to sign in and to register ur protest.

biharisinmedia@yahoogroups.com

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Media Murders Manoj: A Reality Check Of The Reality Shows

Yesterday, i.e. on 15th of August, when the whole country was celebrating 60th Independence day in the clouds of security breach and terrorist attacks, one person died just due to the insensitivity of TV media. It was not only insensitivity, rather some visually hungry people compelled Manoj Mishra of Gaya to commit suicide by lending him the towel soaked in the diesel.

The basic story we are aquainted with through today's newspapers and channel coverage is just a tip of the iceberg. The inside story is more horrible and speaks itself the cruelty of the reality shows which have now become a staunch reality of the immatured Indian TV Media. Manoj had given a threat to commit suicide on 15th of August in front of a dairy of which he was a transport contractor.He never thought that this melodrama just for the sake of getting paid Rs. 2 Lakhs from the dairy which was due on it would result in his unwanted untimely death.

The first attempt of suicide went in vain...Manoj failed as he was shivering from fear of death...a reporter and a cameraman commented on this...Diesel Nakli baa kaa...(Is the diesel adulterated?)...(This is the the part of the unedited visual which was sent to the Channel's office in Noida.) After that, Manoj was sure that no one will be coming to his rescue, but on the contrary media wanted that he commits suicide to make a great contradictory news on the eve of Independence Day. Then the reporter asked cameraman to take the shots...Shot le... as manoj tried for the second time. And the story was now complete.

Although the name of the channel has not been made public...the name of the reporter and cameraman is being kept confidential by the police inspite of having lodged an FIR against them...it is in the the interest of the public domain to make this information available. It was Sahara TV and the reporter was some Mrityunjay...

Star News criticised this action of the reporter and cameraman. A Question must be asked at this point to the media groups which are criticising this whole episode...Are you not the partners in crime? Who is responsible for making the love story of Matuknath and Julie a hype in the public? And to tell you more, this most popular reality show coverage in the last few months resulted in the suspension of the Sahara TV's Patna reporter just because he was late in giving the news and Star breaked this news. This was the same pressure which compelled the reporter and cameraman of Gaya to provoke Manoj to put himself on pire.

So who is responsible for this death? A channel? Media's recruitment policy? Breaking News Mania? Reality Show pressure? sellability of visuals? And who has the moral ground for criticising this whole event when we are also consciously or unconsciously a part of the breaking news syndrome?

We know better that people's memory is short lived and they forget a crime as soon as another crime is commited. At this point, it reminds me of the sentence which Ifthikhar Gilani of Kashmir Times spoke at the release of his book "My days in prison" a few days back in the India Habitat Centre..."We write so casually without thinking, but people rely on the written word as if it is the God's verdict...".

Both the things are true...people believe in the media's words, visuals...but they forget also. Do we think that just due to this forgetfulness, we can do anything we want in the name of showing truth? This is not a new question, but must be again addressed in the wake of Manoj's death. Let's ponder for a while....


Abhishek Srivastava

जलते व्यक्ति की एक्सक्लूजिव खबर !

निंदा की जानी चाहिए। शर्म आनी चाहिए और मानवता को शर्मसार करने वाली इस घटना पर दोषियों को सजा मिलनी चाहिए। आजादी का दिन, एक व्यक्ति बिहार के गया में किन्ही कारणों से आत्मदाह करने की कोशिश में साठ फीसदी जल गया। अगर ये सूनसान जगह पर किया गया कृत्य होता तो दोषी समाज और सरकार होते, पर पूरी मीडिया के सामने उसने आग की एक तीली से अपने शाल को के अंश को आग लगाई और धूं धूं कर जलने लगा। कैमरा कई एंगलों से दृश्य लेने लगा। जीता जागता तमाशा जल रहा था। कैमरामैन औऱ संवाददाता चिल्ला चिल्ला कर कह रहे थे कि, यहां से नहीं वहां से आग लगाओ, यहां नहीं वहां से दृ्श्य लो ( ये बात घटना स्थन से पता चली है)। हाल ही में दिल्ली में एक पुलिस वाले ने एक जल रहे व्यक्ति को खुद की जान पर खेलकर बचाया था, दिल में आस जगी कि मानवता शेष है। पर क्या मीडिया में मानवता का मोल नहीं रह गया है। एक व्यक्ति जल रहा है। संवाददाता मौजूद है, कैमरामैन खड़ा है, लोग देख रहे है, व्यक्ति जल रहा है। साठ फीसदी जल गया। बचा है तो जला शरीर। खाक हुई है तो मानवता। क्या इंसान का यह कर्तव्य नहीं बनता कि वो किसी भी जान देते व्यक्ति को रोके, टोके और किसी भी चाही घटना को रोके। शर्म आती है सोचकर कि ये है भारत का मीडिया, सचमुच 'खबर हर कीमत पर' के नाम के पैगाम से चलने वाले ये चैनल खबर जान लेकर भी चलना जानते है। वो भी एक्सक्लूजिव। दोषी कौन है सवाल जायज है। देखने वाला गुस्सा हो सकता है, चैनल बदल सकता है। बनाने वाला खबर का एंगल बदल देगा। पर मानवता को मारता रहेगा। इस बार अति हो गई सी लगती है। आप दृश्य देखकर यह सोचेंगे कि क्यों नहीं रोका गया उस जलते हुए व्यक्ति को। वजह साफ है। संवाददाता को हाईलाइट होना है, चैनल तो टीआरपी बढ़ानी है। शायद ये बहस ही खत्म हो चुकी है कि संवेदनशीलता मर चुकी है। अब तो सवाल ये है कि कब कौन जलेगा, किस चैनल पर जलेगा, कितने बजे जलेगा। मानवता को शर्मसार करने वालों सजा मिन ली चाहिए, नहीं तो जलना इनके लिए खबर बनती रहेगी, एक्सक्लूजिव खबर।

