Most changes in media that impact democracy are just an acceleration of the processes that have existed in the past like political blogs. However there are changes to the process itself which calls for discontinuous changes.
Some of these include mysociety, avaaz , moveon , e-petitions , daily kos and few more. The changes include policy issues being discussed online and the bigger change is government participation wherein the government replies to the queries by the public.
Do check out the websites....
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
It's all about the money!
In her song Meja says she wants to escape from this crazy world because it’s all about the money . This pretty world, it seems to her, is getting out of hand. We have got it all wrong anyway, have we?
Isn’t money a direct indicator of prosperity and development so what’s wrong if it’s all about the money, I wonder? Perhaps there is something wrong with that notion.
In his book called Development as Freedom, Amartya Sen talks of the economics of development, development as freedom and freedom from the notion, of wealth and income as the only indicators of development. It’s rather interesting how he unravels the concept of income and wealth, as one amongst many means to freedom and development, rather than an end in itself.
Development as freedom – freedom as an equivalent of development also implies, in my view, a need to reconsider our definition of development itself. In this liberal world we are still incapacitated in many ways from the freedom of choice. Does that imply at some level our being captive? If that is the case then we might need to reexamine the kind of path of development that we are moving on. If development is n’t only about growth of income, wealth and prosperity in material gains then what is it about? Think about it and if you find it difficult to find the answers I would say get a piece of Sen’s mind on it.
Isn’t money a direct indicator of prosperity and development so what’s wrong if it’s all about the money, I wonder? Perhaps there is something wrong with that notion.
In his book called Development as Freedom, Amartya Sen talks of the economics of development, development as freedom and freedom from the notion, of wealth and income as the only indicators of development. It’s rather interesting how he unravels the concept of income and wealth, as one amongst many means to freedom and development, rather than an end in itself.
Development as freedom – freedom as an equivalent of development also implies, in my view, a need to reconsider our definition of development itself. In this liberal world we are still incapacitated in many ways from the freedom of choice. Does that imply at some level our being captive? If that is the case then we might need to reexamine the kind of path of development that we are moving on. If development is n’t only about growth of income, wealth and prosperity in material gains then what is it about? Think about it and if you find it difficult to find the answers I would say get a piece of Sen’s mind on it.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
what's going on mush?
So Pakistan is under emergency, yet again? Suhasini Haider - CNN IBN Journalist says he has been good for the country. I am not really sure so will reserve my judgement.
All am saying is that these images are just crazy...in the name of terrorism let the general beat up lawyers, house arrest opposition and fire judiciary. whats going on mush?
Monday, October 29, 2007
GAP in childhood
The GAP controversy - isn't something new. It is the same old story on sweat shops, child labor and 'developing' world. So a few kids filmed in some factory in Delhi working on the brand. The entire consignment is being destroyed now.
My concern is only that what do the kids do next? In the developed world view or belief they perhaps get back their childhood and education. In reality they go to much worse work places or perhaps similar workplaces and get working. The problem is that these kids would hardly be able to survive if it wasn't for these sweat shops. They earn a basic meal through it. When it goes away they lose pretty much everything.
So in all such controversies that are trying to fulfil the gap in childhood I urge its easy to follow, criticise and work towards destroying the bigger corporations and their brands but its so much more difficult to get to the root cause of the problem and follow where the subject of the controversies...all these kids deprived of their childhood...find their way. To follow them , to create their future is much more challenging than bringing down those giant corporations.
Destruction is always easier than creation - so are the ways of nature, but is that what we seek? Does the problem really lie with GAP? What are the root causes and how do we work towards achieving that - are more pertinent questions to me.
"Does attacking GAP help us take a step forward or backward in addressing Child Rights !" I wonder.
My concern is only that what do the kids do next? In the developed world view or belief they perhaps get back their childhood and education. In reality they go to much worse work places or perhaps similar workplaces and get working. The problem is that these kids would hardly be able to survive if it wasn't for these sweat shops. They earn a basic meal through it. When it goes away they lose pretty much everything.
