You can make a difference

The media has done its best to expose the worst of this disaster. It highlighted the destruction, the suffering; it pinpointed problems, it has exposed the inadequacies of the relief work, the immensity and helplessness of the situation. Can it go further?

Perhaps. The business of television the words are advisedly used is to make money; it is also public service. If, Kargil epitomised the media8217;sability to mediate8217;, to act as a conduit between the army, government on the one hand and the people on the other, then Orissa is its opportunity to go beyond voyeuristic passivity and actively participate in the relief operations.

One way is to pursue the calamity. Don8217;t let Orissa out of our sights 8212; literally. Don8217;t sandwich it between Kalyan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar. Not today, not tomorrow. This is long term. It is said the media has a very short memory: yesterday8217;s news is thrown into today8217;s dustbin. Don8217;t let8217;s rubbish Orissa. Media exposure generates greater attention 8212; Orissa needs all the attention it can get.

Let8217;s not stereotype either. Habitually, natural disasters look identical. But television has advantages: it locates; it has audio and visual which provide specific and pretty conclusive proof of what is actually happening where in Orissa. No hearsay, no off-the-record.

Accountability. Perhaps TV crews could be stationed in the worst spots and follow the relief work or itsabsence. Put the authorities in the firing line: local, state and central, army, NGOs.Get officials in Delhi to TV-conference with officials, correspondents in Orissa. Let8217;s hear who did what and what not. Let8217;s have George Fernandes and Giridhar Gomang respond to the situation, to questions in discussions, in Qamp;As, with the public. All of this was done during the elections: why not now?

Juxtapose the politicians, the officials, juxtapose their answers with ground realities. Easy for TV to do since it has everything taped. Discover if claims and promises made today are carried out tomorrow. Ask embarassing but perhaps relevant questions 8220;Mrs Gandhi: why aren8217;t you based in Bhubaneswar, spearheading the Congress government8217;s operations?8221; etc...

We had daily, live briefings on Kargil why not on Orissa 8212; from Delhi or Bhubaneswar? How come war rates higher than human disasters?The media can do this and more if it wants to.

Part II: Amateur Sex. Was enjoying a compilation of Kajol songs on the localcable TV channel. It abruptly stopped in the middle of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. A buxom foreign lady appeared. Approached a foreign man on the couch. Amateur Sex panted the title well!. What followed was as amateur as the Kamasutra. Personally, favour freedom of expression; personally, would switch channels, read, sleep. But as your media critic? Phonecalled the cable operator. Our conversation:

What8217;s this you are showing before 11pm? Namaste, Madamji, this is English film. Have you seen it? No madamji. Then how do you know it is an English film? Silence Watch it.Silence Are you watching? Yes, madamji. Have you got sisters at home? Yes madamji. And you show this kind of stuff? Somewhat illogical but in the heat of the moment you say what you can. Madamji, you are getting too upset over a small matter. This is pornography! I know, madamji, English action film. It is pornography against the law. No madamji, Cable Act allows adult films at night. I am going to call up the police. Arre, Madamji there aremany requests, many for this kind of film.

Well, listen to me: many children are up till midnight and could be watching 8212; aren8217;t you ashamed? Madam, aap shant ho jayee, yeh chhoti si baat hai.

Dekhiye,I have taken it off the air there. But why show it at all? Madamji, madamji, kya hai, this is a business farmaish hai, madam, farmaish. You ask those who farmao, to pay your bills I won8217;t. Arre madamji you are getting too angry8230;.

Amateur Sex didn8217;t reach a climax. Ban TV6, but no Broadcast Bill, Cable Act will stop people watching what they want to. Why should it. If you object: yell loudly, abusively, hysterically. And threaten not to pay.