Opinion Making up the facts as we go along
After 26/11,they promised they had learnt from their mistakes and we thought they had. Until last week,when once again,a live and tragic...
After 26/11,they promised they had learnt from their mistakes and we thought they had. Until last week,when once again,a live and tragic event unfolded over 24 hours. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddys disappearance required restraint and a scrupulous respect for facts. It needed a closely coordinated effort between the media and the governments central and state to ensure that this time,we got to know only what could be confirmed,not what people hoped,feared or heard.
For a while on Wednesday afternoon,it was November 26,2008 once more. Times Now said YSR had been traced and was safe according to the Civil Aviation Ministry,CNN-IBN and NDTV denied it quoting the Home Ministry,then NDTV agreed with Times Now but by then Times Now was disagreeing with itself claiming Home Ministry confirmation was awaited but Zee News proclaimed Reddy was safe and CNN-IBN denied it but said that according to someone in Reddys security chain Reddy was alive but didnt know his whereabouts,whereupon Headline Today said Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed the CM was safe and on the way to Chittoor by road and NDTV said the AP police had said he was safe but since changed their minds and India TV quoting AP Congress sources agreed but Aaj Tak claimed that while the helicopter had landed,there had been no contact with it or anyone.
Between them,the authorities and the media,had too many sources telling too many different stories in the face of the Home Ministrys insistence that the helicopter and AP chief minister were still missing,information all news channels broadcast. By about 4 pm,the speculation subsided and news channels stuck to Home Ministry updates. Finally,the government and the media had found each other on the same page,or in this case,channel.
If theres one opinion most people hold,it is that Indian TV entertainment is injurious to our health and sensibilities. Those of us who watch it are advised either psychiatric treatment or awarded Olympic medals (make that gold). So we turned to English entertainment. Caught Dr Who in the midst of a cookery recipe right out of hell: human faces were mincing machines spewing human mince to the accompaniment of disembodied voices from somewhere other than the TV screen (BBC Entertainment). On AXN,people who think they can dance abandoned themselves to violent contortions and then collapsed in pools of sweat. Very invigorating for them but rather less edifying to watch. Im A Celebrity,Get Me Out of Here (Star World) is the equivalent of Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao (actually its the other way around). It reflects our sentiments exactly while watching it: a group of uninteresting ladies and gentleman were yelling obscenities at each other so frequently all we heard was a stream of beeps. From the human jungle to a Prison Break (Star World) or Keith whats-his-name illusionist on AXN and Silent Witness (BBC Entertainment). Prison Break and Silent Witness are compelling drama series but theyre just so grim doesnt anyone smile any more?
Sheer hunger for something appetising and wholesome drives us to the cookery shows and into the waiting arms of Top Chef,Kylie Wong,Nigella Express. Here,you can feast your eyes for as long as you want without gaining a centimetre. What is it about watching a meal being prepared and then consumed by other people that gives us such satisfaction that we keeping coming back for more? Its not as though most of us ever try out any of the recipes or will ever eat beef steaks in crab sauce and foie gras topping. Yet,watching parathas dripping butter on Highway on my Plate (NDTV Good Times) is the most pleasurable sight on TV.
Lastly,could someone please explain why Fear Factor: Khatron ke Khiladi Level 2 (phew!) that began yesterday has 13 female contestants and no males (Colors)? Are the men running scared?
shailaja.bajpai@expressindia.com
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