Politicians need protection

Don’t really go by the title that is just to contradict the bias assertions and exaggerations market media in India is increasingly prone to. It is an aggressive posturing. Not all politicians are bad we all know that, this market media enthusiasm to portray politicians as scumbag is to show themselves in positive light nothing much. Market is always in search of high moral ground to seep in. On similar lines one can assert that all media people are not irresponsible but yes most in Indian media are increasingly mutating into TRP driven chimpanzees. It is definitely embarrassing, I guess it is about daal-roti (oops caviar one must say) at the end of the day. The question here is are journalism schools actually needed?!!. It is waste of time studying journalism; I don’t think these have any practical application. Most slaves who moonwalk as journalists or media people live in degradation, I personally knew many media persons who are acutely aware of this reality but are helpless, as the Americans would say “gotta pay the bills dude”. Working in media can be quite alienating, the crassness can be depressing to many. Many are brave enough to quit. But the lure of easy money, hobnobbing with powerful people and showing market driven concerns (packaging concerns for market would be better way to put it) can be heady. So the best option is to associate crudeness with values of freedom and create a facade.

If you study the way the news (mostly views these days, I like BBC they rarely compromise. But the report on organic food was biased- I buy it basically for absence of chemicals and pesticides) are reported and the views expressed, you can easily note class bias as also very vehement and urgent compliance to market realities (TRP is now weekly!, how about creating an indices like stock exchange- minute by minute summary). This blogger agrees that many politicians use security for projecting their status, it is reflection of feudal remnants still active. Do a study on how many movies are made on hero as police officer you know the feudal crave for power as means for social mobility, it is that latent violence that being tapped.

It cannot be denied though that security cover is important for people holding sensitive positions but there doesn’t seem to be any rules or criteria. The decisions on these matters of national importance are kept ambiguous and so manipulated. It is amazing if not funny. This blogger also expresses grave concern over incentives and benefits extended to media through railway and finance budget. How these people less or more important than common people, this blogger fails to understand. If they are responsible in their functioning then yes fourth estate has a significant function and so should be supported. But this blogger rarely come across those types of people or intent. Secondly is entertainment also journalism?. Some new channels are mostly entertaining, taking even entertainment to ridiculous level. It is quite embarrassing.

This blogger would also like to know when PM goes abroad he takes with him coterie of media person and businesspeople. Who pays for the bill for that?. It must be in crores, clearly media knows what can hurt them so will not reveal!!!. Three cheers for market friendly issues. Media cannot take high moral ground on anything, since first they have to justify how much responsible they have been. There is too much potshot taken on politicians by market, this blogger thinks Indian politicians are not that nasty as being made out. They are as much responsible or irresponsible as we are. That includes media too, it is clear most in media have been quite irresponsible. In poor societies with increasing marginalization this irresponsibility is criminal. In most cases they are found to ignore grave issues, one wonders if it is lack of competence. Corruption in media is quite rampant, the reason why this blogger had raised up the issue of favoritism by government.

I think we needn’t be too harsh on Indian media after all they are only trying to copy west. But in west there are strict laws particularly on privacy, corruption, favoritism, nepotism so on and so these relatively limited. Despite that the big daddy of media was caught snooping recently, even using ‘criminal methods’ to get story (story here is meant to be news I guess!!). If Murdoch could do it in developed countries with impunity imagine what clones with big money can do in poor countries. The reason why I consider irresponsible media as a serious threat, privacy of common people therefore becomes much more significant than any abstract notion of freedom of expression that generally helps richer class. They can do whatever crap but the society will have to decide where to draw the line and not profit mongers. The system as we know is hinged on elected representatives- necessarily a reflection of collective aspiration of people meaning they will have to take steps to initiate regulatory mechanism and that should be least influenced by marketer. Market doesn’t really carry any eternal truth. It is about money and also about those who have means to exploit others and situation to make easy money, this not very difficult in India if you have head start. A slave in one channel was quoted as saying that parliament discussed these insignificant issues for three hours while malnutrition is a major issue !!. Good logic but when was the concerned channel ever worried about any issues facing the society other than crass entertainment as news. Don’t throw stones when you live in….complete it dimwit. Indian media has become an embarrassment. Last few days I was bedridden and thought of watching some good programs on TV but unfortunately despite hundreds of Indian channels good programs are rare, I had to go to programs made by foreigners. I think Indians honchos are insecure breed and therefore look easy and safest way of making money. Americans are role models here, this blogger thinks that despite Obama and few other bright people US as a society probably has one of the lowest collective IQ in the world. When democracy went to US it seems to have mutated for buffoonery. And so with money and comfort, and charms of insulated world they have developed a gargantuan appetite the world find difficult to sustain.

In recent times market crudeness is being attempted to be presented as liberal, this coterie is having easy run in poorer and corrupt societies. Well when you have crores of easy money in front of you Gandhi can be quoted and high moral grounds taken, it comes easy. Market by its very nature works on juvenile premise, this is what I have finally concluded. This means they work well when there is lack of intellectual involvement and knowledge. The wisdom of buying and selling is not very challenging. The reason why you see normal people with basic intelligence mutate into orangutans when they come in TV channels. The reason also on why they target emotion- the cause for exaggeration and rampant sensationalisation. So instead of futile attempts justifying crude programs on its liberal merit best is to admit: We are here to make money. Period.

The attempt to create benchmark of social movements through these juvenile premises is a limited exercise and will create more ridiculous situations. What I have observed is market media generally tend to create negative environment, in the name of competition they instigate rivalry and confrontation. They work by dividing and gaining. Market therefore should always be at the periphery and cannot be central or core of any society. Selfishness as an ideology had a free run through capitalism but it seems it is has reached its endgame. We are recognizing the cannibalism. The follies of the West are being experienced by vulnerable societies across the world. When these follies are attempted to be replicated by elite of poorer societies the threat becomes immediate. The reason why policy makers need to recognize these realities at the earliest.