Recent Primetime Journalism in India-A Completely Catastrophe

 Recent Primetime Journalism in India-A Completely  Catastrophe

“Rating doesn’t last, good journalism does”-Dan Rather

An Open Letter to Prime Time News Anchors/Editors

Dear News Editors,

Namaste,

Being a citizen of this country I have some concerns related to you, as I am not an Indian TV anchor, so I may be wrong. One disclosure is that most news houses have similar fashion, exception on 5-6% journalist based on their own core values and ethics, here it is-

I am not in the journalism profession, although in school level our teacher taught us about what the journalism is? Journalism is the fourth statue of our democratic country and it does speak up the various issues of the society in progressive way or journalist talks about problems of the communities on behalf of its people, the watchdog for governments or administrations or institutions to bring its transparency towards the citizens. Good journalism is always an obligation to the truth, unbiased and utmost loyal towards the citizen of the country.

I examined the recent trends of primetime news in most of the national news channels, it all about ignites the facts to sensationalization, mix up tadka (Tempering) with news, news without verified facts, biased, most are paid, most topics and neither social nor national importance, twitter hashtag becomes so-called news, loyal towards the political bosses or owners etc. All these are going on to just gain TRP (i.e. Money) by hook or crook. Most interestingly you pretended yourself as best and first in the single race..सबसे आगे हमने दिखाया…Have you scrutinize the facts, have you check it once? Have you ever observed it, what’s the impact to the society? Is this your job to classify who is national or who is anti-national? One female editor from reputed national channel, she is always busy with Kashmir, hello dear journalist Kashmir is a part of India, and it doesn’t represent entire India. Is this called ethical journalism to bias towards certain religion or loyal towards political bosses? Sometimes I confused whether I am watching news channel or circus? Who gives you the permission to project the certain facts to benefit your bosses?  And interestingly you self-declared that this is called simplified journalism. If viewers have in normal health condition and after continuously watching such extravagant TV event, the so-called debate for 1 hour, viewers are excited by your tadka news, is your job to express the opinion, certainly not?

The topics you loudly covered #Lalit Modi, #Vijay Mallya, Chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Kejriwal vs. LGs and recently surgical strike, ban PAK artist etc. Is the Lalit Modi or Mallya was returned to the country? What happened about those too much hashtag tweets? Sir I agree, it’s your responsibility to raise your voice for the nation, but continuously repeating 24x7 same things and choose selectively or somehow biased way does not give any benefits to the society. Due to non-important TRP gainer news, most important social issues are always suppressed, which you people are not interested in covering up, as there are no TRPs. If top people in this profession doing like this, what we will expect from newcomers? In recent trends’, your negative culture are coping by state media houses. 

I am from far remote village in northeast region, I request you all prime time editors please step out from your air conditioning room at film city Noida or Mumbai, come to rural India, like  Sulung-Arunachal or Kalap-UK, Assam’s remote villages, Koraput, Malkangiri, or Thar Desert areas or some southern Indian villages, stay there for 1 month, then only you people realized what the hell discussion you talking about like “What Salman Khan said” or “Where Rahul Gandhi was missing” or “What Siva Sena Said” Or “Kejriwal asked for Proof” or “Chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai” etc..And you will forget your debate number too.

There are various important social issues are present in our country, Hey my dear journos, just twitting is not complete your responsibilities. I would like to request, those who self-proclaimed nationalist, please come to rural villages, then only you people recognize that Delhi or Mumbai or Bangalore or Kashmir does not represent the entire India, there are too many serious issues present in our country, which are untouched yet.

Recently surgical strike done by our soldiers, all Indian citizen are proud to our soldiers, no need to expressed it; we all love, respect, understands our soldiers; they scarify their lives for ourselves.  But interestingly some news anchor pretended them as they did the surgical strikes. I have a gentle suggestion to our defense minister, why did not send you self-proclaimed war warriors cum news anchors at the LoC.

If you have no ideas about various issues in our country, kindly do little research and consider for  prime time, it will give more positive impact or awareness to the society e.g. farmers suicide, child malnutrition, poverty, starvation and deprivation in rural villages, still no drinking water and electricity in many villages, specially unemployment, unplanned urbanization-a future challenge, education system, poor hospital facilities in villages, agricultural related problems, flood situations specially in north-eastern states, per family incomes in rural villages, sanitation and cleanness, slum areas etc etc. Please don’t presume that whole India is SWACHH, as your luxury BMW cars or your 5BHK apartments are always SWACHH.

Journalism is not about BJP vs Congress vs APP or #ArnabvsBarkha or so on. It’s very serious profession for the true development of any nation. You have responsibilities towards unsupervised societies or community to consider our issues and put the matter to the appropriate authority.  If the news became “How many Azam Khan Buffaloes was missing”, then how I ensure that journalist is doing the fine job. If you think one tweet is sufficient, then you are in myth. If the paid news suppresses the real news or some journalist become biased towards certain political parties, then how I assure myself that our journalists are doing the fantastic job?

I understands, you are not only solely responsible for the whole disaster, we (viewers) are equally part of it, हमे  खाने से लेकर NEWS तक  मजा आना चाहिए, always, we are looking for tarka in everywhere, you people know which type of tadka we like and you project similar extravagant and non-important event so called prime Time TV debate. If I switch off your channel, it doesn’t give any solution, the rest of India continually watching and its adverse effect will continue. In same news, all channel projects it differently, if truth is unique and one, then how this is possible. Such news opinions divided in youth and it already created various groups like Barkhaian, Rajdessai Fans, Arnabian, Deepakian so and trolling will continue social sites.  The one solution is that viewers should look for quality, unbiased, unfavorable and truth, but it’s not easy to achieve it quickly, it needs to much social awareness.   

You all did great success in your personal life, you are all celebrities, being individual I have true respect all of you, so still, you people are my hope, as you are in a very serious profession, please don’t miss utilize your platform.  I understand you have professional competition and you have maintained your luxury lives, we have no problem, earn money whatever you want, but please think twice before you project any news or debate, how this will help or impact on improving the situation of real India.

Please make sure, you are not servants of political bosses, so please listen to your heart, which will tell you being a political neutral approach. One additional, if you have too much restriction from bosses or governments, it’s better to quit the journo profession. You, people, are so talent, join in another suitable job; you will not only earn sufficient money for your luxury lives, but also you will get true respect in the society.

If you really judge yu as a journalist, please think about it, to getting more TRP or rating by cheating to the society is not the good way, still if you pretends as you don’t care mode, sincerely I would like you remind you when you will on death bed, that day you will realize “Money or rating is not Everything”.

जीना यहाँ, मरना यहाँ, इसके सिवा जाना कहाँ

जी चाहे जब हमको आवाज़ दो, हम हैं वहीं, हम थे जहाँ…….

Still not too late, get well soon, hope for positive change, as hopes stay us alive.

Your’s truly

An Indian Citizen