So in all such controversies that are trying to fulfil the gap in childhood I urge its easy to follow, criticise and work towards destroying the bigger corporations and their brands but its so much more difficult to get to the root cause of the problem and follow where the subject of the controversies...all these kids deprived of their childhood...find their way. To follow them , to create their future is much more challenging than bringing down those giant corporations.
Destruction is always easier than creation - so are the ways of nature, but is that what we seek? Does the problem really lie with GAP? What are the root causes and how do we work towards achieving that - are more pertinent questions to me.
"Does attacking GAP help us take a step forward or backward in addressing Child Rights !" I wonder.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Public Service Broadcasting: Who needs it?
There is a surely growing concern about the dominance of US in all kinds of media content. Reminds me of Naomi Klein who mentions in her book NO LOGO the ideology of a monoculture. It does seem to be coming true. US media is defining formats that are being imitated everywhere! Wonder what happened to creativity and diversity. But that's besides the point. Currently attended a debate on PSB.
Had an interesting discussion. It was about Public Service Broadcasting primary focus being BBC in UK context. But then i have a co patriot who does draw parallel to the country from where we come in the middle of every discussion. Sometimes they are pertinent.
DD in Indian context is the equivalent of BBC in UK context. But there are many differences.
BBC despite being in a regulated environment on the home turf is trying to become a global player. That doesn't quite suffice the idea of being a public service broadcaster. DD on the other hand is struggling in markets where cable and satellite penetration has grown.
The content on BBC has always been cutting edge but again to what extent is it public service and commercial is any body's guess. DD on the other hand has content that is trite and mundane.
BBC has internally some viewership targets that they seek to achieve. DD , i wonder , what do they seek to do with their reach. Also an argument about public good. Much of that can be done through community and alternate media. E-Choupal did what DD cant imagine doing.
So do we need to direct taxpayers money towards PSB. I wonder. Who needs it?
Had an interesting discussion. It was about Public Service Broadcasting primary focus being BBC in UK context. But then i have a co patriot who does draw parallel to the country from where we come in the middle of every discussion. Sometimes they are pertinent.
DD in Indian context is the equivalent of BBC in UK context. But there are many differences.
BBC despite being in a regulated environment on the home turf is trying to become a global player. That doesn't quite suffice the idea of being a public service broadcaster. DD on the other hand is struggling in markets where cable and satellite penetration has grown.
The content on BBC has always been cutting edge but again to what extent is it public service and commercial is any body's guess. DD on the other hand has content that is trite and mundane.
BBC has internally some viewership targets that they seek to achieve. DD , i wonder , what do they seek to do with their reach. Also an argument about public good. Much of that can be done through community and alternate media. E-Choupal did what DD cant imagine doing.
So do we need to direct taxpayers money towards PSB. I wonder. Who needs it?
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Media and Democracy in Post Putin Russia
This was the topic for POLIS debate that happened last evening and it was a wonderful experience. One of my first experiences at LSe expsosing me to media in different parts of the world.
Media and more so journalism is not pure business. It has ethics that it needs to comply with and that need to be taken into consideration. Its not completely about what sells but it is also not compeletely about bringing out the truth , was what i felt after the discussion.
There was a clear clash between the "western press" and the "russian media". While the discussion was to docus upon the death of press freedom in Russia it went to discuss much more.
However my key learning from the entire debate was that there needs to be some empathy and some consideration for what stage a country is at - Russia - for sure is going through a transition and though press freedom is important it surely isn't the most important factor currently for the people there.
The debate about the death of press freedom sounded more like the debate between the insider and outsider, between the west and the rest of the world and between democracy and stability.
Media and more so journalism is not pure business. It has ethics that it needs to comply with and that need to be taken into consideration. Its not completely about what sells but it is also not compeletely about bringing out the truth , was what i felt after the discussion.
There was a clear clash between the "western press" and the "russian media". While the discussion was to docus upon the death of press freedom in Russia it went to discuss much more.
However my key learning from the entire debate was that there needs to be some empathy and some consideration for what stage a country is at - Russia - for sure is going through a transition and though press freedom is important it surely isn't the most important factor currently for the people there.
The debate about the death of press freedom sounded more like the debate between the insider and outsider, between the west and the rest of the world and between democracy and stability.