'सूचक'
soochak@gmail.com

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The Interpersonalism Of Indian Media

I think the word is too hard to follow...INTERPERSONALISM. We know about the interpersonal media...i.e. talking to each other...news arising from the word of mouth...what we call grapwine in the journalistic jargon. Now, we have been taught from a long time that this kind of media is totally different from what is called the Mass Media, of which we are the small stake holders or servants.

No one has talked about the the Mass Media being interpersonal in a long process after the private media boom in our country. If you can have a look at the news items, edit pages of dailies, reviews and columns, you can easily guess the interpersonalism pervading all over. Be it recruitments in the media houses or the freelance activities, one can get into the mainstream only when he/she has strong interpersonal links.

Journalistically, making PR strong is a good qualiy as regards to the news generation, but when it starts hurting the talent and the real spirit, it becomes a curse. Rather, speaking against these traits is also taken interpersonally, as if it has been done for some personal cause.

This is being written in the wake of the controversy which has arised in the print media after we posted an article on the fake journalism awards named "The Special Journalists Of Our Times". The argument being given is that...we all are hand in gloves as far as the interpersonal relationship is concerned...just in the name of progressiveness...being Leftists and having the same agenda. Is this acceptable?

Why can't things be seen as an objective exposure with the aim of informing the masses? This is the question which is completely intrapersonal...which needs a dilaectical survey of our two sided personalities...one as a journalist and the other as a manager...one as a responsible citizen and the other as a member of this vast Babudom and Netaland.

Do you think that this interpersonalisation of the Mass Media needs a healthy debate? If you are concerned about the day to day happenings of this dual world, write your comments to mediayug@gmail.com. After all, every one has the right to say, irrespective of the interpersonal relationships...

Bill is ready...will is not.

The bill is ready! Whole media is concentrated on the tracks the government follow. When it becomes a bill, yet not decided, but the fears are out. Read carefully and give your powerful comment to say that we live in a democracy, not in a remote controled teloscopic state.Well read it.....

http://www.mib.nic.in/informationb/POLICY/BroadcastingBill.htm

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टीवी की कृषि उपज...

