Is media hyperventilating Swine Flu?

There was an interesting article on this subject by Swaminathan Aiyar on TOI yesterday that inspired me to  write a topic on the same line..

http://www.gingerchai.com/2009/08/16/swine-flu-and-the-elitist-mask-of-india/

Hi Mr. R.  

I went through your write up and happy to learn, sir, we have raised something in common. Yes media certainly reports what circulates more and not what is need more.

Similar logic can be applied when SRK did not accompany his baggage at EWR and US customs questioned him about his baggage whereabouts for 2 hrs. They just did their duty.  Was there a need to make so much noise?

VK

I agree with you and also with the sentiments and frustrations of most reporters finding their stories taking a different shape after passing the editors desk or dumped in some corner.  Most progressives already know nation’s media is in the hands of the few, the rich, the white and some leading corporations. We do have many eminent journalists who do voice it out in between their lines.

It seems media (both Electronic and Print) are on a fast track making fast money by cashing on news in wrong sense and wrong way. In this rat race of becoming more popular and to make more money they seem to be breaking all limits that media must follow while serving to build a healthy and progressive society.

There seems to be no respect for the sentiments and ethics of the people and land that they serve to, with their immense power to influence the masses, they make judgment like a true dictator rather than a good advice of a true friend as they used to do.

If this continues then we have to think about the role of media in our life as the 4th pillar of the society. We believe that our legislative, executive and judiciary have equal responsibility in defining effective guidelines for media to define their role in the welfare of the society.

There is a distinctive need to balance between News and Gossip as the need to focus on the problems of common man than being worried about their TRP rating.

Ajit,

I have a few words to say regarding a comment that you made.

"We do have many eminent journalists who do voice it out in between their lines."

Over the last couple of years, I have not been able to follow the print media in India (as I have been away studying) but I have followed the electronic media regularly (through websites, live streaming videos etc). So I am going to speak strictly about that. There was a time when I used to admire a few TV journalists but almost all of them have fallen prey to this TRP frenzy.

Barkha Dutt was the darling of our nation after her heroic efforts to cover the war in Kargil. Rajdeep Sardesai was a national hero after the Gujarat violence. But I can give you instances from recent past where both of them became victims of this 'hyperventilation' and reported rather irresponsibly. Frankly speaking, I really can't think of any journalist (from those who 'make' it to the TV screen) whose image is unscathed.

IMHO this "24 news channel" thing has to go. We used to have one or two news bulletin(s) earlier on DD in a day. And I think we did alright. Some say that these news channels help keep our politicians honest. I somewhat agree.  But they bring more harm than good. With 24 hours to fill in they at times end up fabricating news and dwelling on useless issues.

vk

Based in Pune, I couldn't agree with you more!

What upset me most is teh contradictory messages that kept coming from the media. All media, not just TV. Even the print media added to the confusion. Particularly, I would like mention two points here - 

1. Whether to use masks or not - On one hand, there were reports about how police caught people selling masks in the black market and also reports about how N95 masks were in short supply, how other masks will not help. Then suddenly one day, an article appears on the front page of DNA. Written by a medical expert, it talks about how masks are of no use at all!

2. When to go for an H1N1 screening test - Again, contradictory messages here. When there was a frenzy of parents crowding the Naidu hospital for getting their kids tested, authorities kept saying that testing should be done only if fever and other flu-like symptoms persist for more than 7 days. Then as the casualties happened, authorities said that the deaths occurred due to 'delay in testing'. So how is an anxious parent supposed to decide how much delay is enough?

Pune now faces an even bigger threat starting this weekend. The 10-day Ganeshotsav. Usually, millions throng the streets of Pune for the ten days. Some Ganesh mandals have actually announced that they are calling off the celebration this year. But there are many others who are going about decorating their pandals as if nothing has happened.

Pushkaraj Apte

http://www.express-explore.blogspot.com

Achooo....!!! ... Cough cough.....!!! OH NO!!!! I think I am going to be on a news channel on TV!