Friday, September 28, 2007
A step ahead
This is what i have ached for , died for, craved for and am glad am finally here. Am at LSE to pursue my MSc in Media and Communication and the reason for doing that was just one - to do better, to go a step further.I love what I did as a profesional - Advertising ...Media...Communication...but sometimes felt inept to follow it completely. So I thought of doing what I am doing. I guess thats what life is all about. Always aspiring to go a step ahead. This one sure is.
This space has been a little dead. This blog of mine has been one of the lesser explored spaces and I guess I never had the understanding or the acumen to really give life to it. It amazes me that i surely believe I can do so nw.
In my statement of purpose I stated my objective of pursuing the program as Media development and Media Education, I still stand by it. I will always. Its the sense of purpose that is really driving me and as i write these words sitting here in the heart of London , I hope one day I will achieve what I set out to do.
Am reading a book on the life of Verghese Kurien and its so inspiring.Was travelling for the first day to college in the british rail and read this:
"I realised that when you worked merely for your own profit, the pleasure is transitory; but if you work for others, there is a deep sense of fulfillment and if things are handled well, the money too, is more than adequate."
- Pg 28 From I too had a dream, Verghese Kurien as told to Gouri Salvi.
Watch this space for me , media and the world all around.
Vande Matram!
This space has been a little dead. This blog of mine has been one of the lesser explored spaces and I guess I never had the understanding or the acumen to really give life to it. It amazes me that i surely believe I can do so nw.
In my statement of purpose I stated my objective of pursuing the program as Media development and Media Education, I still stand by it. I will always. Its the sense of purpose that is really driving me and as i write these words sitting here in the heart of London , I hope one day I will achieve what I set out to do.
Am reading a book on the life of Verghese Kurien and its so inspiring.Was travelling for the first day to college in the british rail and read this:
"I realised that when you worked merely for your own profit, the pleasure is transitory; but if you work for others, there is a deep sense of fulfillment and if things are handled well, the money too, is more than adequate."
- Pg 28 From I too had a dream, Verghese Kurien as told to Gouri Salvi.
Watch this space for me , media and the world all around.
Vande Matram!
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Brand the Nation, Sell the soul
What is the highest level of branding that can be attained? You brand a sport , music , movies and any other form of entertainment and reach its audience but how about reaching a nation of one billion and more. The challenge is great. There aren’t any easy answers. Well is it that difficult after all?
Its pretty simple. You brand a nation. India shining or perhaps take a national symbol and brand it. Just to check the current status, there are many underlying opportunities that I see in the coming future.
National anthem - Jan Gan Man - Branded as Jaya he - by Airtel
One billion hearts - One voice - Airtel. Brilliant. Bravo.
But this is just the beginning. We have a whole range of national symbols still available.
National Flag - available - Opportunity: Can fit with some textile brand
National Animal - available - Opportunity: Can fit with some bike/car brand
National Bird - available - Opportunity: Can fit with some female designer brand
And various other national symbols…
But I do have a problem. My problem isn’t the branding. My problem is why should these national symbols branding come for free?
The government suffers from a perpetual fiscal deficit , year after year, so why not auction each of our national symbols. After all we have auctioned most of it slowly and steadily. Why leave this or worst of all let it go for free? So charge for it.
Reminds me of my friend who smiles and says with absolute comfort that he has sold his soul. I have wondered many a time , how? But for once I guess I trust what he says for if the national symbol of a country can be branded and marketed , why can’t a poor soul be sold?
Mental Clones
What are the general topics of discussions we have? If we were to list down ten topics it surely would include news , events , celebrities , movies and sitcoms. The topics are limited and the opinions on the same are rather trite because the source of opinion for most such opinions are common. It is the media and a few media personalities to whom the channels have easy access who become the opinion makers. The handful of such media hyped personalities start voicing the opinion of a country of 1 Bn+. How democratic to have such representatives whom we know not much of. So Prahalad Kakkars and Mahesh Bhatts of the world turn out to be the ones commenting on anything and everything.
We watch , we listen , we accept and occasionally we question. So it isn’t surprising that we constantly find ourselves in agreement with each other. For if the source is the same , the outcome cannot be too different. What you sow is what you reap.
