Saturday, January 25, 2014

Today’s Media: Rat- Raced; anything but sense based

There is a sense within about today’s television media that it has failed me and I am sure many of you won’t mind sharing the same feeling. While print and social counterparts are little better off, people have vented about the TV channels earlier and I am joining the chorus.

Having worked in technical field for quite some time now, while I can appreciate the technological advancement and usage, the thing that cuts me off is the degree of loudness and garishness with which today’s TV media portrays each and everything in their myopic way – defined oddly by their own cut-piece manner. I have observed that in almost all the time, only a suitable portion of the fact is lifted out of context to create a sensation, to attract people in brazen violence of ethics.  Today’s news is all about creating a sensation and drama rather than facts.

Where is that media that compels you towards holistic thinking, soothes you with thoughtful discourses or enlightens you with strategic directions, puts facts with responsibility and accountability? There is no respect for anyone and privacy of anyone and it is dog eats dog in all the channels you name it.

The things that I miss most are the poise and subtlety in today’s media coverage and get completely cowed down by the onslaught of audio and video bytes – high pitched and heavily colored to say the least. I am lost and bogged down by the insensitive nature of it with a deep sense of pain and deprivation about the things that should be just for you. In today’s heavily loaded media circus, sound and video are targeted towards common people as canon fodders to push through data and caricatured actions bereft of any sensitivity and considerate approach. I feel suffocated and punctured from all sides under this juggernaut. Today’s media is temper provoking rather thought provoking  and more busy in putting people face to face and creating a drama on the screen.  The way programs are anchored or queries are thrown- it reveals the basic intention of not having a meaningful discussion but rather to create a fracas of words. The brawls generally end up getting harsh words exchanged coupled with blame game and passing the buck. And all of it starts from the word go.

Some of the anchors- with an attitude of they know best and savior of our country, do not even allow participants to express their views in a gentlemanly way putting words in their mouth and in turn successful in creating the drama.

Still remember the early days of media revolution of India with NDTV and Dr. Pranoy Roy and his bandwagon e.g. Rajdeep and few others ushering the new dawn. Barring a few of these old timers, today’s media is hooligan like and all about creating high pitched drama and sensations. If this is the fall out of imitating western world, people should better watch BBC and CNN – the sober and somber ones held at high pedestal of journalism even in today and clearly stand out from the rest.

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