Mr. Apte  

I couldn't agree with you more!

15August TOI New Delhi     http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx)

Health Authorities wrongly ascribed three deaths in Pune (12August and 13August) respectively to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) or severe breathlessness, symptoms associated with H1N1 infection, well before the throat swab reports came in from National Institute of Virology, Pune. Casualties of Gautam Shelar (48 yrs), Swabhiman Kamble (9 months) and Bharti Goel (70 yrs) were assigned as H1N1. Even the Centre did not bother to confirm whether these cases had tested positive. At a time when every death is adding to a sense of panic, how conveniently we accept mistakes. There also seem to be no set guideline as to when to go for screening as our health authorities “It is either too early to detect the virus or possibly too late”.

Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has prepared and new plan to fight H1N1 assigning the patients in three categories. We believe a patient will have to assign himself to a particular category before visiting a GP and ensure it matches there.

How effective are the Surgical Masks (MRP Rs.15) is still a big question but it could certainly help to prevent spreading the virus. However if not disposed properly it could have an adverse effect by spreading the virus. There seems to be no set guidelines on how and where to dispose them. There is shortage of N95masks, even in hospitals perhaps. However the government is making arrangement for more if needed.

How convenient it was on part of our health minister to make a cold or rather lukewarm statement " 14 yr old Reeda Sheikh (the first H1N1 victim in India) was responsible for the entry of swine flu in India. Reeda might have spread the disease to nearly 85 people of her school, as a person could spread the disease to thousands of people." New Delhi and Maharashtra Govt. should understand why she had to go to three different hospitals when we were assured we are all prepared to fight H1N1.

Last but not the least we believe our religious sentiments and secular parties are stronger. General precautions say it is advisable to avoid crowded places. How much is a crowed is purely how we see it....(or we will have lot of media coverage on this to keep us informed or entertained )

@Aneet Dont worry its just cold....You have to go live as we are more concerned about our TRP RATING...LOL

prevention is better than cure.

http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2009/08/h1n1-swine-flu-information-and-cure.html 

vk

I do understand your point and concern over the electronic media and eminent journalists in India. However this will lead to yet another debate which, perhaps, would be endless.

We all know our eminent journalists like Prannoy Roy, Vinod Dua, Barkha Dutt, Sagarika Ghose-Sardesai, Rajdeep Sardesai, Ashutosh, Arun Shourie, Aroon Purie, Nalini Singh, Manoj Joshi, Vinod Mehta, Vir Sanghvi, Khushwant Singh and many more. We always did and still do admire them. However it seems the focus of our journalism is gradually shifting from personal journalism to Professional journalism.

It reminds me of the quote “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind”. Hitler also described the Press as a "machine for mass instruction," ideally, a "kind of school for adults." In such a scenario it becomes very important for all of us to find out "Who owns Media in India". I do not have a definite answer to this nor I have or intend to do a survey on this.  How true these are, again I would like to put it back to the media, which is perhaps better for another debate amongst themselves.

Some facts which came across to me were quite surprising. The two questions which will perhaps all our minds are.

1. Is it the absolute truth what we read and see every day?

2. Do we see only what media wants us to see? http://www.outlookindia.com/submain1.asp?mode=25&refer=102451

Over the last three decades the "Idiot Box" as well as the print media has witnessed remarkable changes from Black & White to Black to Black & White in Colour. Journalism seems to be turning pale and there seems to be a noticeable swing towards a chronic yellow journalism syndrome. We all are witness to downplaying legitimate news in favor of eye-catching headlines to sell more. We have seen media agencies and journalists featuring exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, sensationalism often debated as unprofessional practices. Whether it is Social or National Security the media seems to overreact at some stage to almost every crisis they report.