The problem is that media while representing opinions and presenting ideas may not do it democratically. So as media becomes the voice of the democracy we all are so proud of , I am not sure if the facts are reliable enough , if the opinions represents the majority and if media is not being used for the purpose of propaganda.
The idea is not to demean the importance of media in shaping the opinions. The concern is about the blind acceptance of these opinions and unquestioning belief in the information provided. The hero worship and uneducated approach to media representations is scary. After all the human race is endowed with the thinking faculty to judge and decide for its own and if it fails to use the same effectively there is no way at all that we will be able to judge fact from fiction. There is no way we will be able to ensure that as we exist peacefully we don’t loose our individuality and becomes mental clones of each other.
We watch , we listen , we accept and occasionally we question. So it isn’t surprising that we constantly find ourselves in agreement with each other. For if the source is the same , the outcome cannot be too different. What you sow is what you reap.
The problem is that media while representing opinions and presenting ideas may not do it democratically. So as media becomes the voice of the democracy we all are so proud of , I am not sure if the facts are reliable enough , if the opinions represents the majority and if media is not being used for the purpose of propaganda.
The idea is not to demean the importance of media in shaping the opinions. The concern is about the blind acceptance of these opinions and unquestioning belief in the information provided. The hero worship and uneducated approach to media representations is scary. After all the human race is endowed with the thinking faculty to judge and decide for its own and if it fails to use the same effectively there is no way at all that we will be able to judge fact from fiction. There is no way we will be able to ensure that as we exist peacefully we don’t loose our individuality and becomes mental clones of each other.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Independence day - not so special
It's independence day.So the mediated world is full of the regular chit chat ... Diamonds on Fever 104 Fm for celebrating 60th year of independence...Times of India launched Lead and Hindustan Times talked on 2067.
But what I enjoyed watching was the bit that Discovery channel did. It was part of the Independence day special features on India. I saw the one hosted by Sanjeev Bhaskar and what hooked me to it was the Yacht ride. It was the one on which we went for the Mid Day party almost more than a year and a half back. There was Sanjeev interviewing Singhania on the same yacht.
The story moved from the rich to the waste collectors of Mumbai. It then featured some participants of Gladrags Mrs India and Maureen Wadia. There was Q&A and one question related to marital rape. It then moved to Infosys campus in Banagalore and then to Cochin as a tourist destination. It was an eclectic mix representative of where we belong but more so it was about the outsider's perspective on something we see each day.
The feature on India made me wonder why we don't value all around us and if the outsider's perspective was what we needed to see inside. It made me wonder if the Independence day special was after all not so special.
But what I enjoyed watching was the bit that Discovery channel did. It was part of the Independence day special features on India. I saw the one hosted by Sanjeev Bhaskar and what hooked me to it was the Yacht ride. It was the one on which we went for the Mid Day party almost more than a year and a half back. There was Sanjeev interviewing Singhania on the same yacht.
The story moved from the rich to the waste collectors of Mumbai. It then featured some participants of Gladrags Mrs India and Maureen Wadia. There was Q&A and one question related to marital rape. It then moved to Infosys campus in Banagalore and then to Cochin as a tourist destination. It was an eclectic mix representative of where we belong but more so it was about the outsider's perspective on something we see each day.
The feature on India made me wonder why we don't value all around us and if the outsider's perspective was what we needed to see inside. It made me wonder if the Independence day special was after all not so special.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Shining Star
As a part of the mediated world and looking to make media and communications my core area of existence, trying to get over the yahoo-google life , I was a little taken a back yesterday.
My media habits have evolved or shall i say just changed over the past few years completely. Met some ad sales people from Star World and Star Movies. Good people. Passionate about their offering. Clear on what they wanted to say. As I was talking with them and they were discussing the programming on Star World , it reminded me of that avid viewer I was.
Star World - once upon a time - was the channel I was hooked to. Would watch it endlessly. Would wait for series - episode after episode. Would get up in the middle of the night and watch Oprah and Ally McBeal. Would laugh alone watching friends, dharma and greg and Two guys, a girls and a pizza place. I was pretty obsessed with the stuff on the channel. Suddenly it all went away. The last bits of Star World I remember seeing were bits of desperate housewives , more so cause it was so heavily promoted across.
