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Just when I wondered news trivialization by a segment of Indian media could not get shoddier, it did. And how.

What provoked me to write this post? Ever since the demise of Late Shri Satya Sai Baba (Spiritual Godman), the Hindi news channels have been shamelessly showing reruns of how Sachin Tendulkar (an Indian Cricket Player) got emotional at the funeral meet and the way his tears were flowing incessantly like the Niagara.

So is it just me or does anyone else also feels that our news channels are on an absolute dive towards total decline? Indian media's proclivity for sensationalism is by no means a new trend. From the time when tabloids were first published in the United Kingdom, sensationalizing news stories, publishing unconfirmed reports, scandal sections and celeb news, became a component of the media. However, they never caused a grave danger to conventional newspaper since the readers were conscious of the fact that tabloids had more to do with amusement than sober journalism. Tabloid journalism never acquired an analogous grip in India in the initial 50 years of freedom; old-fashioned Indian society did not permit the similar level of frankness and impertinence that is so vital in tabloid journalism. Even in the post- freedom period, tabloid journalism was not flourishing barring the national dailies publishing entertainment news and celeb gossip in what is now prevalently referred to as “Page 3” news. However, with the dawn of satellite TV, tabloid journalism in India has discovered a new facade in Hindi and vernacular news media particularly the visual media. It soon disintegrated into something which is yet to be described.

Sensationalism is what sells and impels the media to a repugnant path and more prominently the visual media - principally the TV as frequently viewed- has forgotten the total concept of social connotation from its each and every story featured, associated with sex, fallacy, suicide and crime. It’s time to get beyond just broadcasting or writing news.

Journalism (whatever I understand of it) is inclined towards the capacity to voice an opinion and to comprehend and uphold the moral codes and norms of media. conversely, media nowadays- be it print or electronic are more bogged down by strength of their circulations or TRP ratings and consequently never falter to feature news which could be vulnerable to many.

In days of yore, it was merely limited to local media but nowadays national television news channels have started hitting the screen with bizarre stories and by building self directed chapters derived from sensationalism.

To be an accountable fourth pillar of a democratic system, the Indian media needs to deal with public interest and also value public sentiments by being morally answerable for its social repercussions in general. Journalists need to follow their scruples while reporting sensitive subjects like a funeral, natural calamity, rape or molestation etc.

Yes, you can question -- what is erroneous in showing rape as rape or murder as murder?—But as an accountable civilian you have no right to feature the disfigured body of a woman or those who are associated with her family.

The point in fact to be marked here is the transmogrification of news channels into a sensational, broadcasted tabloid that hunts and breeds on garish subjects. There could be two rationales behind this modification. First, that these television channels do not have the journalistic capacities to search for news stories that essentially matter and sanction the audiences with that information. Second, that there is in fact an audience, and a sizable number at that, that would much rather prefer sensationalism over useful news. My notion, thus, is that it is the former of the two which stands true.

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Brutal Reality

Picture this. A small girl, of nine-ish something, pouts her lips like Urmila Mataondkar and thrusts like an item girl even as the judges and spectators chuckle generously and clap in awe. Her moves, garish make-up and costumes are far beyond her age but apparently no one finds this strange? Well, reality shows ka zamana hai baba, yehi ‘in’ hai!

There's an overabundance of these kinds of reality shows being broadcast currently, with children singing, dancing, acting and doing every possible thing that an adult would do, on all possible channels. Mostly pressed by pushy parents and family members, toiled to the bone by show producers and at times subjected to hurtful comments by judges, it's not a perfect life out there; neither is the overindulgence of glitz and glamor besides public spotlight healthy for such little minds.

Before go further, let me say one thing: I feel young kids have no place on reality shows. (And that goes for charity programs as well, where minor celebrity mommies swagger about with aspirant celebrity kids) Period. I’m just as clear about purported talent shows for kids where a detrimental competitiveness exists and pushy parents/trainers/teachers shove child “genius” to impractical altitudes. And there’s something more than placidly pornographic about young girls in glittery (not to forget revealing) clothes and complete make-up quaking their non-existing butts for TV audiences. Vulgar to the core.

I’m not debating the fact that most of these young children are truly endowed. But there are others who are compelled to ruthless limits, made to undergo hours of practice, forfeit valuable play time of their childhood with the intention of ‘accomplishing’ what to me appears like their parents’ frustrated aspirations.