We are sure media is aware and does follow or at least refers to the guidelines set by NBA (The News Broadcasters Association). http://www.nbanewdelhi.com/about-nba.asp

I am sure you and others were as impressed as Sagarika Ghose debating about the Media Coverage of Mumbai terror attacks   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf1d-8zwXC0

"The point is media has come.  It is an unpresidential situation which Indian television had never seen "60 hrs nonstop without a commercial break. It is Mind Boggling “Ashutosh - Managing Editor IBN7

We all appreciate Barkha Dutt on her onsite coverage of Kargil War in 1999 and the way she covered the Tsunami Disaster in South India. However Mr. Desh Kapoor has a different prospective about Barkha Dutt and NDTV, in his blog, on the way they covered Mumbai Terror Attack. I believe it was a bit harsh and crossed all possible borders.

 http://drishtikone.com/?q=blog/barkha-dutt-and-ndtv-terrorists-dream-come-true

However we can’t blame it on Media all the time. We never had the patience to wait for three hours for a 30 minute news break. Today a viewer could just switch to NDTV 24x 7 or Star News for any update on news around the world. According to Tejasvita Rao, this transformation did not happen overnight. (http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles/Topfivejournalists.asp#)

 It started with the collaboration of Rupert Murdoch’s Star Television Network with Dr. Prannoy Roy’s New Delhi Television Limited (popularly known as NDTV). Theirs was the first-ever independent satellite news channel to hit the small screen, popularly known as Star News. Hence was started the Television News Industry in India. And like any other industry, there’s competition in this one too.

The number of news channels is growing by the day and so is the audience. In the race to be at the top, channels are resorting to all sorts of tactics ranging from ‘any news is breaking news’ to sensationalism to the recent sleazy ,but nevertheless popular ‘sting operation’. However, in this ever changing and unpredictable scenario, there are some superstars who have kept the essence of the term ‘news’ intact, by keeping the viewer informed in the true sense of the term.

Ajit,

First things first. I must commend you on the intensive work you must have done here :) Grt job !!

If anyone was to ask these journalists why they are behaving (reporting) the way they are, a lot of them may put it down to 'survival'. There may not be anything wrong in their makeup, but merely for survival they have to do this.  At the end of the day they are in the business of 'selling' news. Shakespeare would have called them 'Villains by Necessity'  

Here is an interesting article. Is Responsible Journalism an Oxymoron ?

http://tinyurl.com/kk29jd 

You also pointed out rightly that such a debate could be endless. Maybe putting an end to 24 hour news channel would not work, but some sort of regulations should definitely be put in place (and adhered to strictly) to keep these channels in check.

vk

vk I forgot to foward the url to "Who owns Media in India".

http://www.outlookindia.com/submain1.asp?mode=25&refer=102451

Vk

I couldn't agree with you more and thanks for your appreciation. Your questions did inspire me to do some self study before coming to any conclusions.

There is nothing wrong in wearing any makeup, if need is to survive with an assignment to report an authentic news story rolling out 24 x 7. If this “need” suddenly becomes their want then they do not refrain from digging out bedtime and bedroom stories.

The smarter ones, perhaps, take a step further to make their own stories or conveniently change their role their role from a responsible journalist to a more lucrative PR eager to break the news.

Media knows what people want and what will sell and we all are responsible to encourage them in doing so. As you rightly pointed out in the article "Is Responsible Journalism an Oxymoron". 

"It's the media's right to say whatever they see fit. . . it's our right not to see it." That said, it's just not that easy anymore. It doesn't matter how one responds personally when the often unverified stories become universally accepted as fact by the community, because "it was in the paper" or "on the news".

There will be regulations only to be broken as "Breaking News" and will continue to be redefined to make it a “Breaking News" again and again.  It will not be unfair to say “Media today is like Pornography. One can't define it but when you see it, you know it”. It is just how we all see it.”

Shakespeare would have called them 'Villains by Necessity' for being in the business of "selling" news. Journalists, it seems are shifting from their Needs to their Wants and we believe it is never late for them to realise Shakespeare saying "Oh I am Fortune's Fool".