'मीडियायुग' ने अपने चार माह के जीवन में इतना जरूर जान लिया है कि बदलाव कोई बाहर से नहीं लाया जा सकता है। हमने आज के मीडिया की उलझने औऱ मजबूरियों को समझते हुए एक मंच की परिकल्पना की थी, जो मीडिया खासकर टीवी को सही दिशा और सही जिम्मेदारी की अहसास कराए। बात केवल टीवी की ही नहीं, बदलते वक्त में हर मीडिया के सामने ये चुनौती है कि वो किस तरह अपनी उपादेयता साबित करे। नवप्रवाह और नवचेतना के इस युग में खबर बदली है, रूप बदला है और उसके सरोकार भी। कोई खबर जन की हो औऱ मन को भी भाए, ये जरूरी नहीं। आबादी की ज्यादातर जरूरतें ऐसी है जिनके लिए 'एक चिथड़े सुख' की लड़ाई जारी है। घर, मकान औऱ रोजी की रोजमर्रा जरूरतों में उलझा 'मानुस' क्या खबर के उस पहलू में सम्मिलित है जो पेश की जा रही है। गरीबी है, बेरोजगारी है, तंगी है, मिलावट है, कतारें है, सपने है और है एक बिन पहचान वाली जिंदगी। रेल के जनरल क्लास या महानगरों के बसों में ठुंसे लोग की कोई पहचान नहीं होती। वे भारत नहीं बनाते, सो खबर भी तब बनते है जब सैंकड़ों में हलाक हो जाते है। गोलियों से 'शहीद' होते है और घटनाओं से 'हलाक'। 'फोकस' क्या हो ये बाजार तय कर चुका है, प्रोग्राम में मुद्दे राजनैतिक तूफान, सामाजिक विद्रूपताएं, आर्थिक धक्के और फिल्मी तर्ज की लहरदार खबरें ही बन रही है। नटवर का फसाना हो या मटुकनाथ की रासलीला, शेयरबाजार की कमनीयता हो या अपराध की सनसनीखेज दास्तान, सबने आम आदमी की खबरों की जगह को घर रखा है। किसे आभास था कि टीवी अपनी उपादेयता रीजनलिज्म या अनुवादित प्रोग्रामों में खो देगा। विचार शून्यता सा हो चला है। मौलिक क्या हो सकता है, इसका अकाल पड़ा है। वजह साफ भी है, क्या केवल शहरों से भारत की कल्पना कर सकते है। क्या एक सामाजिक तानेबाने वाला देश केवल एक परिवेश में जी सकता है? क्या केवल पढ़े लिखे लोगों से देश का जनमानस बनता है, क्या बाजार का ग्राहक केवल शहर भर है? क्यों नहीं गांवों तक प्रसार के लिए निजी प्रसारकों ने डीटीएच जैसे माध्यमों को पहले पेश किया। क्या तकनीकी को दोष दिया जा सकता है। शायद नहीं, मंशा को हां जरूर दीजिए। आज गांवों में इंटरनेट है, स्वउत्पादित बिजली है, जल है और है जिंदगी, अपने तरह की जिंदगी। भदेसपन को शहरी अमलीजामा पहनाकर यदा कदा पेश किया जाता है, पसंद भी किया जा सकता है। पर ये क्यों नहीं सोचा जाता कि गांव को ही टार्गेट किया जाए। उन्हे वो दिखाया जाए जिससे फसल, उपज औऱ रोजगार हो, हर किसान के पास आय हो, वो उत्पाद खरीद सके, और टीवी उन्हे बेच सके। कृषि पर अर्थव्यवस्था टिकी है। सेवा पर भविष्य। सो टीवी को सेवा बनाकर कृषि क्यो नहीं की जाती!

'सूचक'
soochak@gmail.com

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देखो सत्य दिखने वाला है...

देश की सामाजिक, आर्थिक और राजनैतिक प्रगति में मीडिया की भूमिका खबरदार-होशियार की हो चली है। पर इस मुख्यधारा के इतर भी जो लौ जल रही है, उसकी झलक या तो गांवों में दिखती है या तो शहरों के द्वितीय तबके के सेमिनार हालों में नजर आ जाएगी। हम बात कर रहे है, देश के विकास में सहभागी बन चुके गैरसरकारी संगठनों और उनके द्वारा जलाई गई एक ऐसी मशाल की, जो इस पंक्ति पर ज्यादा मुफीद लगती है...जलाए न जले; बुझाए न बुझे। ये आग केवल संगठन खड़ा करने की नहीं, वालंटियर बनाने की नही, मुहिम चलाने की नहीं, परिणाम दिखाने की नहीं; बल्कि बदलाव लाने की विचलन भरी कोशिश की है। क्या फिक्शन की ओर बढ़ते मुख्यधारा के समाचार चैनलों को इसकी चिंता है। क्या नॉन फिक्शन की अवधआरणा पर खरे उतरते हजारों वित्तचित्र निर्माणों पर किसी की नजर जा रही है। जी हां बहस का मुद्दा यही है। तमाम विदेशी चैनल इस बात को समझ चुके है। भारतीय विजुअल मीडिया को ये समझना बाकी है। केवल और केवल अब यहीं रास्ता बचा नजर आता है! डाक्युमेंट्री की विधा को समझने वाले, इसे अपने परिणाम से जोड़कर देखने वाले और सचाई को आंकड़ो के बरक्स रखने वाले वित्तचित्र निर्माणों को जगह क्यो नहीं मिल रही है? सवाल पूछने वाले अपने अभियानों में इस कदर मशगूल है कि वे चिंता ही नहीं करते कि जो बनाया है, उसे सब देंखे। किसकी आंखें खोलनी है ये शायद तय नहीं हो पाया है। दरअसल वर्ग की संकल्पना यहां नजर आती है। उन्हे ही दिखा लो जो जुड़े है, या जो फंड दिला सकें तो समझो गंगा नहा लिए। खैर विमर्श के बिंदू कई है, पर लगता है वक्त आ गया है जब देश के हजारों सचाई के परकाले आवाज बुलंद करें कि हमें हमारे काम को जगह दी जाए। केवल एक बंद हाल के एक मटमैले पर्दे पर हमें नहीं दिखाना अपना सत्य। इसकी अभिव्यक्ति के माध्यम जनसंचार के चैनल क्यो न हो? उम्मीद है जल्द ही उनींदापन टूटेगा और सत्य दिखाने का माध्यम घर में दिखने वाला टेलीविजन होगा। हर घर में सत्य दिखेगा, विदर्भ का सत्य, मुंबई का सत्य, कश्मीर का सत्य, जीवन का सत्य औऱ तमाम अनछुए पहलू जो इस इतजार में है कि वे छुए जाएं। खुशी होगी जिस दिन किसी सत्यानवेषण की साबका किसी समाचार चैनल पर होगा। रोकने की लालसा में कुछ भी दिखाने वाले चैनलों को सोचना चाहिए।

'सूचक'
soochak@gmail.com

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MOVEMENTless MEDIA...

