A week is a long time in politics and TV

There was considerable ‘gassing’ on TV about the pump scam, fuelling heated debates and public ire. This is a case of news creating news as lists of allotments in The Indian Express, each day, led to endless television discussions and follow-ups.

In journalist Shivani Bhatnagar’s case, the media has taken the matter quite personally. Aaj Tak and Star News frequently gave it headline news, repeatedly played footage of the scene of the crime three years ago and stationed themselves outside I.G. Sharma’s deserted home in Panchkula.

Television news, that is also 24-hours, assumes you have been closely following a story and therefore, continues from where it left off last. Rather like a TV drama serial except in TV serials there is always a ‘recap’. Not so the news. For example, often in the Bhatnagar stories we learnt of the ‘manhunt’ for Sharma, the arrest and identity of his alleged accomplices. However, during the first few days it wasn’t always made clear why these people had conspired to kill The Indian Express correspondent—which is what most of us want to know.

Also the ‘latest’ can become confused. On Friday afternoon, Aaj Tak’s correspondent reporting from the Panchkula residence, said Madhu Sharma frequently went in and out of the door. That’s what doors are for, right? Asked if the police and she were likely to talk, he said one couldn’t say anything, maybe…

While on the subject, TV anchors and reporters are either extremely familiar or excessively polite. Barkha Dutt on We The People (Star News) alternates between being a strict disciplinarian who wields the microphone in her hand as a school ruler to rap her guests’ knuckles and a friendly confidant who, affectionately puts her arm around their shoulders and pats them. Anchors across channels address their guests, sometimes, by their first names (Arun) and then formally (Mr Jaitley). On CNN and BBC it is strictly surnames. Lastly, anchors are far too grateful to their colleagues for doing their jobs: ‘‘Thank you so-so and so, thank you very, very much.’’, ‘‘…Dhanyavaad la-le-la-le-la….bahut bahut dhanyavaad’’. Hallo?

Ramkhilavaan CM ’n Family (SABe TV) began last Monday and has immediately run into Laloo Yadav. The producers claim the character could be any Indian politician. With a white mop of hair precisely like Yadav’s, a wife called Imarti Devi, and an identical speech pattern, it is easy to disbelieve them. Just as the TV channel in the first episode, ‘Parson Tak’, is inspired by Aaj Tak.

However, this is just a sitcom. Does Yadav find the situations too similar for comfort? Previously, Yadav has carefully cultivated a son-of-the-soil persona for public consumption: he gives interviews in his vest and on at least one memorable occasion, we accompanied him into the toilet. He’s mimicked, cartooned, politicians make all manner of objectionable comments about him (and other politicians) so what’s it with a fictional spoof?

A series such as West Wing in USA very closely resembles the White House and stories are based on real events — there’s one coming up on Kashmir. The show wins Emmy Awards. And this is how the drama series Traders (Star World) promotes its new season: ‘Enron… Worldcom… A new season of financial shenanigans…’’

Suppose Ramkhilavaan… dyes his wig, then what? And really, Yadav protests too much, quite unnecessarily: Ramkhilavaan… is not a patch on him. He is much wittier.

The Electrolux Kelvinator Cricketer of the Century series on DD1 was excellent. Players like Viv Richards, G.Vishwanath, Vengsarkar, Clive Lloyd, Bishen Bedi, Faroukh Engineer, Ajit Wadekar, etc., cricket historian Ramachandra Guha assessed the Indian players named by Wisden. Along with footage of their greatest moments, we heard why most of them rated Laxman’s test innings against Australia ahead of Tendulkar’s one-day knock against the Kangaroos, why Tiger Pataudi was the ‘‘best thing to happen to Indian cricket’’, why Gavaskar was thought superior to Hazare, etc. A pity the series came after rather than before the event.

Recommended viewing: Question Time Pakistan (BBC World). For a plurality of opinions on a variety of issues across the border on everything — but Kashmir. The audience is articulate and hard-hitting, the participants frank and the anchor firm. When Information Minister Nisar Memon began a spot of India-bashing, she stopped him short, when he wanted to extol the military’s virtues, a second time, she tersely told him, ‘‘I would rather you did not’’.

Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai (Sony): more unsolicited advice: tighten the show, reduce it to two one-hour episodes and shift it to the weekend.