It was a meeting that really took me in the past in a way.I wonder if it happens to everyone working in media. People get intrigued to work in media looking at all of this and end up missing the same completely once they get working. Ironical but true , at least for me.
Towards the end of meeting I guess Indraneel commented its so much easier to explain things to you since you understand what the channel is. I smiled. I was silent. In a wayI agreed but I did want to say it was once upon a time.
My media habits have evolved or shall i say just changed over the past few years completely. Met some ad sales people from Star World and Star Movies. Good people. Passionate about their offering. Clear on what they wanted to say. As I was talking with them and they were discussing the programming on Star World , it reminded me of that avid viewer I was.
Star World - once upon a time - was the channel I was hooked to. Would watch it endlessly. Would wait for series - episode after episode. Would get up in the middle of the night and watch Oprah and Ally McBeal. Would laugh alone watching friends, dharma and greg and Two guys, a girls and a pizza place. I was pretty obsessed with the stuff on the channel. Suddenly it all went away. The last bits of Star World I remember seeing were bits of desperate housewives , more so cause it was so heavily promoted across.
It was a meeting that really took me in the past in a way.I wonder if it happens to everyone working in media. People get intrigued to work in media looking at all of this and end up missing the same completely once they get working. Ironical but true , at least for me.
Towards the end of meeting I guess Indraneel commented its so much easier to explain things to you since you understand what the channel is. I smiled. I was silent. In a wayI agreed but I did want to say it was once upon a time.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
The Yahoo-Google Life
My weekends are full of Yahoo and Google. Those two words sum up most of what I do in life.
Yahoo is mostly for the older things like chat and mails. For the more evolved things, I use google. So I plan my days on Google Calendar, socialize on Orkut - meeting old friends , keeping in touch with existing friends and making new friends - it all happens here and record my life on Blogger. I tried running parallel profiles with blogs on both - yahoo and google at one point of time but it was just not possible.
There are those days when I sit for 12 hours pretty much doing nothing. A lot of Yahoo and Google in my life is avoidable but I just lose the ability to decide where to draw the line. But that is what it is.
My medium is Internet Internet Internet. That’s how it is. A couple of years ago it would have been radio, TV and perhaps press and those still exist but I hardly use them and I think the order in which I wrote them is also pretty my preference towards the media.
My Yahoo-Google life is here to stay. Though the horizons are expanding with zapak.com and hypem.com nothing beats Yahoo-Google. Nothing at all.
Yahoo is mostly for the older things like chat and mails. For the more evolved things, I use google. So I plan my days on Google Calendar, socialize on Orkut - meeting old friends , keeping in touch with existing friends and making new friends - it all happens here and record my life on Blogger. I tried running parallel profiles with blogs on both - yahoo and google at one point of time but it was just not possible.
There are those days when I sit for 12 hours pretty much doing nothing. A lot of Yahoo and Google in my life is avoidable but I just lose the ability to decide where to draw the line. But that is what it is.
My medium is Internet Internet Internet. That’s how it is. A couple of years ago it would have been radio, TV and perhaps press and those still exist but I hardly use them and I think the order in which I wrote them is also pretty my preference towards the media.
My Yahoo-Google life is here to stay. Though the horizons are expanding with zapak.com and hypem.com nothing beats Yahoo-Google. Nothing at all.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Media for tomorrow, today
I have been browsing through some stuff and everywhere as I read , I come across one big thing - one emerging trend that is already dominating the system and thats changing the face of media. Its called participative media.
Check out this website ,aptly called what kids can do and you would realise to an extent what I mean when I am talking of participative media for the proof of pudding lies in its taste, as they say.
Check out this website ,aptly called what kids can do and you would realise to an extent what I mean when I am talking of participative media for the proof of pudding lies in its taste, as they say.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
The Blue Billion out to the Green
India pretty much out of the World cup. My last entry was about the game of cricket becoming bloody and mercenary. India is out. Its hard to believe because the by most conservative estimates India was to be a part of the super8 matches. What happens to the blue billion is anybody's guess! It said Ladega to Jeetega - the branded inspiration that so didnt work for the team .
