Twitter
Advertisement

Stinger Missiles

People react to television in two extreme ways. Either they blame it for everything or they feel that television can do no wrong. The truth, however, lies in the middle.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Barkha Dutt

People react to television in two extreme ways. Either they blame it for everything or they feel that television can do no wrong. The truth, however, lies in the middle.

There are things that we do are wrong. It’s because the media market has gone mad, with a new channel coming up every day. Anyone with a camera can call themselves as journalists.  Sting operations can be used for larger public interest. There have been operations like that of Tehelka, NDTV’s ‘BMW’ sting or Aaj Tak’s ‘Cash for Question’ sting. They couldn’t have been done without a hidden camera.

But sting operations should be the last resort for a reporter. A hidden camera should be used only when every other conventional means of reporting has failed. Stings, however, are becoming a lazy short-cut for a lot of reporters.  The television industry needs to come up with some rules for sting operations. For instance, stings exposing private lives of people are absolute rubbish. Sting operations should not lie to people.

What happened in the Uma Khurana case was a matter of sheer dishonesty by the channel. In principle, however, I support the concept of a sting operation. But I think they should be used rarely and carefully.

Media trials are double-edged
Media trials can be dangerous. But sometimes they have changed issues around. Whether it is the Jessica Lal case, BMW case, Priyadarshini Mattoo case or Alistair Perreira case, media scrutiny has played a positive role. 

Even when one section of the media gives a false label to someone, another has brought out the truth. For instance, when Prof Geelani was locked up in the Parliament attack case, it was scrutiny by a section of the media which bailed him out.

Containing the madness
For some channels the motivating factor has become the Television Rating Points (TRPs). While competition has improved us by making the media robust and alert, it has at the same time made the industry a bit foolish. It has made us constantly look over our shoulder to see ‘doosra bandha kya kar raha hai?(what are the others doing?). The madness has to be contained, before the good people in TV get discredited due to the wrongdoings of others.

We need to come on a common platform, like a News Broadcasting Association, and evolve a common code of conduct that can be applied throughout the industry. Some of my colleagues believe that the media should be self-regulated. But I disagree with them and feel the time has come for a content court; court that should be derived from the television industry itself.

All media should be subject to this content court, and not to the government. The Indian media should also wake up to the fact that the media space is changing throughout the western world. The blogs in Washington DC are treated as seriously as commentaries in newspapers.

Indian blogs do contain some of the finest of writings, which we would not be able to see in the newspapers, magazines or in TV. They are not a personal diary anymore. Therefore they should be a subject to the same set of dos and donts that other media would be subjected to.

While blogs have made the media space democratic, at times they do get away with things what mainstream journalism cannot get away with. It is unfair. I don’t think it is only TV which has made media a vigilante.

Camera is powerful
Camera makes a difference. It not only captures reality but also alters it. Therefore, on a case-by-case basis, we have to be very careful in the way we use our camera.

For example, I just can’t imagine how people can just stand-by and film a man setting himself afire.At the same time, when a cameraperson captures a riot or mob fury like the Bhagalpur incident it eventually leads to justice.  There is some merit to the argument that the presence of camera can alter the reality of the event. But it is the job of the editor to create a positive impact of the event and channelise the force of the impact into something constructive.

The industry will have to come up with some sort of code or ombudsman, which will be the final word; our conscience keeper.

Barkha Dutt is Managing Editor of NDTV 24x7. She spoke to Gautam Sheth

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement