Hail Barkha Dutt & NDTV

Posted by SMM on 13:31

Most of us use our blogs an an instrument where we express ourselves freely. We write out our hearts. We bitch, we criticize, we review, we write about life, about ourselves, our families, our tensions, our fears, our loves, out hates. The blogworld witnessed an outpouring of emotion when Taj was attacked and people were still inside, hiding behind chairs and couches trying to protect themselves,waiting to be rescued. Had blogging been that popular when Kargil happened, I am sure we would have witnessed an immense outpour then too.

I wrote about a very bad meal I had sometime back at one of the most famous eating joints in Delhi. I have also written about a book which really touched me and made me think. It's okay if I write that I don't like a movie or a book, but dare anyone say they don't like Barkha Dutt.

Hail Barkha Dutt - the lady (?) journalist who risks her life and limb to bring us news. And if there is no news to bring, she makes news. She shoves her mike into the faces of grieving families for sound-bites. The well-respected journalist. All hail Barkha.

This one "random bloke" sitting at his computer, somewhere in Holland wrote about her 'shoddy and irresponsible journalism' during the Taj seige. How dare he say any such thing? Immediately a legal notice was issued to him and he was made to tender an unconditional apology and withdraw his post.

Yes my dear readers, this is the new law. It is only the great almighty Barkha Dutt and NDTV who have the freedom of expression. We bloggers be damned. We have no right to express our opinion. So think before you write. You may get served with a legal notice. Restrict your opinion, actually from now we'l just get it vetoed by these folks.

Howzzat Barkha? Will that keep you happy? Many of us have critized the 24/7 news coverage and have asked for guidelines to be issued. Oh wait a minute there are Guidelines in place. Oh dear Barkha darling and NDTV, did you these guidelines very clearly state the following:

"While reporting violent events, natural calamities and accidents, appropriate regard must be paid to the feelings of relatives and viewers and inclusion of images of dead or seriously wounded people or gruesome and gory scenes, which may seriously distress or offend substantial number of viewers, should not be included in the telecast. The feelings and sensitivities of grieving relatives or the injured must be respected and interviews avoided."

"Information, which discloses the location of a person’s home or family, should not be revealed without permission, unless it is warranted."

"Repetitive broadcast of file (old ) audio-visuals, which create a distorted picture of reality should be avoided."

So do we the viewers now issued you with a legal notice for flouting the guidelines? Brakha Dutt & NDTV, we the citizens and bloggers will not and shall not be cowed down by your bullying tactics.

For more such lovely posts about Brakha Dutt & NDTV, head over here.

22 Comments

Tarun says:

31 January 2009 at 15:44

Well,talk about Rights duty and law.
I think Barkha Dutt has taken journalism to new lows.
The sad part is I await more regression.

Rià says:

31 January 2009 at 20:20

Well said babe!i hate this kinda hypocrisy.....why doesnt the same rule apply to all, i too felt tht there was no point in asking ppl "How do u feel tht ur near and dear one is missing till now/or is no more!!" Is it a question to be asked to somebody who is distressed and sad after the happenings.....thts the problem with people around..wht applies to me doesn't apply to somebody who's more influential. Just hate this double standard!!

Anonymous says:

31 January 2009 at 21:40

I am with you completely!

I've done a post too

http://chandni.wordpress.com/2009/01/31/you-disappoint-me-barkha-dutt/

Kiran says:

1 February 2009 at 09:49

Hey SMM,

Excellent post. I was not aware that there already exist such guidelines for the mainstream media. I was always under the impression that such guidelines are being proposed and thats what the MSM was up in arms against!

And you said it right - we will not be cowed down by their bullying tactics.

Come to think of it, she has helped our cause by forcing the withdrawal - now ckunte is famous and has the overwhelming support of Indian Blogosphere :)

Anonymous says:

1 February 2009 at 14:04

Talk about head in the clouds... she was pretty ok when she started off though.

Tarun says:

2 February 2009 at 00:19

TV News Channels suck.

Keshi says:

2 February 2009 at 10:23

**She shoves her mike into the faces of grieving families for sound-bites.

cos thats wut pays their bills! Distasteful job yes!

Keshi.