Sports and media have been closely related. Big sports personalities have become bigger media personalities. So is the star studded team full of world class players fail to come together as a team. This is all in public realm. So if Greg Chapell says that the team didn't play well and thats is all , its not considered enough.
Players becoming bigger than the game!
Sports and media have been closely related. Big sports personalities have become bigger media personalities. So is the star studded team full of world class players fail to come together as a team. This is all in public realm. So if Greg Chapell says that the team didn't play well and thats is all , its not considered enough.
Players becoming bigger than the game!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Blue Billion
Hu Ha India Aaya India - Pespi , Anchor Team and Seagrams That was then.
Cricket fever is on everywhere. I am not an ardent cricket fan and neither am I here to discuss their performance . I am not even getting into specifics of brand endorsements. Every 1 out of 4 ads are about cricket and I wonder why? Cricket , F1 , FIFA , Wimbledon , French Open ...... Are they really about the spirit of sports. Hardly!
Life is Calling
Its a big day. I am back on mediated world after all these months. Escape I said from it , its a mediated world. Then two thoughts after reading some stuff today, struck me hard .
Firstly, media is important because we experience the world through it. We experience the world through media. The feeling is not yet sinking in and I am still trying to comprehend what it means! But I know in all these months I have been trying hard to avoid it. Yet its all over the place. In a way its talking to me truly of the vacarious lives we all lead. The existence that is so flawed in its reality that we all seek to escape it. Media is a means of escapism and thats how we lead our life. In the city of blinding lights where the streets have no name this is a world of pulp fiction.
Secondly if there is more to do in here , in this mediated world , there is also a need to go in deeper - to explore all and more in the world of media that is there to explore.
Its time to step out and be in the center of it all.
Firstly, media is important because we experience the world through it. We experience the world through media. The feeling is not yet sinking in and I am still trying to comprehend what it means! But I know in all these months I have been trying hard to avoid it. Yet its all over the place. In a way its talking to me truly of the vacarious lives we all lead. The existence that is so flawed in its reality that we all seek to escape it. Media is a means of escapism and thats how we lead our life. In the city of blinding lights where the streets have no name this is a world of pulp fiction.
Secondly if there is more to do in here , in this mediated world , there is also a need to go in deeper - to explore all and more in the world of media that is there to explore.
Its time to step out and be in the center of it all.
Life is calling ( smirnoff tagline)
A mediated life is calling!
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Why India Prayed for Sanjay
This was in respose to Vir Sanghvi's Column counterpoint in HT dated 3-12-06
This is a movie crazy nation. A nation where movie stars are worshipped, literally. So what is the big deal about India praying for Sanjay Dutt ?
The stated position on "celebrity crimes" varies with where the celebrity status is derived from. So the differences in treatment to accused in Jessica Lal and Nitish Katara case is rather obvious. The celebrity status of the convicted in the latter cases is a derivative of crime and hence the public hatred. There is only one face to the accused in these cases - that of rich influential offenders who can manipulate the system. The celebrity status of Sanjay Dutt on the other hand is derived as a function of the show business he operates in - where every individual is considered a demigod. He is a man of many faces - from Brave-heart to Robin-hood bollywood ishtyle. So really what parallels are we trying to draw here is incomprehensible to my mind ? May be we are so blinded and naïve in our vision that we see this as just another role of the actor and fail to draw lines between the real and the reel lives.
All this just goes to prove a disturbing point that media is becoming the center of social systems defining public opinion and passing its own judgment - trial by media as they say it is preceding it all. I do not know any of the accused in any of the crimes personally, so to comment on the merits of the case is perhaps impossible . But I wonder if it is much ado about nothing at least in the Sanjay Dutt case. He was one of the many accused in the Mumbai blasts case. Justice has finally been done after the long wait. My interest was limited to that and I guess that would be true for many, unless the message that it's a big deal keeps getting hammered all the time across different media - be it newspapers or television and I start believing it.
Bombay polices' vindictiveness , Sanjay's defense strategy and the case of political capital being created - are they really issues of common man, is anybody's guess. But may be there are takers in media for it for they know the man.
