Manmohan speaks ....

The prime minister has spoken atlast. or may be these are the last words on Nandigram.

"The events in Nandigram are unfortunate. I condole the loss of lives and regret the destruction of property," he said.

"I sincerely hope the state government will be able to take necessary steps to restore confidence in the people through effective deployment of security forces," Singh said.

"It is the duty of the state government to ensure that all sections of the population, regardless of their political views and affiliations, are entitled to and do receive protection of law enforcement authorities," he said.

"I understand this spontaneous outpouring of grief and anguish over the issue as expressed by artists and intellectuals in Kolkata. I hope the state government will take note of this," Singh said.

Buddh[adev]ism

1. You can take an eye for an eye.
2. If you kill a Muslim because he is a Muslim it is a crime but if you kill him because he is anti communist, it is a party affair.
3. Ruling party cadres can take law in to their own hands if court reprimands government for police killing.
4. Revenge is legal if you are a communist.
5. Killing a minority is a national issue. Killing anyone else is a state subject.
6. How they were armed, who helped them, how many goons were involved is none of your business if it is for communists welfare.
7. When you get a coin, pay back with the same coin
8. Only communists can have arms. Rest have to use legs to run.
9. Justice is what we say it is, rest is all injustice.
10. To be or not to be for you is our choice.

Bengal will raise above this storm[?] over cups of tea, as usual. We said it on 14Th November. One more adjournment and the nation will forget the spelling of nandigram. You see CNN-IBN website at this hour. Not a single news about Nandigram in the first page. Ruling India is easy and to be there for ever is also easy for buddha and company. As long as you know how to pay back.

Nandigram Nuked

The clever communists are at it again. They have struck a deal and are permitting a go ahead for IAEA meet. Rest can follow later. Now this was shown as breaking news throughout yesterday afternoon and thus Nandigram is taken out of our memory. With some intelligent posturing by the congress led by munshi, and with some feeble noise from advani, poor nandigram is soon going off air. There will be one or two adjournment in the parliament and then since the nuclear deal has to be discussed, Nandigram issue will be nuked.

The communists and congress have been hoodwinking us all for a long time. Act like beating me so that the real opposition is shown poor. Mamta and BJP in the receiving end. Who is bothered about Nandigram? Only Bengalis. And if they are communists they still do not bother. So a minority with no political heavy weight by its side will be let to suffer. The media is mute and subdued and this strengthens our theory of bias.

The so called Intellectuals will make noise for some time and then vote for CPM. Mamta will be damned by the media as Bengal deserves better. BJP anyway is nonexistent. Congress will get some loksabha support from left and will present bengal to the communists again. Poor Nandigram. Nuked......

The art of news reading - part-II

Newsgathering is not a easy job. Especially the sensitive one's. Journalism is under constant criticism, and the task of journalists covering the news in war zones is becoming a much more dangerous business. More and more, journalists are being killed or subjected to violence, illegal detention, threats or intimidation. In India any political news is like covering a war zone. In case of Nandigram, what the Newspapers could report, the Television could not. Pictures create more impact than letters. And the communists in Bengal successfully blocked all routes to the war zone. What is surprising is no channel is complaining. When I asked a senior journalist from CNN-IBN in a Live chat as to why no access for media in free India while they are able to cover news in martial Pakistan, he bluntly answered 'what to do they are not allowing'. I am not amazed by the reply but amused.

India is changing fast. The politicians of today are gutsier and openly connive with criminals to achieve their means. They are also outspoken and do not think twice in openly performing these misdeeds. Many parties own Television Channels unlike newspapers. Television is a far-reaching media and is very effective communicator. Many Elections have been won just by Televisions, either by manipulating opinions or opinion polls. There is a talk of censor ship, which will give more teeth for the politicians to direct the way news is broad cased. The draft of the Broadcast Bill, prepared by a sub-panel of a 30-member committee overseen by I&B secretary SK Arora, which hints at stringent content regulation, particularly for news channels. If Okayed by lawmakers in its present state, it could well be the end of sting operations and coverage of issues where high profile politicians and personalities are involved.

Forty years back no one would have had the guts of the present West Bengal chief minister to openly advocate that it is fair to take law in to your own hands, if it is for giving back in the same coin. Revenge has been made law by buddadeb. Yes if he is not taken to court for his irresponsible statement tomorrow a person who commits revenge can argue by citing this open remark by an administrator.