It's not the first time that media has not covered a big event organised in the heart of the capital. I don't know why...leaving Jansatta, Sunday Post and Janmat, no other media group covered it. Although the story did not appear on Janmat.

For the first time in the history of independent India, political forces ranging from Gandhians to Socialists and Marxist-Leninist-Maoist forces have joined hands against imperialism in a broad democratic front: the People's Democratic Front Of India (PDFI). PDFI consisting of 175 mass organisations from 16 states was formally launched on 31st July on the death anniversary of Shaheed Udham Singh.

Did media not understand the importance of this event? The present day news sense which relies on the presence of big names and personalities in any event was illegitimate in this context. What big names do you need? Medha Patkar, Varvara Rao, Kalyan Rao, Nandita Haksar, SAR Gilani... to name a few, who were present on this ocassion. 175 mass movements is not such a small stuff to be avoided.

This is not unique. Many a times, I have seen that people keep on clearing their throats on the Parliament Street, Jantar-Mantar and media turns its back over it. Is this not turning back to half of the reality of this country? Secondly, the Editors are at least expected to understand the pros and cons of any event like this in the holistic context of growing resentment and retaliations against the state power everywhere. What has happened to them?

Surely, media which was a movement in the British times had ceased to be at a very early stage of economic liberalisation. Now, it has become completely movementless. Who is responsible for it? Journalists, TRP driven professional ethics, Media managers, state or anyone else?

Abhishek Srivastava

EDC vs TRP

Hindi TV news is booming! Yes the TRP game is rolling, "emotional driven content"(EDC) is on high demand. Viewer is sometime innocnent and sometime victimized by the game of index.This link provides you an overall condition of the hindi tv news market..

http://www.indiantelevision.com/special/y2k6/hindi-news.htm

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रेडियो बज रहा है...

ये आकाशवणी है। इन शब्दों में कितनी ताकत है ये सुनने वाला जानता है। कभी मर्फी और फिलिप्स के रेडियो से निकलने वाली आवाज को जब आकाशवाणी का नाम दिया गया तो, गरिमा नाम को ही नहीं, प्रसाऱण को भी मिला। वक्त के साथ रेडियो का रूप बदला औऱ बदला बाजार और श्रोता। आज हर बड़े शहर में एफएम रेडियो की धूम है, चार पांच सेवा प्रदाता है, विविध आवाजें है औऱ है मनोरंजन। लगभग इसका उपयोग आम हो गया है। ये अलग बात है कि कोई रेडियो एफएम सुनने के लिए तो कोई क्रिकेट कमेन्ट्री सुनने, तो कुछ लोग केवल समाचार सुनने के लिए रेडियो का इस्तेमाल करते है। उद्देश्य चाहे जो भी हो एक बात तो साफ है कि तमाम नई तकनीकों के आने के बावजूद रेडियो अब भी चलन में है। हालांकि रेडियो को अब तगडी प्रतियोगिता झेलनी पड़ रही है। पर रेडियो के खाते में कुछ ऐसी खासियतें है जो किसी भी जनसंचार माध्यम से ज्यादा प्रभावी है। रेडियो का वृहत कवरेज वो पहला कारण है, जिसकी वजह से ये भारत के चप्पे चप्पे में मौजूद है। दूसरा कारण है रेडियो की कम कीमत , जिसके कारण ये आम भारतीय के हाथ में है। तीसरा और सबसे महत्वपूर्ण कारण, जिसके बिना कोई चीज अधिक दिनों तक प्रतिस्पर्धा में बनी नहीं रह सकती है, वो है रेडियो कार्यक्रमों की गुणवत्ता। मनोरंजन को ही लें, जितनी बड़ी लाइब्रेरी विविध भारती के पास होगी, क्या इतना किसी और तकनीक प्रदाता के पास होगी। सूचना पर आधारित कार्यक्रमों को ही लें, आज भी तमाम न्यूज चैनल वो विश्वसनीयता नहीं बटोर पाएं है, जो बीबीसी और एआईआर के समाचारों की है। लेकिन आने वाला समय रेडियो के लिए नई चुनौतियों का है। नई तकनीक अब आम आदमी तक पहुंच रही है। अब रेडियो एफएम केवल शहरों का शब्द न होकर, गावों और कस्बों में भी तरंगे पैदा कर रहा है। गांवों में कम्प्यूटर सीखे जा रहे है, इंटरनेट सुलभ हो रहा है। सो सैटेलाइट रेडियो भी एक आवाज में कई चैनल परोस रहे है। ऐसे में जिस संस्कृति का विकास ताजा समय में एफएम रेडियो ने किया है, वो फिलवक्त में ही खारिज होता महसूस हो रहा है। अस्सी फीसदी मनोरंजन और आधुनिक खबरों का कचरा परोस कर एक सीमित बाजार को कलर कर रहे ये रेडियो चैनल अभी भी भारतीय संस्कृति और स्थानीयता से दूर है। खैर रेडियो के सामाजिक राजनैतिक प्रभाव के लिए नेपाल का परिदृश्य ही पर्याप्त होगा। जिस संख्या में इस छोटे से देश में सामुदायिक रेडियो का विकास हुआ है, वो अभूतपूर्व है। बाजार में रेडियो के आने वाले तीन सौ के करीब चैनलो से उम्मीद है कि वे अलग अलग जगहों के हिसाब से सामग्री परोसेंगे। प्रचार भी उन्हे स्थानीय ही मिलेगा। सो नीति क्या हो ये मौजूं सवाल है। आज की बाजारीय रेडियो केवल मनोरंजन तक सीमित नजर आता है, वहीं अपनी उपयोगिता को समय के अनुकूल ढालने में सरकारी उपक्रम भी लगे है। श्रोता की उम्मीदों की बात कही नजर आ रही है। सर्वे अगर हुए है तो सामने नहीं आ रहे है। बड़े खिलाड़ी खेलने को तैयार है, पर क्या गांवों, नगरों, कस्बों और छोटे शहरों का रेडियो थामने वाला सुन रहा है। यानि काफी कुछ सुनना अभी बाकी है.....

