Monday, July 31, 2006

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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Saturday, July 29, 2006

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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Monday, July 24, 2006

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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Sunday, July 23, 2006

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...

Thursday, July 20, 2006

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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Monday, July 17, 2006

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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Sunday, July 16, 2006

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

खबर गैरज़रूरी...

किस खबर में क्या सच है, क्या बुना हुआ झूठ, ये पता लगाना मुश्किल हुआ जा रहा है। खबर जनता के लिए है या सत्ता के लिए इसका भी निर्धारण मुश्किल है। कितनी सूचना चाहिए ये भी तय नहीं है। किसे चाहिए ये भी नहीं। मानिए कि बम हादसा होता है...तो क्या हो पहली सूचना, ये कि सात बम फटे, कई सौ मरे, आतंकी हमला या ये कि लोग अपने हताहतों को 'यहां' पा सकते है। पहली तस्वीर, पहला निष्कर्ष, पहली पहचान कितना मायने रखती है, जब हर किसी को केवल अपनो की चिंता हो...दो सौ लोग जो हादसे में जान दे बैठे, उनके रिश्तेदारों को क्या सूचना चाहिए। जाहिर है खबर होने के दो दिन बाद तस्वीरों के दिखाए जाने से लोग मर्माहत ही होंगे। बार बार अपनों के जाने का गम बार बार हादसों के दिल दहलाते तस्वीरों को देखने की मजबूरी। कौन से मुहाने तलाशे जा रहे है। किसे पेश की जा रही है खबरें। क्यों मीडिया ये दिखाने को आतुर है कि वो ही सही दिखा रहा है, वो सही जा रहा है। बहरहाल अभी भी ये तय नहीं है कि क्या क्या दिखाया जाना है, क्या दिखाया जा है और क्या किस वक्त। आप शाम को टीवी देख रहे हो और कोई ऐसा विषय छिड़ा दिखे जो न तो जानकारी दे पाए और न तो निष्कर्ष तो चैनल बदलना आपकी जरूरत ही होगी। खैर मुंबई हादसों में की और भी पहलू है जिनपर हम चर्चा को आगे बढाएंगे। यानि आपकी सहभागिता जरूरी है।

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Titillate it...this is news!

The basics of journalism were to inform, educate, and entertain. In a turbulent time when the democracy turned into 'economocracy', the media survival with a moral notion is tough..so the teachings are blurred and the shadow of populism become the rule of time. Titillating, tantrum, kitsch and gory, you can decide this all by your child's behaviour, or by the emptiness of mind, after indulging yourself in news catering!

Read this nice piece on the manged media by ramchandra guha...

http://www.indiatogether.org/2006/may/rgh-obits.htm

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Thursday, July 13, 2006

लोकल पर चलता कल..

जो हुआ उसे बदला नहीं जा सकता, उसकी याद रख भर लेने से भी कुछ नहीं बदलता। जिंदगी चलती रहती है...मुंबई में जो हुआ वो निंदनीय है। मीडिया ने एक दिन में मुंबई की जिजीविषा के दावे किए। एक करोड़ सत्तर लाख की आबादी वाला ये शहर दिहाड़ी मजदूरों की बड़ी आबादी से चलता दौड़ता है। इन चेहराहीन लोगों को हर दिन कमाना है खाना है और सो जाना है। सवेरा होते लोकल पकड़नी है...ये सिलसिला है जो मुंबई को जीवंत बनाए हुए है। मीडिया से जुड़े एक साथी एक दिन बाद का नजारा कैद किया है....देखिए एक शहर जो लगातार दौड़ रहा है पटरियों पर...


http://english.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?menu=A11100&no=304841&rel_no=1&back_url=

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Wednesday, July 12, 2006

सहभागी पत्रकारिता का युग...

