Media and Hoaxes
When will the Indian media learn?
Unmindful of the hoax by Subhash Singh - the boy from Balia who claimed to have topped a NASA test - the Indian media fell hook line and sinker last month for another fraudulent claim.
Only, the second hoax was more stunning - and should we say, more breathtaking? Aishwarya Rai`s PR machinery - including her secretary - claimed she has been invited to present the Oscars. The claim made, they also said the actress can`t make it to the Oscars since she would be busy shooting for a film.
Of course, she couldn’t have made it - because she was simply not invited.
The Oscar invitation story is as much a hoax as the NASA test story. Check out the official Oscars site. Or speak to the organisers.
Only Telegraph of Kolkata busted the story - with the Oscar organising staff saying they have never heard of Aishwarya. And having not heard of her, how could they have ever invited her?
The staff also said that the list of people who hand out prizes are drawn up months in advance and then published on its Web site.
This year`s list also had been on the Web site for months and Aishwarya did not find a mention.
Well, here comes the central question: why isn’t the media correcting itself and calling Aishwarya`s bluff?
The Balia boy has been taken to task and the media has done follow-up stories.
But Aishwarya has seemingly got away: two days earlier, even the Indian Express wrote that the Oscar invite was a proof of Aishwarya`s transformation into a truly crossover actor.
How I wish pigs could fly…….
Rajeev....a Journo