A leading national English daily, Times of India, blared in the web a few minutes ago, “Mamata to wed Narendra Modi.” It exposes the new gutter lows that the fourth estate has sunk into, to claim hoarse that their circulation is the top.
News was less offensive, leaders were less corrupt and people were less materialistic. News read in monotone without loud noise, or flavored views for against those who may affect their wallets were unheard of. BK Karanjia, KM Mathew, RK Laxman and Chitra Subramaniam were a few known for fearless and unbiased reporting. There are and were many more, who began sober, but were overtaken by the luxury and glamour of the news world.
Complaints of corruption, planted views at the behest of their hidden masters, often political or corporate became the order of the day. Free doles like free overseas trips, often in the delegation of ministers’ added value to them, which they exploited to the hilt. Many became wheeler-dealers pulling deals for fat sums. Underworld, news mafias and unknown overseas religious and political outfits have taken over news media, not only our country, but all over the world. They are immensely powerful, make or break a politician’s career and topple governments at will.
There is a watchdog, often chaired by retired judges, who have in many decades have not brought any journalist to book, regardless of the fact of many had lowered the journalistic values, like the infamous Deepak Chaurasia, who had doctored molestation tapes to tarnish someone’s image, Barkha Dutt of Radia tapes, Rajdeep Sardesai and his wife Sagarika Ghosh, both having the scantest respect for Indian leader, however important they be.
Times of India, as appeared in the web, announcing wedding of PM Modi and Mamata is despicable and is downright yellow journalism.
I am happy that the electronic media DD is reviving under CEO Jawhar Sircar, and hope lesser noisy newspapers too get a space in the TRPs. Neutral, unbiased news reporting, with responsible and honest journalists a need of the hour in India.
Sampath Kumar