The sad thing is that after all this said and done, we are still discussing it. and the "celebrity status" attached to it. I guess that's the reason why rightly the latest issue of India today offers some insights into gaining the celebrity status. After all it helps you get prayers from the country of a billion - any takers for that? I am sure there are many takers. Why India prayed for Sanjay? Or did it really?
This is a movie crazy nation. A nation where movie stars are worshipped, literally. So what is the big deal about India praying for Sanjay Dutt ?
The stated position on "celebrity crimes" varies with where the celebrity status is derived from. So the differences in treatment to accused in Jessica Lal and Nitish Katara case is rather obvious. The celebrity status of the convicted in the latter cases is a derivative of crime and hence the public hatred. There is only one face to the accused in these cases - that of rich influential offenders who can manipulate the system. The celebrity status of Sanjay Dutt on the other hand is derived as a function of the show business he operates in - where every individual is considered a demigod. He is a man of many faces - from Brave-heart to Robin-hood bollywood ishtyle. So really what parallels are we trying to draw here is incomprehensible to my mind ? May be we are so blinded and naïve in our vision that we see this as just another role of the actor and fail to draw lines between the real and the reel lives.
All this just goes to prove a disturbing point that media is becoming the center of social systems defining public opinion and passing its own judgment - trial by media as they say it is preceding it all. I do not know any of the accused in any of the crimes personally, so to comment on the merits of the case is perhaps impossible . But I wonder if it is much ado about nothing at least in the Sanjay Dutt case. He was one of the many accused in the Mumbai blasts case. Justice has finally been done after the long wait. My interest was limited to that and I guess that would be true for many, unless the message that it's a big deal keeps getting hammered all the time across different media - be it newspapers or television and I start believing it.
Bombay polices' vindictiveness , Sanjay's defense strategy and the case of political capital being created - are they really issues of common man, is anybody's guess. But may be there are takers in media for it for they know the man.
The sad thing is that after all this said and done, we are still discussing it. and the "celebrity status" attached to it. I guess that's the reason why rightly the latest issue of India today offers some insights into gaining the celebrity status. After all it helps you get prayers from the country of a billion - any takers for that? I am sure there are many takers. Why India prayed for Sanjay? Or did it really?
Friday, November 24, 2006
Ram and Rakhi
What do you say to a iconic senior lawyer who screams and fights with journalists in media spotlight? Why , if he knows , journalists are ignorant of criminal procedure code and other legal jargon , does he throw it around so much? Why the fury if its the fight of the truth?
Of late the reactions from advocate Ram Jethamalani have not just been amusing they are becoming ridiculously entertaining. So Cyrus (The week that wasn't) takes some clips and does a spoof on Ram's English. Then there is Karan Thapar who goes Yes Yes Yes to Ram's No No No or vice versa.
Last time I remember becoming so amused when watching news was when Rakhi Sawants controversial womens right issue was raised. Comparing the two , perhaps , there are some parallels.
-> Both are iconic in their areas of expertise.
-> Both the parties are aggrieved with the callous attitude and ignorance of media.
-> Both are involved in any which way with Pg 3 circuit and event occuring at one such party.
-> Both are fighting for professional integrity.
-> Both are high on morality and justice.
Well I wonder what if Ram was a part of Big Boss? May be there will be some contention.May be next we will see Ram fighting for Mika - all in the name of justice!
Of late the reactions from advocate Ram Jethamalani have not just been amusing they are becoming ridiculously entertaining. So Cyrus (The week that wasn't) takes some clips and does a spoof on Ram's English. Then there is Karan Thapar who goes Yes Yes Yes to Ram's No No No or vice versa.
Last time I remember becoming so amused when watching news was when Rakhi Sawants controversial womens right issue was raised. Comparing the two , perhaps , there are some parallels.
-> Both are iconic in their areas of expertise.
-> Both the parties are aggrieved with the callous attitude and ignorance of media.
-> Both are involved in any which way with Pg 3 circuit and event occuring at one such party.
-> Both are fighting for professional integrity.
-> Both are high on morality and justice.
