Now that Perry Crosswhite, the CEO of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association, has urged the Indian media to stop its shrill hysteria (not in so many words) and tirade against New Delhi and the Games, hopefully some sense will prevail! Frankly, I find it amazing that the media-wallahs were allowed free rein for so long to tarnish the image of India. Is there absolutely no check possible on what the press and TV write and say? Democracy does provide one the liberty of free speech. But surely, liberty is not to be confused with licence?
Kumkum and I, with a few friends, often chewed the cud on this. We felt that such extensive splash in the media about the "alleged" irregularities could very likely lead to adverse feelings about both India and the Commonwealth Games 2010. We feared this - and our fears proved well-found. A few days ago, the US,UK,Canada, Australia and New Zealand warned their delegates to be prepared to land in war-like zones of dug-outs,disrepair,rubble general chaos and hardship,once they arrive in New Delhi! I am happy that there are sensible people around like Perry Crosswhite to put things in their proper perspective.
In this context I have a few questions to ask of the media:
1.Does the media really believe that raking up the issues of inefficiency & corruption BEFORE the Games was the best effort put in by them in the larger interest of the nation's image?
2. Does the media believe that the exposes could not have waited for the Games to conclude?
3. Is crruption a new phenomenon in India? Is corruption non-existent in any other sphere in the country - in politics, in government, in business? Is it limited to only the organising of the Commonwealth Games?
4. Does the media sincerely believe that the building of such massive infrastructure as undertaken by Delhi could be completed without any hitch, without any traffic diversions, without any pile-up of excavated earth, without any interruption from the weather and, above all, without any inconvenience whatsoever to the public?
I am second to none in the belief that our municipal authorities, our public works departments and our utility vendors are steeped in corruption and inefficiency. They need to be exposed by every citizen, not just the media. The whistle-blowers need to be protected. I have written about it earlier in this blog. But, surely, there is a need for the media to see the Big Picture and not just run after TRPs and bylines?
Time and time again we have been mute witness to the Indian media falling flat on its face out of over-enthusiastic coverage and over-the-top reporting. Breaking News have been reduced to laughing matters. The responsible news has given way to sensationalism, often without any regard to the nation's security or image.
As though the politicians are not enough, the media has joined hands with them to ensure that the citizens are seldom able to raise their heads in national pride!
When will this end? Or will it ever?
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While I see the point, I feel without going overboard, media need to sometimes voice concerns. We have seen that in Ruchika Malhotra or the model's case, in bringing Dubey accused to trials & in this case of CWG, making Govt to take up the cudgels rather belatedly. Sure it did spoil our international image, if there was one but it may save us from embarrassment of numerous delegate complaints and hopefully from mishaps. mota
ReplyDelete"Media Bites" is a tad disappointring, coming as it does, from the perceptive pen (or is it the key board?) of my dear friend Sanjoy. This is more so after his latest reflections on "corruption". No one is questioning the blog writer`s basic contention that media bites. But I have reservations about epitomizing this media habit through the example of Delhi Commonwealth Games. If we are prepared to doff our collective hats to the heroic deeds of whistleblowers, then the whistleblower who blows the whistle to provide a much needed warning in time, needs to be appreciated rather than castigated. If, for the sake of argument, we accept that media should have either remained silent or only featured some positive developments (like our shooters winning medals in international meets)for the sake of preserving the rather fragile "getting there" image of an emerging economic giant, then would the rubbles on the delhi roads have disappeared or the tiles beneath the divers`feet not have disintegrated? In short, the logic is specious,if we hold that losing face in "real time" i.e. when the game has begun in the presence of foreigners, is less shocking compared to exposing all the game-related shenangians before the event. Frankly, the logic escapes me.
ReplyDeleteThat media bites has many examples. The extent to which it can go to create "breaking news" is well known. Right now, a most eye-opening, satirical expose of the media role is being unfolded every day in the movie houses with a movie called "Piplee Live". By all means, expose the media for its "dracula" like biting propensities but perhaps not when the target is the CWG organizing committee headed by Mr.Kalmadi.
I wish you guys saw the splash in the local media about the unfinished work then perhaps you would see my point. Exposing defficiencies is one thing, but relentlessly hammering away ad nauseum at an inopportune time and missing the big picture, is quite a different thing. From what we can see as residents, the new facilities look grand. But there are always people who prefer to look a gift horse in the mouth!
ReplyDeleteMota questions India's image abroad in any case. If it is really worth nothing, then it is all the more a reason for promoting it.And this was a fantastic opportunity.
By bringing to justice some people through exposes over the years does not absolve the media from the responsibility to be mature ALL THE TIME! Some people have obviously forgotten the damage and loss of life caused by the over-enthusiastic coverage of 26/11!
Some of us may not think that the Commonwealth Games is worthy of attention. I do not agree. It may not be a momentous issue per se, but it is an internatinal event that our country has chosen to host. I feel it is incumbent upon us to put the best put forward - and this includes the press. I am sorry to say that till date they have not projected any positive image of the facilities that have come up - and believe me, there are plenty.The image makers and opinion makers need to think of India when the time comes.
Under no circumstances should it be interpreted that I am propagating hushing up of the wrong-doings.Not at all. After all, I have even fought dishonesty at the cost of my career. All I am saying is that there could have been a more senible & mature way of handling it.
National prestige does matter to me in a big way.