We’ve become so fanatical with seeing our children excel, that we’re at risk of transforming them into performance monkeys. We crave, require and look forward to extraordinary kids. Yet, paradoxically, we exist in a time of great triteness. We are prepared to accept jaded leadership, average government services, inferior products (though our endurance is running thin), but where our kids come into picture, we look forward and expect nothing but brilliancy or perfection in plain words.

I’m certain there are a range of rationales for this. We wish to reimburse for our own ordinary lives. We desire our kids to be the kind of people we could never become- rich, famous and a face to shine amongst the crowd. We see their recognition as our fame. But beneath all of this is the truth that we now adore the sect of ‘celebrity ship. In cities, big and small, all over India, parents of kids as small as 4-5 years aspire to transform them into little stars; they wish to see their names right up there on huge city hoardings, seizing their 15 minutes of recognition and fame.

To parents I just wish to say one thing: Young child artists rarely seem to have contented reminiscences of their frazzled early days. The actress/director Sarika has mentioned about her lost childhood, thanks to an abusive (and now separated) mother. Recently I also came across an article which mentioned about a 20 something Russian model, who had been working since she was 15 years of age. She jumped to bring an end to her agonies in, New York City. I am sure there would be multiple such tales which begin at a rather beautiful stage, but usually have very sad endings.

Childhood should be a time for children to run wild and carefree, play, days to dream, a time to be innocent, a time for new discoveries, a time to just mess up and learn. It’s concise enough as it is. Reality — with its rough, tough edge — will take over in due course, anyhow.

So, how about just skipping these reality shows, glitz and glamor with cutthroat record-making for the kids and just leave them for adults?

Time to think.

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The Average Indian Women vs. the Superwomen!

This one is for all those feminists who grumble and complain about ladies being depicted as mere sex objects - kindly focus on to the anguish of the women who are expected to conduct themselves like the ‘saas and bahus’ of the daily TV serials.

Picture this – What all an average woman in India has to contend with-

The female lead in the daily soaps is stunning, sexy, fashionable, stylish and full of beans even in profound slumber. Scores of hard work and energy is invested in that striking appearance. Just imagine of yourself going to bed in a weighty designer saree with tons of diamond and gold (fake btw) ornaments. She is an outstanding cook and hardly takes any time to prepare a scrumptious and nourishing food for her tons of children, spouse, family in-laws and even extended family and also neighbors sometimes. She is a perfect time management guru. She dresses up the children for school, walks them till the bus stop, comes back home, prepares breakfast and packs lunch for her husband. Sees him off to work with a loving peck on his cheeks- Mind you, all of these loving activities this without a symptom of exhaustion or stress. She goes to bed after making everyone else comfy and awakens anybody else has opened their eyes. Her house can contend for an award at the Star Pariwar Awards, if there was a category for tidy, modern and beautiful homes. Everything in her house is in its perfect position both beautifully and sensibly. When all's said and done when her children return from school and husband reaches home after a tedious and at times an exasperating day at work, she is all set to soak up all their anxieties with a beam. If the husband is unable to run the company or business for a while owing to a few bizarre reasons, she takes over (She is versatile and doesn’t need degrees to back her up r’ber?). In her second or third meeting, she finalizes deals worth of crores of rupees. All you Ratan Tatas and Ambanis and Narayanmurthys are a shame in front of her. The Shanti Bais and the Ramu Kakas are well skilled and well conducted (wonder why she does the household chores herself with so much help on hand) and she doesn’t require shouting at her husband or children to vent out her aggravation. Her kids are both meticulously well nurtured and very well-conducted or baddies who have to be made an element of the social convention by sheer endurance. At no juncture does she lose her cool; her smile is her biggest plus point. She is an ideal hostess to her husband and children’s friend circle. The most competent and tolerant nurse if God forbid someone in the family falls ill. Her appeals are most stirring and touching. God has no option but to respond to her prayers and carry out miracles when the doctor has given up hope on the ailing patient.

Compare and contrast this super woman with yourself, your mother friend, sister or anybody from your environs, town or city. Can you match up to these standards? You will discover the real woman inept, jumbled and sluggish. Wonder what good do these role models do to the Indian society, but I do know the harm- They raise expectations. Young girls want to grow up to be a perfect Parwatis while all the mom- in –laws- to be ,anticipate arrival of Tulsis as their bahus. All in vain though.

This is what we call slandering the average image of an average Indian woman!

