I often see and listen to young journalists covering a news item and
presenting it on TV or media channels. I read their articles in newspapers.
Many times it gives a feeling that these young journalists are in a hurry. Instead
of giving just news, they act like an advertisement agency. First their news
reporting is not objective. They play to the gallery and try to increase TRP
ratings. They have limited exposure and limited knowledge about various subjects
being discussed; this is natural as they have limited educational background, limited
exposure and more importantly don’t have will and time to study the subject. This
results in a news broadcast or a news article which is far from ground reality as
their reporting is subjective, prejudiced and incorrect. The same is offered to
the public. This is especially applicable to English news channels and papers.
They are big players and have their targets fixed by theirs CEOs.
Take the case of Josy Joseph of HINDU newspaper reporting on Pathankot
Terror Attack (dated 04 Jan 16). Prejudiced reporting was at its peak. In the
article, it was stated that the reaction (to the fidayeen attack) was not well
coordinated inspite of knowing the locations of the terrorists and security
forces could not nab them well in time and contain the attack. Such statements
emerge more often from airconditioned plush offices. Actually news can be
written without going to the location. In the comforts of the office, once the
framework is known from PTI or ANI then, in order to give personal touch to the
story, what one needs to do is to just interspace it by including statements
like “many senior defense officers on the condition of anonymity said so and so”
or like “the course mate of Lt Col (Martyred in the operation) brought out the
lack of coordination within the forces”. This along with prejudiced personal
statements makes TRP gathering news. Negative news gets more TRPs than positive
news. The statements from friends in the organization on which the article is
being written cannot become basis for any objective news reporting. The
credibility of the news nosedives the moment objectivity ends. Jocy Joseph’s
article is a TRP gathering article.
Tailpiece – Reaction to a fidayeen attack is always less coordinated than
terror attack because terror is planned and any kind of damage makes news for
the attacker. A defender’s aim is to limit the damage. What is important is containment
of the terror.
