What is it with our media that they are so obsessed with movie stars and the Nehru family?
For a week or more the media frenzy, obsession with Varun Gandhi and then Sanjay Dutt is beyond comprehension. It is not just an over kill or rather same kill but also a poor reflection on the priorities of the media - TV channels - mainstream English - in particular. Based on what we have been watching, not only this week, but for much longer, one cannot but conclude all the producers and anchors are bereft of ideas. While the world has changed to User Generated Content, interactive media and power in the hands of You and Me, the producers, sadly continue to think media 1.0, TV 1.0.
They foolishly seem to believe that they are showing stirring stuff that will send shivers down the spine of producers of popular soaps in other channels. Almost every channel seems to think that he/she who shouts loudest is the best and most wanted. Truth is something else.
Even giving them the benefit of doubt, that these are errors in judgment or 'reading the pulse', what is inexcusable is taking the viewers for fools.
How can the same story, including interviews, opinions blah, blah be exclusive for each and every channel? The other question is why should all stories, all news be exclusive?
The next big PIA is the so called panelists being summoned by each channel for anything and everything - My God, it is sheer torture. Many a panelist (almost everyone) doesn't like to get off the mike, most times no less than 4 people talk all at the same time. The anchor or presenter (himself/herself) gets bored and he /she jumps in and it is more chaos/fun depending on where you come from.
Why are you doing this to me? :-(
Coming back to Varun Gandhi and Sanjay Dutt, what in the world have they achieved that merits so much of attention and footage? What sin have we committed that we should be bombarded with incoherent or shall we say absolutely worthless sound bites - both recorded and live - from these 2 guys?
Varun Gandhi's claim to fame is he is Sanjay Gandhi's son. He suddenly decides to take off and launches into a tirade. If at all it was a news story of a few seconds, typically end of the bulletin story, but no, our channels will have none of that. They blow it, blow it, blow it till it bursts and they continue blowing.
Sanjay, Sanju to our channels and may be his admirers and fans, is a bollywood star in his own right - he has a fan following, he has acted in blockbusters, flops all and has his own claim to fame. Granted!
He also has another side, which is that he has been found guilty of possessing arms and he is yet to be acquitted in the case.
He files his nomination, it is rejected - right/wrong immaterial - and yes it is news. No but Sanjay not being allowed to contest elections is a catastrophe that has befallen us. What next? With Amar Singh in tow, he is in channel after channel and the duo talk whatever they feel like while Sanju is chewing something or the other all the time. Ridiculous.
It is a strange material world. May be there is more than what meets the eye.
L.Ravichandran
ravi@chennaionline.com