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Kya aap main hai wo baat, jo aap le jaayen Rakhi ka haath?- On the Grand Indian Rakhi ka Swayamwar

One of my very close friends recently asked me to pen down my views on the latest of “Rakhi ka Swayamwar”. She asked me what my take was on this show. So here it is! I could barely follow it beyond a few episodes due to the extremity of the forged and bogus drama created on it. However, to each his own.

Rakhi Sawant certainly wouldn’t have imagine all extra stuff that came to her with this show- A posh necklace ( worth some odd 30 Lakhs ,designed by Farah Ali Khan), a traditional wedding attire designed by acclaimed designer Neeta Lulla, a much talked about “swayamvar” on national TV and a majestic marriage ceremony to be viewed by billions . The “ex -item girl”, who has seen a rags-to-riches kind of a personal life and career, will tie a knot with the ‘chosen one’, very soon. She will select her Mr. Right from among nine contenders (groom-to-be) who have traveled from cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Kanpur Rishikesh and Jaipur and even from ‘saat samundar paar’ (across the seven seas) places like Toronto.

Apparently, Rakhi believes that she is a refined, traditional and sophisticated ‘susheel grihani’ kinda woman with a reverence for Indian customs and values .She feels it is high time when she got a life partner and settled in the bliss of domestic life and family bonding. An excellent idea! What I do not comprehend however, is the requirement for a reality show to transform this idea into actuality.

I solicit,” Do you actually feel your marriage should be portrayed to be nothing more than a source of amusement for so many viewers? Do you actually feel you could discover a companion by making him perform various tasks (read drama) on national TV? Do you actually feel the audience really care for your wedding more than any other reality show? Do you actually feel that you will be content doing this? ”

Well, I recently heard that Rakhi Sawant has definitely put her tiny feet in her full-size mouth with this show. Grapevine has it that, an acclaimed news channel carried out a sting operation on one of the contending groom of the show. The man was already married with 3 children! What’s more appalling is that he alleges that everybody including the channel producers were aware of this. He was deliberately requested to enter as a contestant so that it can be ‘exposed’ later in the show so as to create the much desired drama that all wait for. Phew!

Rakhi Sawant is undeniably keen on finding her Mr. Right. Nonetheless, I cannot ponder on a rationale for a reality show for that. For the type of being she is, I completely comprehend that Rakhi Sawant cares two hoots about what people think.

“Aisa pati chahiye mujhe, jisme ‘day-ring’ ho, ‘intul-igent’ ho, thoda sa dance wance to aana chahiye,aada teda bhi chalega. Paise waala ho na ho, dildaar zarur ho.Waise paise waala ho bhi to bhi kya harz hai? Rakhi ka pati banna koi asaan nahin hai.” – You bet! We agree Rakhi.

O Jee-Juss!

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Sach Ka Samna – The desi version of “Moment of Truth”

Come on, don’t be timid? Let’s obliterate your Life on TV, while we swing a bag of cash in front of you. The producers and the supporters of this desi version of “Moment of truth” feel this show is a great “good platform to remove the guiltiness for any person.” Well, don’t we have a confession box in the churches for that?

The show, which began last Wednesday, has been tailored from a much applauded American show called Moment of Truth, which also has a gigantic followers in India. From nerve-racking fretfulness to answers that will nearly have you go down your seats, the show has kept the spell of angst elevated with every participator. While the Hindi adaptation will be uncompromising as participators courageously share their harsh realities, the show has been made without bearing in mind the Indian receptivity.

It has been claimed, that the show is an effort to bring about a positive transformation by helping the participants get rid of their baggage of guilt and lead a radically better life. Does one really need a reality show to shed the baggage of guilt? Can confessing your deep down secrets in front of millions on a national television give you the long awaited peace of mind you are seeking? Is it reasonable to reveal pungent truths of human life before millions of audience which otherwise would have been obscured between close doors of your life and relationships. Wouldn’t the malfunction of the lie-detector test gratuitously lead to discomfiture between otherwise close-knit relationships? What is the accuracy that the show producers expose only authentic response received from the lie-detecting test? Is a father’s acceptance to sleep with a prostitute in front of his daughter really a “brave “attempt to potray your virtue of honesty?

There is no refuting of the fact that Sach Ka Saamna is an indecent show that flourishes on nosy parkers and thrill. In a world of Reality Shows, I guess the grubbier the game gets, more it appeals to the masses that have been vouching for this show. Money sure doesn’t come cheap!

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Recommended Reading :- http://youthcurry.blogspot.com/2009/07/sach-ka-saamna.html