पंकज तिवारी(9873766841) औऱ 'सूचक'
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कौन बचा: बालक या लोकतंत्र?

एक 'जान' की कीमत क्या होती है, ये हमें पिछले दो दिनों में टीवी न्यूज चैनलों ने लगातार समझाया है। एक बालक जो किसी गलती के कारण एक बोरवैल के गड्ढे में गिर गया; और ये मुद्दा मिल गया, उन्हे जो ये कभी कभी जताते है कि वे सामाजिक सरोकार से चलने वाले चैनलों की फेहरिस्त में शामिल है। जान की कीमत उनसे पूछी जानी चाहिए जो अपनों को रोजाना खो देते है, ऐसी घटनाओं में जिनका सीधा साबका जीने और जीवन के अधिकार से होता है। कही भूख, कही कर्जा, कही बाढ़, कही सूखा औऱ कही नियम कानून रोजाना मारते है लोगों को, पर खबरें कितनी मिल पाती लोगों को? ये सवाल आम भारतीय अब नहीं पूछता नहीं है? पूछते है कभी कभार जनसंचार के माध्यम, जो इतना पूछते है कि आपकों लगें कि हां जान ती कीमत है! लेबनान में भले ही हजारों जान फँसी हो, मुंबई में भले ही कई सौ कुछ मिनटों में काल के गाल में समां जाते हो, विदर्भ में किसान भले हर दिन तीन की संख्या में सिधार जाते हो, पर किसे चिंता है कि क्या मारता है इंसान को। जिस दर से टीवी ने असंवेदनशीलता को बढ़ाया है, उसी दर से उसने 'अतिवादिता की पत्रकारिता' को आगे बढाया है। लोकतंत्र में एक जान की कीमत उतनी ही है, जितनी प्रजातंत्र में शासक के जीवन की। पर खबरों की दुनिया मुहिम चलाने को दौड़ रहा है। कौन दोषी है ये तलाशना कभी कभी गैरजरूरी हो जाता है। खुशी के आंसु टीवी पर बहाए जाने से अनमोल नहीं हो जाते। भावनाओं को दिखाने के लिए कैमरों की जरूरत उस समाज में होगी जहां रिश्ते नाते बेमानी हो चुके है। हमें एक ऐसे जनसंचार माध्यम की जरूरत है जो संवेदनशील करें और सवाल पूछे। पूरे मामले में किसे बचाना है ये साफ नहीं हो पाया, बालक को या लोकतंत्र को?

'सूचक'
soochak@gmail.com

http://thehoot.org/story.asp?storyid=Web591765229Hoot101421%20PM2211&pn=1

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A Sunday in a ditch!

This Sunday went in a ditch! Prince fell in a ditch in the Kurukshetra of Haryana and the whole media had no shame of going after this cheeky news item for more than 20 hrs.

