“Media... - They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent...”
The question always seems to be - What is our jurisdiction and who is it that sets the limit for media to report a crime story? Broadcast Journalists from News Channel in India seem to have lost all restraint… as there are no set guidelines. The ‘Breaking News’ phenomenon has clutched the Indian media’s throat and doesn't look likes its going to let go soon enough. My short stint with BBC in Bristol showed me a different side of media… I had to go through 50 pages of offcom regulations and guidelines on what to do and what not to do while reporting crime stories. Once the police take over the crime scene – the media is set off limits and is not allowed to probe or investigate into the matter on its own. It could and would report only what police confirms.
Whereas in India; it’s been the other way around. News channels go ahead and report, investigate and cook up their own analysis behind the facade of social justice. The most ‘happening’ (pun intended) and recent story that’s been manhandled by the media is the Arushi murder case in Delhi... Media played a major role in exposing police in-competency but while doing so, it crossed all boundaries of investigation. Personal detectives were bought on to the scene – Courtesy News channels who conducted a probe into the murder mystery. Was it justified? I really appreciate what NDTV did. - It issued a statement saying it will report only what the police confirms and would not station reporters in front of the crime scene in respect of the privacy of the victim’s family. It’s been a high profile case no doubt, but is high time the Channels understand their role. Being a Broadcast Journalist myself, I understand the circumstances given to which reports are made, nevertheless the Big Bosses need to realize that reporters on field are not experts in reporting crime stories and floating out speculations don’t do good. They just hamper the investigation and unnecessarily pressurize the investigating team and the viewers, derailing and confusing them with the different versions of the same case on different channels.
If, the so called National News Channels claim that their strategy is correct; then who is it that should be held responsible for ‘wrong’ reporting? - For example; in the Jaipur serial blasts case; where one channel claimed that it had exclusive reports of RDX being used in the explosion, the reports that have emerged now say that no RDX was found. Funny? There’s more! Similarly while one channel was showing a video of the cycle being used in the case as genuine, at the same time… another top news channel was reporting as fake. Whom to believe? Its time to stop fooling and drilling people’s minds with ‘Exclusives” and “Breaking News” Its time to showcase News with sincerity and faith; keeping in mind… Our responsibility towards society...
May 23, 2008
Breaking News: Exclusive!
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9 comments:
Words coming straight from the horse's mouth !!!Well said Dinesh,its the need of the hour.Time to smell the coffee,I believe,both for the media as well as the general public who's being served this,"Breaking News" regularly with not-so-healthy sprinkling of the extra salt.
( to be continued )
Its called 15 mins of fame what makes such stories. The work "Breaking News" has clearly lost its meaning.
Hey mamu.... take lite....remember जो बिकता है वही दिखता है....and चैनल्स अगर तुम्हारे फंडे पर चले तो उनकी TRPs का क्या होगा ?.....वैसे...the word 'breaking news' is self explanatory. it is "Breaking" the "news". So just use ur remote and change the channel.... अकेला चना भाड़ नही फोड़ सकता.
;)
Dinesh, you bring up a very pertinent point. Personally I think this is the most irritating -- and unprofessional -- aspect of the Indian media. I also believe there are many extremely good journalists there. Unfortunately, the sheer quantity of the semi-professional content that you have drowns everything else. Hopefully people like you can tackle that -- and negate it to some extent. Ultimately it all comes down to training -- and quality control.
I was also in Jaipur covering the serial blasts. Believe me the cops were, and still are, as clueless as they were on the first day.
One person can't change the way media handles stories but would like to appreciate Dinesh for at least initiating the process. Who knows in a few years time all those who share the same views will be at the helm and decide against using such tactics. Kudos to NDTV too.
Its great to see you voice your concerns, Dinesh. I think with NDTVs stand, it is clear that the public too is no fool and is hungry for getting authentic news.
To win back viewership channels will soon have to take a stand akin to NDTV and report original content or then build their brands into news entertainment channels and not news channels as they currently claim to be.
I totally agree with on the issue of reportin crime..especially about NDTV..their kind of reportin is honest n not judgemental. pretty hard to maintain that balance wen all channels are hungry for TRP's
What you have said is right Dinesh Sir.Not all but some channels have crossed the limits.There is one such situation in AP which has no crime involved in it but they have made a false statement.A so-called senior journalist and bureau chief of a local telugu news channel was sitting in the studio when Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy's helicopter went missing.He was telling to the public that he had talked to YSR after the chopper was known to be missing and he also said that YSR was going to kadapa on road.But later on we found that YSR was dead.What should be done to that fellow who is a senior journalist who told this just to increase his channel's ratings.
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