नया चलन है बाजार का 'सिटीजन जर्नलिज्म' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_journalism)। इसे हिंदी नाम का अभी इंतजार है। सो 'सहभागी पत्रकारिता' बुरा नहीं है। दरअसल सिटीजन जर्नलिज्म को 'पार्टिसिपेटरी जर्नलिज्म' भी कहा जाता है। विकसित देशों के इस चलन की शुरूआत 1988 में अमेरिका के राष्टपति चुनावों से हुई। तमाम संस्थाओं ने इनके मानक भी तय किए है। पर क्या ये बहस का मुद्दा नहीं है कि जिस सहभागी जर्नलिज्म के नाम पर भारतीय टीवी न्यूज चैनल आजकल हायतौबा मचाए हुए है, उसके भारतीय मानक क्या हो? ध्यान होगा आपको जब अमेरिका के ट्विन टावर को ध्वस्त किया गया था, तब क्या आपने किन्ही भी वीडियों टेप में किसी मरने वाले का शरीर देखा हो....और पीछे जाइए डायना और डोडी अलफयाद की मार्ग दुर्घटना में मौत के वक्त क्या आपको दिखे थे, उनकी हताहत बॉडी। जी हां इसे कहते है इथिकल जर्नलिज्म। अंतर्राष्टीय पत्रकारिता में मानक तय है। पर भारतीय ठेलमठेल पर गौर करें। हर चैनल किसी भी मानवीय या नैचुरल आपदा या घटना के वक्त गुहार लगाने लगता है, कि हमें अपने पास मौजूद एक्सल्यूजिव विजुअल या फोटो भेंजे। अब सवाल ये है कि जनता जो भी भेड दें वो आप चला देंगे। वो आप दिखा देंगे। चाहे बार बार कहना पड़े कि ये विजुअल आपका दिल दहला सकते है, हम दर्शकों से माफी चाहते है, ये दृश्य आपको विचलित कर सकते है। यानि जरूरत है नजर डालने की, कि क्या हो पैमाना सहभागी पत्रकारिता की। हम आपको इसके लिए कई लेखों की एक श्रंख्ला पेश करते है। ध्यान रखिए भारत में आने वाला कल नेट जर्नलिज्म और सिटीजन जर्नलिज्म का है। विश्वसनीयता का खतरा तथाकथित मुख्यधारा पत्रकारिता को है। इसलिए बाखबर रहिए जब तक आप खुद सहभागी पत्रकार न बना जाए।

हम इस बहस को तेज करना चाहते है...यानि आपकी सहभागिता अभी हमारे लिए महत्वपूर्ण है....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_journalism

http://english.ohmynews.com/english/eng_section_special.asp?article_class=19

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=83126

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=91391

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=79670

http://www.cyberjournalist.net/news/002226.php

http://www.aim.org/media_monitor/3760_0_2_0_C/

http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story1458.shtml

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Tuesday, July 11, 2006

घर की चहारदिवारी में झांकने की जरूरत.....

मीडियायुग को इस बात की खुशी है कि उसने दिल्ली में मीडिया के जातिगत समीकरणों पर हुए सर्वे को छापा। ऐसा करने वाला ये अकेला वेबपेज बना। सर्वे करने वाले तीनों सर्वेकर्ताओं ने ये पहल निजी संस्थानों में रिजर्वेशन की आग फैलने और आने वाले मीडिया रिपोर्टें के बीच किया। दरअसल कहा जा रहा है कि मीडिया में अगड़े हावी है, और खबरों पर उनका असर दिख रहा है। रिजर्वेशन पर मीडिया के रूख को लेकर भी ये आरोप लगे। घर की चहारदीवारी में झांकने में झिझके मीडिया जगत ने इस सर्वे को तूल नहीं दिया। जाहिर है ये दर्शाता है कि झिझक है, ये कुबूलने में कि कमियां हममें भी हो सकती है। हाल ही में एक अखबार में संपादक ने लिखा कि सवाल जात की नहीं सवाल काम की काबिलियत का है। पर एक सर्वेकर्ता को लिखना ही पड़ा कि कहानी केवल इतनी ही नहीं जितनी समझी जा रही है.....

http://www.hindustandainik.com/news/2031_1740511,00830001.htm

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Monday, July 10, 2006

नज़रबन्दी निगहबान की...

साथियों,

मीडिया में खबरों को 'हल्केपन' और उन्हे 'स्तरहीन' तरीके से लिए जाने से सोचने समझने वाला वर्ग आहत है। पर 'आहत' होने की बारी अब मीडिया की है। फैसला आ गया है कि टीवी मीडिया ने जो आलम बनाया है, उससे समाज में जो असर पड़ा है, उसे दूर करने के लिए मीडिया की निगरानी की जाएगी, कानून बनकर तैयार है, और उसे इसी मानसून सेशन में अमलीजामा पहनाया जा सकता है। जाहिर है टीवी मीडिया में चल रही तमाम गड़बड़ियों के बावजूद 'मीडियायुग' सरकार के इस बिल की भर्त्सना करता है। हम आपसे आगे आने की अपील करते है। इसी के तहत आप हमें जितने हो सकें लेख भेंजे। हम भरोसा दिलाते है कि ज्यों की त्यों छपेगी आपकी हर बात 'मीडियायुग' पर....

इस लिंक से ये परिचर्चा हम शुरू कर रहे है....

http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=12961

http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/27/stories/2006062708271200.htm


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Thursday, July 06, 2006

मीडिया सत्य...

