Who is Mika Brzezinski? Even I was unaware of this name till recently. Brzezinski is a TV news anchor and she is working with US cable news channel MSNBC. But the question arises, what is so different about her?
There is something. Which can change the way the news world moves, if she is emulated. Brzezinski shot to fame when she raised a defiant fist in the face of one of the most powerful forces in the modern world: a celebrity. She refused to read a news item on air, which was about Paris Hilton.
For Brzezinski, Hilton and the news item about her release from the jail was not a news, not at least to be on top of the bulletin. It became evident when she moved ahead with other news items saying, “To the news now…”
Hail Brzezinski, at least something can be learnt from her. Is the Indian media listening? Better they listen; otherwise it will be too late to mend.
The Breaking News concept is hard to understand. Although I am a media professional, I am yet to understand what is Breaking News.
Sometimes they say, its Abhishek’s Baarat reaching Aishwarya’s place, sometimes its Mika kissing Rakhi Sawant! But how much are we affected by these.
Standing on the podium at a seminar, one of the most respected Journalists of India commented adversely about another channel and its Breaking News concept. I was a spectator to it with my other friends at the IIMC auditorium. But soon, when it came to his own channel, the content was the same; I was amazed to see it. Then why did he comment, why did he say so?
Is it the market dynamics, or is it the mad race of TRP (Television Rating Points). You would be astonished to know that most of the country is not included while calculating TRP; it’s the metros and some of the other big cities with a small sample of TV viewing houses.
It should be a common concern for the Journalist Fraternity. We should ponder upon, where are we taking our world? Senior Journalist from NDTV, Mr. Ravish Kumar has written very right in his blog about the media world and the launch of a probable “Bhu-Chu” Channel (Read Bhut Chudail Channel). Most of the channels at the prime time are either playing on the concept of Bhut & Chudail or SEX. Recently Aaj Tak recently aired a half an hour repeatedly, which was titled “Aao Sex Khoje”.
Where are we heading, are we finished with the news content or we are out to beat each other. Some people in the family (read the family of journalists) say, we show what people want to. But is it an excuse enough?
We should see it the other way round. People see what we show. If all the channels are showing the same stuff, what is the option left with the viewer. I don’t say that a discussion on Sex is bad, but is it justified that we air lewd videos in the name of discussion on sex?
A very senior journalist said very right during a discussion on Indian Media, while watching the news channel Al Jazeera, we will not be able to reach such heights ever. The Indian media will die before reaching the heights.
Correct me if I am wrong, what is the priority of the newsmen today, it is not the problems of the society, but what they look for are juicy stories with some complimentary visuals.
I am not being judgmental, I just want to know, are we moving in the right direction? It’s just my personal feelings.
Will anyone from among us will try to emulate Mika Brzezinski!!!
There is something. Which can change the way the news world moves, if she is emulated. Brzezinski shot to fame when she raised a defiant fist in the face of one of the most powerful forces in the modern world: a celebrity. She refused to read a news item on air, which was about Paris Hilton.
For Brzezinski, Hilton and the news item about her release from the jail was not a news, not at least to be on top of the bulletin. It became evident when she moved ahead with other news items saying, “To the news now…”
Hail Brzezinski, at least something can be learnt from her. Is the Indian media listening? Better they listen; otherwise it will be too late to mend.
The Breaking News concept is hard to understand. Although I am a media professional, I am yet to understand what is Breaking News.
Sometimes they say, its Abhishek’s Baarat reaching Aishwarya’s place, sometimes its Mika kissing Rakhi Sawant! But how much are we affected by these.
Standing on the podium at a seminar, one of the most respected Journalists of India commented adversely about another channel and its Breaking News concept. I was a spectator to it with my other friends at the IIMC auditorium. But soon, when it came to his own channel, the content was the same; I was amazed to see it. Then why did he comment, why did he say so?
Is it the market dynamics, or is it the mad race of TRP (Television Rating Points). You would be astonished to know that most of the country is not included while calculating TRP; it’s the metros and some of the other big cities with a small sample of TV viewing houses.
It should be a common concern for the Journalist Fraternity. We should ponder upon, where are we taking our world? Senior Journalist from NDTV, Mr. Ravish Kumar has written very right in his blog about the media world and the launch of a probable “Bhu-Chu” Channel (Read Bhut Chudail Channel). Most of the channels at the prime time are either playing on the concept of Bhut & Chudail or SEX. Recently Aaj Tak recently aired a half an hour repeatedly, which was titled “Aao Sex Khoje”.
Where are we heading, are we finished with the news content or we are out to beat each other. Some people in the family (read the family of journalists) say, we show what people want to. But is it an excuse enough?
We should see it the other way round. People see what we show. If all the channels are showing the same stuff, what is the option left with the viewer. I don’t say that a discussion on Sex is bad, but is it justified that we air lewd videos in the name of discussion on sex?
A very senior journalist said very right during a discussion on Indian Media, while watching the news channel Al Jazeera, we will not be able to reach such heights ever. The Indian media will die before reaching the heights.
Correct me if I am wrong, what is the priority of the newsmen today, it is not the problems of the society, but what they look for are juicy stories with some complimentary visuals.
I am not being judgmental, I just want to know, are we moving in the right direction? It’s just my personal feelings.
Will anyone from among us will try to emulate Mika Brzezinski!!!
6 comments:
Very right Arun, India is till to have its very own Mika Brazenskii. cuz with all the mumbo jumbo being dished out in the name of "news", its a news channels and yes the anchors ersponsibility to make sure tht "news" reaches people rather than sensational celeb gossip,w hich is sadly the case most of the times.. Lets hope the incident brings soem sense to NEWS.
Its good that at least someone is thinking but it is easier to think when you are in a public broadcasting company than in a private channel or a newspaper where the bosses have a feeling that they can get things done by anybody. you are expected to do things you are told to, otherwise you are shown the door next day, may be at that very time. And i now feel that most of the times not the journalists but the marketing team is calling the shots everywhere and therefore the degeneration of the news. Still nobody wants to return to the good ol'days of DDNews when the news were those which affected us as audience. Well, u need to attain that stature before u speak like Mika Brazenskii and the day seems far off, may be never, keeping in mind the criteria for being a newsreader in all the news channels. u need to have a pretty face and no acumen of news to be a newsreader, and who knows that better than arun
What you are saying is quite right Amitabh. Its easier said than done, we are nowhere near that mark you are talking about. But, its not only a pretty face. Even I do anchor a show. By the way, how do I know better than everybody? he he he
the blog looks good and space on the web for the youth is surely a rocking idea.
I saw that clip on Digg where she destroyed the news brief. I applaud her for having the courage to do it.
As for breaking news, it seems whatever is going to have the most public appeal is what's going to be tagged 'breaking news' and receive the highest exposure.
Nice blog Arunoday, famed you and your blog on BTF :-)
Journalism is not about catching a pandu havaldar taking 50 rupees as rishvat through a hidden camera and making it breaking news. The number of news channel running in India must be some 8-10 but all of them are playing those same third grade news items hidden cameras, tantrik, smooching in mika's party and i dont know what all. cant they do anything constructive: tell about what are the efforts done by people for rural upliftment and so many things are happening around us both good and bad but more important than how a Blue film "neela zahar" racket is managed as if all Indians need education for that. Cant they pick some good themes to talk about which are socially/personally more important for the audience. DDNEWS is much better then the crap being shown on AAJ TAK the front runner of all the shows.
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