Whether it be NDTV or IBN, everyone was showing the melodrama of rescue operation of Prince. Wherever I went, people stucked to their TV sets watching the repetetive details of the rescue operation.

Do you also support this kind of foolish activity? If not, then why not pass a memorandum against the Hindi channels not to air this type pof foolishness again for continously 20 hrs.?

Have your say on this matter...

India Censored: Waiting for the attack on free speech to begin

'Mediayug' take concern step against this draconian step of government.'WE' communicate many bloggers and website owners on that.We feel very surprised why the government has done this all, when there is not so objectionalble in many websites.And only for some blogs, the ISP has blocked whole base.It effects lakhs of bloggers....There is a need to clear the isue to you.In all these links you got a clear picture of all hoop hoolah...

The Indian government’s decision to block 18 domains including the popular blogging site blogspot.com increasingly appears to be a whimsical and arbitrary one. The loud rumours rife in the online world about the government blocking sites in the wake of the July 11 Mumbai blasts is increasingly ringing a hollow tune. None of the listed sites that this writer visited had anything to do with the Mumbai blasts.

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=18954

http://www.newswatch.in/?p=5396

http://censorship.wikia.com/wiki/Bloggers_Against_Censorship


The list of 17 sites that GOI wants blocked: (From Hindustan Times epaper)

1. www.hinduunity.org
2. mypetjawa.mu.nu
3. pajamaeditors.blogspot.com
4. exposingtheleft.blogspot.com
5. thepiratescove.us
6. www.commonfolkcommonsense.blogspot.com
7. bamapachyderm.com
8.princesskimberley.blogspot.com
9.merrimusings.typepad.com
10. mackers-world.com
11. www.dalistan.org
12. www.hinduhumanrights.org/hindufocus.html
13. http://www.nndh.com/14.bloodroyaltriped.com
15. imagesearchyahoo.com
16. www.imamali8.com
17. www.rahulyadav.com

Apparently the last one http://www.rahulyadav.com/ has a picture, some links and thefollowing explanation for the picture.

"Welcome to my website. This site has been designed around the theme of fall(Autumn). The image at the top simbolizes open windows which lets naturetouch you, just an exploration of how a top image with slightly exceededboundaries "opens" the whole page. Usually, I'm a big fan of simplicity, ifI could, I would just put black letters on a white background. Feel free tobrowse around and find out more about me."Click on 'About Me' and you see these lines."My name is Rahul Yadav and I'm currently doing my Masters in InformationScience at Indiana University - Bloomington. My hobbies include listening tomusic (Hindi, rap, hip-hop, techno), DJing events, playing basketball andsoccer, designing websites, and hanging with friends. I'm the webmaster forthe Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) at Indiana University as wellas a member of Vishwa Hindu Parishad-America (World Hindu Council ofAmerica) and the American Hindu Awareness Committee (AHAC).

"Apparently, his website has been targetted because he is a member of VishwaHindu Parishad-America.

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How effective are sting operations?

They're familiar sights on our TV screens these days: The grainy, curiously distorted images, the awkward camera angles, the unclear audio and the anchors promising startling revelations just ahead. They're sting operations; the exposés conducted by journalists in much the same manner as investigative agencies conduct undercover operations. And what's more, they're flourishing: Indeed, 2005 could be called the year of the sting operation.


Major Sting Operations 2005-06

Aaj Tak

Tihar Jail Bani Ghoos Mahal: Officials at Tihar Jail taking bribes

Ghoos Mahal: 82 employees of the Delhi sales tax office taking bribes.

Operation Duryodhan:
11 MPs caught taking bribes to raise questions in Parliament.

Star News

Ayaash IG: Jharkhand IG suspended for sexually exploiting a tribal woman.

Doctor selling infants from a hospital.

Operation Chakravyuh: MP's caught misusing MPLAD funds.

Wife caught on camera beating her husband.

NDTV India

Delhi policeman taking a bribe to hand over the body of a man to his family.

Railway policemen extorting money from passengers.

India TV

Bihar MLAs having sex with call girls.

Holy men sexually exploiting women devotees.

Operation Casting Couch:
Actor Shakti Kapoor propositions journalist posing as actress.

Operation Casting Couch (contd.):
Actor Aman Verma takes journalist posing as an actress to his bedroom.

Sahara Samay

Corruption in Delhi PWD.


What sort of topics do sting operations deal with? Perhaps the most obvious target for these stings has been government corruption. However, stings increasingly deal with other topics as well. For example, India TV aired a series of exposés centering around sleaze including what came to be known as the 'casting couch' story: Bollywood personalities propositioning an undercover journalist posing as an aspiring actress.

CNBC Awaz regularly conducts sting operations on issues concerning consumer rights and private sector malpractices. Stings have also become commonplace on crime shows, though these have no wider impact.