Is the job of Media to report whatever as it is and leave it there or to analyze and aid law? When the politicians of today are openly recruiting white-sheeters and when many criminals or shaded people are winning elections, is it because of failure of Indian media? Responsible Television channels should have a common platform to address these issues. If they are prohibited from airing an event because of some national interest it is fine. If not they should have a ready and swift mechanism to counter it and give the news. If we fail in this, this country has no great future. In many states today the chief ministers are acting as if it is their kingdom. In a fair democracy only the courts and Press can check this. And the courts need the help of the press. If not now tomorrow will be late.

Three employees of the Tamil-language daily Dinakaran were killed in an attack on the newspaper’s offices in Tamil Nadu on May 9 2007. Twelve people were arrested and if I am not mistaken most of them must be out on bail. And their mentor is soon going to be a minister or some vvvvip. Three television journalists were assaulted this month in Bihar by a politician and four of his associates after they had gone to the politician’s residence to seek his reaction in connection with a case of rape and murder of a woman.
Why the press is mute to such incidents. I am not blaming any particular party because no one is different in this.

It is not that they do not have common forums. In July 2007 Indian channels formed News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and as per their first secretary-general, the association has been set up to help create and nurture an environment in which news broadcasters can best serve audiences and contribute to the development and diversity of the country. But are we seeing anything in our sight? . They also have IBF (Indian Broadcast Federation) and many other forums. But none have the teeth to bite. What we need today is some one like Goenka in the television world of India. They should become reasonably powerful. They should be law abiding and fearless. Only then the path for the future will be perfect. Continued...

The Art of News Reading -Part-I

What you see is not the entire event, but rather a version of the event that often contains various forms of bias. The past two weeks is tense in Nandigram. We see news in bottom of all English channels which say Mamta not allowed to enter , CPM gunning down people, Governor is wrong, If capturing is correct why not recapturing? etc. But not one channel has tried to venture in to Nandigram to show us what exactly is happening there. If the same had happened in Gujarat or Bihar the channels would have occupied twenty four hours on it. There seems to be a bias for the communists in the English channels. So far I have not understood what is happening there. What's telecast should be fair, accurate and reasonably complete. All those who are stakeholders in the story should be given a reasonable opportunity to state their case. In addition to making sure what's broadcast meets these requirements, reporters should also ask themselves if anything important is missing from their story. But they never seem to happen here. When mamatha resigned, A news reader made it seem she is making politics on Nandigram. The objectivity is totally lost. And the CPM is making headlines by making it seem that all in Nandigram is because of provocation from the governor and the Channels buy the story without any rebuke. There is something wrong in the news we see? Perhaps a written version is better. see How nandigram was recaptured? to know what happened there in near past and compare with what you saw in TV in the same time. Also is it ethical and legal for a ruling party to let its party take arms and go fighting? Ofcourse the view of CPM sympathisers are also valid. How can you let rebels run a state with in a state and did media expose this at all? why has the media found nothing to criticize in the fact that the area was being held by armed activists and was a state within a state for all these 12 months? Does the media adopt such an ostrich like attitude towards other areas in India held by armed rebels? Also if the left thinks it is right to do a wrong to correct a wrong how wrong is it when the right[MODI and company]does the same? Well these channels do not deliver news but opinions and are also in an attempt to build opinions. - continued.....

Law to impose ethics on tv channels

A Central legislation was needed for imposing the ethics on television channels, said Madras High Court Judge P Jyothimani.

Addressing the National Public Service Broadcasting Day celebrations organised by Broadcast Engineering Society (India) in the city on Tuesday, he said that like cinema,even the television programmes should also be censored.

“The ethics are not followed by the private television channels. The programmes are propagating polygamy,” he said.

Adolescents were susceptible to this kind of propaganda. Hence, a Centralised legislation was needed as the government had a responsibility on public morality, he added.

Chairman and Managing Director of Arasu Cable Corporation Brijeshwar Singh said that private channels were thriving only on entertainment related programmes.

He stressed that the role public service broadcasters was essential as they were detached from government and vested interests.

“But now we should think on how to give freedom for Prasar Bharati from financial constraints, that they can do more experiment with the programme content,” he said.

Financial cushion and creative freedom should be given for public service broadcasters, he added.

Outlining the various models of public service broadcasting in other countries, he said that the public service broadcasters should cater to national identity and minorities.
Thanks: New Indian Express Chennai.

Addendum: Any regulation on Tv content by politicians will be counter productive. What has been urged may be correct but how is the moot point.