SMM says:

2 February 2009 at 10:40

Hey Tarun, great to cya around.I am wondering how much lower will we go now - how much lower will these new channels go to create news. When there is nothing, have a sting operation - and then, right or wrong you air it, like what happened about a year back in the case of that school teacher in Delhi

SMM says:

2 February 2009 at 10:43

Hey Ria...thanks :)

I totally agree. We have double standards in India. One law for the rich and famous, one law for the 'rest of us'.

Asking someone whose husband/ wife/ brother/ sister is missing or stuck in a terrorist attack, is a dumb question. Obviously, that person is shit scared for the safety of that person. And in his emotions, he may reveal some information which could have been used by the terrorists against us.

SMM says:

2 February 2009 at 10:43

Hey Chandni, I have already commented :)

SMM says:

2 February 2009 at 10:51

Hey Kiran, welcome to my blog :)

Self-regulating guidelines are already i place. Unfortunately none of the news channels pay heed to it and I'm wondering how many people actually even know about it. These guidelines are quite stringent and it is sad that noone pays any attention to it and the government does nothing to impose it. Maybe if we the viewers and the citizens stand up and make our voices heard, we ca compel the channels to do something.

As for Brakha Dutt's stupidity, ell being a news-maker she ought to have well known that paying attention will make it an issue. had she let it just pass by, how many of us would have actually known about her 'shoddy journalism'.

SMM says:

2 February 2009 at 10:51

Hey J, she was okay to begin with - then she got her head in the clouds.

SMM says:

2 February 2009 at 10:53

Keshi, I totally agree. In fact there was a movie sometime back, about one such anchor who lost her fiance in the blasts and when her colleagues shoved their mikes in her face, she actually understood what it was like to be at the other end.

Anonymous says:

2 February 2009 at 13:07

i saw that blog and the one wrote by adicrazy too..

sad to see such a face of barkha... i was such a fan of her in the beginning...

all bricks broke loose now...

Harish says:

2 February 2009 at 15:54

i wonder what would teh critics say if (godess forbid) barkha fell prey to the terrorists bullets...

we would have built a temple for her and decorated her grave with the Bharat Ratna.

Sad, in our country one has to die to be respected.

Hail Barkha..

Aage badho.. hum tumhaare saath hai!

Harish says:

2 February 2009 at 16:01

having said that, i would also like to add, that barkha needs to understand that just as she has teh right to speak what she wants. we have the right to as well. We are not a group of dumb individuals. bloggers are a thinking lot.

Many bloggers adore her... and we would just be taken aback by her autocratic ways...

i still love barkha the reporter.. not so much... Barkha the icon.

She says:

2 February 2009 at 18:20

Good show woman. I am glad you wrote this, am with you, completely. Right from Kargil to the recent 26/11 attacks, the lady has fallen lower and lower. What she, like other journalists, tends to forget is that its always about the news and never about them. They aren't the news.

I had the misfortune of being one of those guests for one of her many talk shows. The entire thing was a facade. before the show started, she had already identified the people who would be given a chance to voice their views and she knew exactly what they were to say. The entire show was such a futile exercise. Rather pointless.

SMM says:

3 February 2009 at 13:19

So true Chriz...so true. I also used to really admire Barkha Dutt earlier, but after hearing some inside gossip from a trusted source at NDTV, then the Kargil incident and now this - I have no more respect for her.

SMM says:

3 February 2009 at 13:22

Exactly my point Harish.The law of the land allows us all the freedom to voice our opinion. It is not restricted to a handful of reporters or news channels alone. A petition supported by some very big names was circulated by mail asking that certain restrictions & guidelines be imposed on the news channels - why was no legal notice sent out then to anyone?

SMM says:

3 February 2009 at 13:23

She, you should write about your experience on her talk show - how it was all a facade. This needs to be told.

Barkha Dutt is Barkha Dutt today because of us - she should not forget that.

Keshi says:

4 February 2009 at 09:54

sad but true. everyone has THEIR side of the story too.

Keshi.

SMM says:

4 February 2009 at 10:12

Keshi, I agree there are two side to every story. However, sending a legal notice and forcing someone to withdraw his personal opinion is just not done. Would you like it if someone sent you a legal notice to withdraw one of your posts?

And if it can happen once, then each time any of us criticise a movie or a politician or the cricket team, are we going to get served with a legal notice?