Nevertheless, the most publicized topic for stings remains government corruption. The Tehelka exposé was on corruption in arms deals, Operation Duryodhan on MPs taking bribes to raise questions in Parliament, Operation Chakravyuh exposed misuse of the MPLAD fund, while Aaj Tak's "Ghoos Mahal" was on corruption in Tihar Jail and a sales tax office. The CNN-IBN exposé showed us a UP minister willing to transport narcotics. Kairali TV also recently carried out a sting exposing a state minister. All these sting operations dealt with misuse of power by the authorities- crooked politicians, government officials and policemen.

So what happened after these exposés? At least with Operation Duryodhan, the reaction was swift. All the 11 MPs caught on camera were dismissed from their respective parties. Then, less than two weeks after the scandal broke out, the 11 men were suspended from parliament in an unprecedented and somewhat controversial move. The immediate fallout of Operation Chakravyuh was less dramatic, but still noteworthy: The Lok Sabha speaker ordered an enquiry and told the accused MPs not to attend parliament until their names were cleared. The UP Minister exposed by CNN-IBN resigned from his position, as did the Kerala minister caught in the Kairali TV sting.

These are all remarkable examples of the power of the media. Sting operations have unflinchingly exposed the rot in the system and brought corruption into focus. Though a lot of what they reveal is depressing, none of it is especially surprising. Stings have only confirmed what were once mere suspicions or allegations. They have also put pressure on politicians and bureaucrats to take action against their colleagues caught with their hands in the till.

News channels usually insist that their sting operations are done in public interest. They point out that stings are expensive, unpredictable affairs. Large sums of money go into paying bribes; budgets cannot be fixed in advance and can increase dramatically. And after all that, there is no guarantee of success.

However, sting operations do bring some benefits for news channels. The most obvious is that they have a major, albeit temporary impact on TRPs- they are a great way for a station to get noticed. Perhaps the most important aspect of this is the footage itself- those characteristic visuals showing corrupt netas or government officials making shady deals, and wads of currency changing hands. These visuals not only give substance to the claims of the news channel, they bring in troves of curious viewers. A lot more people end up watching that particular channel simply because the footage is unavailable to competitors.

Whatever the motivations behind sting operations maybe, their immediate effects are often impressive. However, some questions remain over the long-term benefits. One reason for this is that news channels usually fail to follow up on their stings adequately. This may be because of a sense that the story is 'over'. But is it really?

How much did things really change after the 2001 Tehelka exposé? In 2003, a sting exposed Dilip Singh Judeo, a minister while he was apparently taking a bribe. Now, some five years after Tehelka, a series of stings have shown us that corruption is rife as ever in government. Politicians, it seems can still be bribed easily, not just to ask questions in parliament or misuse taxpayers money but to, in the case of the UP minister exposed by CNN-IBN, actually transport narcotics in his own car. What happened in all those intervening years? No matter how many stings are carried out, it still seems like business as usual among the corrupt.

The story is clearly not 'over' once footage from a sting operation is aired. The Aaj Tak sting on a sales tax office may have led to the suspension of some 30 employees but it certainly does not mean an end to graft there. Unfortunately, the way stories of political corruption are treated on TV leaves little scope for follow-ups. Instead, the focus tends to be on specific individuals whom the channel has exposed rather than the systemic problems that allow for corruption in the first place. This may be because of a feeling that audiences are more interested in stories about those individual personalities rather than in analysis of systemic issues.

For example, Aaj Tak's coverage of Operation Duryodhan was dominated by myriad details of the expose- who the MPs were, how much money each of them took and whether political parties would suspend the errant parliamentarians-not the issue of widespread political corruption. After catching on camera a UP minister agreeing to take drugs in his own car, CNN-IBN focused on whether he would be made to resign rather than the larger implications of it's own exposé. Yet with the novelty of sting operations fading and returns diminishing viewers are now more and more likely to question why little seems to be changing.

Indeed news channels seem to be shortchanging themselves by not following up on their own audacious journalism. Armed with little more than tiny cameras and great deal of gumption, a relatively small but committed group of Indian journalists has taken the challenge of exposing corruption head on. And they have been remarkably successful so far. What's needed now is a more sustained commitment from the media to ensuring that the gains they have made are consolidated and the powers that be are held accountable.

Prabhakar Singh
9891358937

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The Special Journalists of our times!

When we talk of journalism, journalistic activism, media's social responsibility and accountability, let's never forget about the journalism awards which are being given anually in the name of many renowned journalists, sponsored by big press lords like The Indian Express and by the Indian government's agencies like publication division and others. These awards are in the sense of utmost importance as they try to create role models in our society for the upcoming journalists who aspire to get these awards in the future.