मीडिया में सत्य की अभिव्यक्ति के माध्यम सीमित होने की परिचर्चा जोरों पर है। जिन नए माध्यमों में विचार और अभिव्यक्ति तलाशी जा रही है, वे या तो सीमित दायरें में विकास पा रहे है या तो वे उनकी पहुंच सीमित है। ब्लागों की सफलता में सभ्य समाज अगर नए द्वार तलाश रहा है तो वजह जनसंचार के माध्यमों में आने वाली दुरभिसंधि है। अखबार, रेडियो, टीवी में संपादन में बाजार का असर साफ दिखता है। जिस बात को जनता पढ़ना, सुनना या देखना चाहती है, वो कही दबी छुपी ही रह जाती है। कभी कहा जाता था कि जिसे कोई दबाना या छुपाना चाहे वो ही खबर है। आज दिखाने और जताने पर जोर है, बहलाने और अनजाने में की गई गलतियां अब नजअंदाज की जाने लगी है। जर्नलिज्म में जिस धार की कामना जम्हूरियत में की जाती है वो अब एड की दुनिया में गुम हो चुकी है। खबर के मायने दिखाने वाले चैनल किसी विषय को या तो इतना खींच देते है, कि अर्थ बिखर जाता है या तो इतना जल्दी निपटाते है कि वो खबर असर नहीं छोड़ पाते। पूरे भारत के भौगोलिक धरातल को नापने की चाह रखने वाले ये खबरिया चैनल खबर की सीमा खुद नहीं जान पाते। राजनैतिक मायने, सामाजिक संदर्भ औऱ आर्थिक हित में इतना घालमेल हो चला है कि खबर पेश क्यों की जा रही है ये स्पष्ट नहीं है। विचारधारा की आंच में पली, बढ़ी और तपी बौद्धिकता को जिस निष्कर्ष की जरूरत है वो मीडिया में मौजूद ही नहीं है। क्या आम आदमी के सरोकार को दिखाना बाजार को रास नहीं आ रहा है। क्या टीआरपी आंकड़े इतने मजबूत हो चले है कि चैनल सामाजिक भूमिका और विश्ववसनीयता की चिंता करना छोड़ चुके है। चिंचा अब जताई जा रही है। खुले मंचों से जारी विमर्शो में ये कहा जा रहा है कि मीडिया को आत्ममंथन करने की जरूरत है। वहीं मीडिया कहता है कि वक्त बदला है, माहौल बदला है, तो हम क्यो नहीं चले बाजार की राह पर। दरअसल बाजार सचाई है, उत्पाद उससे बड़ा सच है और स्पासंर की नियति है कि वो उसपर बोली लगाए जो बिक रहा है। चैनलों की होड़ में ये भी काबिलेगौर है, कि क्या कुछ ही नामी गिरामी चैनल ही देखे जा रहे है। क्या बाजार भी इसी को बढ़ावा दे रहा है। अगर ये सिंडीकेट है तो भी ये बाजार का ही फैला फलसफां ही तो है। खैर आंकड़ो में कौन जीता कौन हारा, ये निश्चित ही, ये तय नहीं करता कि जम्हूरियत में चौथा स्तंभ किस दिशा में जा रहा है। दशा-दिशा तय की जानी बाकी है औऱ इस विमर्श की संभावना भी कि क्या टीवी चैनल हमें खबर दे रहें है....

'सूचक'
soochak@gmail.com

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Kudos to the NDTV!

At last, a viewer's feedback has turned out. This is the success of Mediayug and our efforts in creating a pressure and developing the feedback system for the TV media.

NDTV India arranged money for the body of Sarvesh to move out to his home town for the funeral. Thanx NDTV India.

We appreciate this kind of step, but you will also accept that you were late in doing efforts for this noble cause. But, better late than never.

Although NDTV has done what we had sought last night and posted in my last article, although the article is of larger value to start a creative debate on the issue of Media's Social Responsibility vs. Objective Reporting, or say, Journalism vs. Journalisic Activism.

We invite articles from our readers and journalists on these issues so as to start a fresh incident free debate.

Hope that other T.V. channels too will tread the way made by NDTV and never give us a chance to complaint.

Abhishek Srivastava
9350352421

When objectivity turns into insensitivity: NDTV India

Did you see NDTV India last night? Yes, it was the story of one Sarvesh who died due to medical negligence last night in AIIMS. This was the NDTV exclusive aired for more than three hours continously and without any sensitivity towards the belated; inviting sms's at 6388 whether AIIMS doctors are responsible for this death or the health minister Ambumani Ramdoss.