Well I wonder what if Ram was a part of Big Boss? May be there will be some contention.May be next we will see Ram fighting for Mika - all in the name of justice!
Monday, November 06, 2006
How Bizzare?
This web-log clearly states - Escape if you can , it’s a mediated world and yet does quite the opposite. I realized this off late as I was going through a few other web-logs and discovered that the content wasn’t very dissimilar. So many of the amateur writers like me are picking up similar topics and writing about them. The latest fad being putting down something on Gandhigiri.
The message is simple. You love it or hate it - Media is making us think. It is giving us food for thought that we all may or may not consciously acknowledge. I wonder what it does to us at an individual and at a social level. I remember writing about defined stereotypes and now taking it a step further it makes me realize if this is the beginning of the homogenization of human thinking. Anyway original thinking seems farfetched and scarce.
In the paucity of original thinking , our thinking becomes a derivative of what we see and hear (which mostly happens through media), media content in turn becomes a derivative of successful international program formats whether it be KBC or the coming soon Big Boss and all of it together results in a kind of mono-culture ( The term is borrowed from Naomi Kleims book - No Logo).
So here we are in the midst of a vicious cycle where we cant think original , where plagiarism takes the name of inspiration and where the chicken or egg question would soon apply to media and social condition. Welcome to the 21st century India or shall I say 21st century globe. After the initial attempt to clone animals genetically its humans turn to be cloned mentally with the mediated fodder. Cloning at a physical level may be less dangerous than cloning at a mental level. If that’s not bizarre what is?
The message is simple. You love it or hate it - Media is making us think. It is giving us food for thought that we all may or may not consciously acknowledge. I wonder what it does to us at an individual and at a social level. I remember writing about defined stereotypes and now taking it a step further it makes me realize if this is the beginning of the homogenization of human thinking. Anyway original thinking seems farfetched and scarce.
In the paucity of original thinking , our thinking becomes a derivative of what we see and hear (which mostly happens through media), media content in turn becomes a derivative of successful international program formats whether it be KBC or the coming soon Big Boss and all of it together results in a kind of mono-culture ( The term is borrowed from Naomi Kleims book - No Logo).
So here we are in the midst of a vicious cycle where we cant think original , where plagiarism takes the name of inspiration and where the chicken or egg question would soon apply to media and social condition. Welcome to the 21st century India or shall I say 21st century globe. After the initial attempt to clone animals genetically its humans turn to be cloned mentally with the mediated fodder. Cloning at a physical level may be less dangerous than cloning at a mental level. If that’s not bizarre what is?
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Where's the meat?
Someone asked me after reading this space , where is the meat in your writing on media? I thought and thought and thought more. Where is the meat in media? It made me wonder. So I browsed through the Television channels , kept surfing through radio channels , browsed through couple of magazines and tried hard , harder. There are scoops , sting operations and soundbytes. But even in all this I guess the meat is lacking.
If we look at it medium by medium may be we might be able to spot some bits of interesting pieces but they are so few and far in between that the effort would be tremendous and results only dismal I wonder what should I do? May be go further under the skin of things and look beyond the obvious.
I also happen to be reading Einstein at this stage and that's where I see a stark comparison. The old timers book called "Ideas and Opinion" is excerpts of his speeches and writing put together and its a wonderful piece of writing. That's meat for sure. So its not the medium but the content as has been said again and again and again.
Compared to the writing, would a docu-drama on Einstein sound as interesting? I guess not. I think as mass media and the masses consuming them explodes it is somewhere losing out on what some great media analysts like Ephron call engagement.
This is how I see it. Media presence is becoming ubiquitous. In turn it is becoming a part of our setting. So breakfast is served with radio, lunch with internet at office and dinner with television is so much given that we don't even pay attention to it. We don't consciously observe /curb it. And somehow when something is routine we also loose interest in it. So its just another show , one after another, just another piece of music and just another piece of writing.
But do we really need to look at the extra-ordinary when the ordinary that seems ordinary is not really so. At an extremely high pace things seem static and I guess so is the case with the mediated world but slow down and you might see it all.
As for my friend well his journalistic self can keep looking for meat and stories but I guess there is one everywhere. You just need to see it.
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