This topic will prove to be a bone of contention between many, as I think. It will create a large number of foes infact rather than friends, but this cannot be avoided to be mentioned in the public domain. Last week, a prestigious journalism award was given in the FICCI auditorium. We all know that the award which is being given in the name of deceased journalist Udayan Sharma is of great value not only in terms of the amount, it attracts almost all the media people in Delhi every year in its function. So I was also there as I was last year in Teenmurti Bhawan. I with most of my journalist friends was expecting good names to come out this year for these awards, but shockingly we all were taken aback when the names got announced.

Let's assume that I don't take the names, but then the readers will already get to know the names, so no point in avoiding them. The first award for journalism and photography was given to the Sikar reporter of Rajasthan Patrika and its photographer. To cut short, just tell you that Rajasthan Patrika group had donated Rs. One Lakh to the Udayan Sharma Foundation recently. It's very easy to connect these two incidents.

Now the special awards for journalism were given to two of my aquaintances...first to Sanjay Verma of Navbharat Times and the other to Archana Rajhans of Janmat TV. (Sanjay Verma is there as Assistant Editor for a long time but Archana has joined Janmat recently as a Copy Editor and this is her first job. She has recently completed her diploma in journalism from Guru Jambeshwar University, Hissar by correspondence.) Sanjay was awarded because he had done a story on the Googles's website Google Earth. This was not a very original report as many of us know about this website from a long time, just to write about it and pose it as a danger to national security does not invite an award of this stature.Archana was given award for her coverstory in Jansatta...I don't know which one. She has done some coverstories on Khabar Laharia, role of women in village panchayats and community radio. To cut short, the community radio matter was copied from an academic book, village panchayat matter was taken from Charkha and rest...you can easily guess if you know her Godfather in Delhi media...Mr. Prasoon Latant of Jansatta. To remind our readers, Mr. Prasoon Latant got the same award last year...this was justified as he has done lot of grassroot writing in the last ten years or more and he deserved it. But then, how come Archana Rajhans fit into the criterion? The same question for Sanjay Verma who regularly writes Pustak Parichay in Navbharat Times and articles by the name Sanjay Verma "Uday" in different dailies by copying from internet and translating them. Is this journalism? Has Archana visited any of the village panchayats, has she done reporting at grassroot level? Then, what are her credentials? Just because these two send their applications for the award...the jury consisting of senior editors like Madhusoodan Anand of NBT, Ramkripal Singh of Aaj Tak (previously NBT) and Mr. Rahul Dev (related to Janmat) is not an easy one to have a ride on. Then did they inquire about the credentials of these journalists?

Let me tell you something more interesting. A few days ago, a coverstory appeared in the Jansatta Ravivari about the strengthening village panchayats bylined Vimal Gupt. Vimal Ji is the wife of Shri Rajkishor, our revered writer...confucious of Hindi literature as once quoted by Anamika in one of her reviews in Jansatta on Rajkishor's poetry "Paap Ke Din". This was a planted story, according to the sources from Jansatta just to snatch an award by Rajkishor on his wife's name. The award was in five figures given by the Indian Social Institute. Now, have you seen today's Jansatta? There is a coverstory on the role of women in the village panchayats bylined Prasoon Latant. Sources revealed that this story was also planted just for the sake of grabbing the same award, bur Prasoon ji missed by a whisker. The last date of publishing the story was July 15th but unfortunately it got published on the 16th i.e. today. I think he will use this story for the award next year.

The whole equation of getting published by strategically copying and planting the story does not end here only. One of my freelancer friends had done a column in the last issue of India Today named "Srijan Samwad" on Asgar Wazahat. Why? He had an interview on 14th i.e. day before yesterday in Jamia for M.Phil. He is expecting to get selected. Many of these creatures are continously in search of getting benefits from their planted stories and I know them, but I think these names will suffice. The rest you people know about the Alok Mehta case. He was called in Shruti program of NSD to read excerpts from his new novel...after some days Devendra Raj Ankur got a column in Outlook Hindi. You can easily trace this type of Give And Take instances in the Delhi media circle, no one speaks about these things and working in media becomes a tragedy.

We never have any personal grudge on these types of issues, but shouldn't they be revealed in the public arena? And if our seniors are involved in these heinous crimes, what will be the fate of the so called fourth estate in our country? This is true that awards do not decide the journalistic and writing capabilities of a person, but at least they are a recognisation of good work being done in the media. Has someone wondered why Ramnath Goenka award always goes to the reporters of Express group and NDTV? Why Kanchana Smriti Award went to the reporter of Jansatta Pratibha Shukla? People who know the credentials and capabilities of Pratibha can explain better. We are not here to point at the incapabilities of someone, just to raise these questions.

If you are of the same opinion as we, then we expect that you will raise these questions wherever you are and expose the connections of the journalists, stories and awards so that the real spirit does not get marginalised in this largest democracy of the world.


Abhishek Srivastava