It reminded me of the question which we faced in the exams of IIMC a long time ago: Is objectivity a myth? We were surely taught in the marxist realm that objectivity is certainly a myth. Everyone has his or her stand and one cannot rise from him/herself in the news making or any other trade. We wrote more than two pages describing why objectivity is a myth but achieving the goals close to objectivity is a piece of good journalism. Now, how this applies to the death coverage of Sarvesh?

The correspondent Dipti Sachdeva and the anchor Krantisambhav (impossible name!) were indulged in a personal talk on the screen and see the cruelty of the coverage, Dipti said that no one here is having sympathy towards this dead body, his elder brother doesn't have enough money to arrange for his funeral. Police has allowed to take the body back but it's been three hours since the death, body is lying in the corridors of the best medical institute of India and no one cares.

So, I send a message at 6388 as follows: Are bhai, at least you people arrange for his funeral or ask for monetary assistance from your viewers. Don't be so cruel! And lo, my message never appeared on the bottom scroll as I was expecting. Then I thought of calling Mr. Dibang at 11.45 p.m. but thought I am nowhere compared to his stature, why should he listen to my words when he took my interview last month and didn't call me next time? So I dropped the idea and contemplated on the fate of that body, the correspondent, the anchor and the channel's objective attitude.

See, it's not required to become an activist to be a good journalist. But it requires basic faith in the celebration of a life and the tragedy of a death, whether it be of Sarvesh or Ramdas or Ramesh or any common/uncommon man. Just want to cite an incident at this point. One of my friends Tripta Arya is in Sahara Samay national news channel. She is a very good reporter, not seen through the eyes of objectivity but the basic faith in the celebrations and tragedies of life. She did a story on the two girls of western U.P. who were admitted in Safdarjung hospital as some goons had thrown acid on their face. Their faces were comletely devastated. The parents had no money to continue the surgery and medical assistance. The story got repeatedly aired on the channel for the whole day, reporter asked for monetary assistance from the viewers itself. Anchor and the panel producer too were of the same thought. Till evening, she was able to collect more than Rs.50,000 for the girls. Is this not journalism? The money not only came from Delhi but from gulf countries also where the viewership of this channel is largest.

If Dipti would have done this, she also would have proved to be a good reporter. If this idea never striked in her mind, then she had no right of accusing the people who were watching the live PTC of the death of Sarvesh. Is she not included in those people who were just making their nights sensational? If she has given any assistance personally from her end, she must clarify.

This incident relates to a larger question of the social responsibility of mass media in this country where people die on roads daily due to the negligence, not only of doctors but of the whole society. Media is not just for telling what is happenning or what has happened, it is also for changing the scenario as and when required.

At last, I personally request on behalf of all the Sarvesh's in this country to the journalists to at least show some sensitivity towards these type of news coverage. Neros will always remain in this society but at least collectively try that we never get counted in the Nero's guests after our deaths. And no one will come forward for us at that time when our bodies will be lying in some lone corridor of some politicised hospital of great India. Remember that great poem of Brecht!

Abhishek Srivastava
9350352421

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

हिंदी में कैसे लिखे....

इस वेबलिंक (http://www.akshargram.com/sarvagya/index.php/How_to_Type_in_Hindi) पर जाकर आप जिस भी हिंदी टाइपराइटर टंकण ( inscript, phnonetic) पर टाइप करते हो उसका चुनाव कर लें। इस पर टाइप करें, कापी करें और अपने ईमेल के कम्पोज बाक्स में पेस्ट करें, फिर हमें हमारे पते(मीडियायुग एट जीमेल डाटकाम) पर भेंज देंवे। हम उसकी संपादकीय गरिमा के अनुसार उसे उचित स्थान देने की कोशिश करेंगे।

मीडियायुग

http://www.akshargram.com/sarvagya/index.php/How_to_Type_in_Hindi

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मीडियायुग आपका स्वागत करता है...

मित्रों,

हम हिंदी में आपके लेखों का स्वागत करते है। हमारी उम्मीद है कि मीडिया में उठ रहे मु्द्दों पर आपकी नजर ही आईना होगी। हमारा विचार विमर्श आगे बढ़े, इसके लिए आपकी सहभगिता महत्वपूर्ण है। मीडियायुग एक शुरूआत है, जो अपनी अंत जानता है। एक ऐसे फीडबैक व्यवस्था की कामना हमने की है, जिसके सामाजिक उत्तरदायित्व हो, जिसका सरोकार खबरों से हो, अंतरालों में आने वाले एड से नहीं। जब आपकी खबर ही नजरिया बनाए और उससे ही समाचार दिखाने वाले चैनलों की तस्वीर बनें।
उम्मीद है कि आपकी सहभागिता हमें सफल बनाएगी।

मीडियायुग

Send your write-ups on any media on "mediayug@gmail.com"