Doordarshan146;s tunnel vision

In the end, it did what it should have at the start. When you enjoy exclusive telecast rights to the most prestigious and multi-disciplinary...

In the end, it did what it should have at the start. When you enjoy exclusive telecast rights to the most prestigious and multi-disciplinary event and four years in which to plan for it, you plan for it. You don8217;t park two likeable but ignorant individuals in a studio as ciphers until you can proceed to Athens and then, let the Olympics take over. DD Sports had to keep its finger firmly on the remote control and decide what to telecast. It8217;s all about making the kind of choices it did on Friday night, when it broadcast the women8217;s long jump event in its entirety not only Anju Bobby George8217;s leaps and subsequently a recording of the men8217;s hockey final being played at the same time.

During the last fortnight, DD Sports, by and large, trailed the Games like a tail does a dog instead of leading the way. It ought to have drawn up a list of 8216;must watch8217; events, recorded the ones with unsuitable timings and telecast them8212;or their highlights8212;at prime time. Instead, we went rowing. Or cycling. Or horse jumping. Delightful events yet to gain widespread popularity in India. A professional sports channel takes its audience profile and preferences into account and indulges both. It doesn8217;t flit like a butterfly from one event to another, but stays the course with important ones for the viewer to become involved in the contest.

Of course, staying the course has it own hazards. Last Wednesday, we spent the entire morning at Hubli, waiting to catch a sight of Uma Bharati 8216;live8217;: ah, there she is making one grandstand speech aboard her car; oh, there is a fleeting glimpse of her at the temple; and, at last, one short appearance after the court hearing. In the hours between these brief sightings, news channels fed us recorded footage of the woman in saffron so that she was constantly with us even when she wasn8217;t. Alternately, we watched BJP supporters flying any flag they could lay their hands on; we saw a road that looked like any other road; best of all, we had the unique privilege of watching the rear end of Umaji8217;s Ambassador8212;and those belonging to the policemen running alongside. Again and again. You peered, intently: they looked like all rear ends in motion do but clearly there was something more to them for a reputed news channel like Aaj Tak to repeat the telecast so often.

When even they tired of showing you-know-what, the screen filled with Mr Anchor in earnest conversation with his two correspondents on the spot. Except they were not on the spot because as reporter Imran informed us, the media was kept at a distance from the court precincts. Aha, the anchor thought he had a controversy on his hands: 8216;8216;Yeh kiska khel ho sakta hai?8217;8217; he asked excitedly. Poor Imran had nothing more juicy to offer than a police order.

So: we had plenty of 8216;live8217; coverage and precious little 8216;live8217; footage. Poor Mr Anchor had to fill in time with empty space. What8217;s going on, he8217;d ask. 8216;8216;Abhi abhi8217;8217; Umaji8217;s car passed by a tree! What8217;s happening outside the courts? Not much, said Imran, there are BJP supporters as you would expect and lots of police ditto. Any disturbance, asked the anchor, hopefully. No, said the imperturbable Imran, 8216;8216;no tanaav8217;8217;.

Hey, hold on there, Imran. At approximately 12.33, Star News and Sahara Samay were flashing a police lathicharge. Where are you, man? Imran insisted there was no disturbance, so that put paid to Star and Sahara and what could have been a useful filler while we awaited Umaji.

In the absence of live action, tanaav and Umaji, the anchor is left to his own ingenuity: 8216;8216;Jaise ki Imran ne abhi abhi bataya8217;8217;8230;earlier this morning, Uma Bharati arrived at Hubli station8230; Earlier this morning, Uma Bharati arrived at Hubli and addressed her supporters8230; Earlier this morning, Uma Bharati arrived at Hubli and addressed her supporters who thronged the railway station8230; Earlier this morning Umaji arrived8230; she blamed that 8216;videshi aurat8217; for all the unprecedented media coverage she has been receiving8230; Earlier this morning8230;8217;8217; You were reminded of the Sting song: 8216;8216;Every breath you take/Every move you make8230;I8217;ll be watching you.8217;8217;