Unbelievably revolting

BY n dipak| IN Opinion | 23/09/2004

Letter to the Hoot-- the public deserves an explanation about what is it that these channels consider news these days

Dear Editor,

I found it unbelievable, revolting and frightening to surf TV channels on Tuesday night to find the Arif, Gudiya and Taufiq issue being featured extensively on at least two news channels, including one live interaction with all the people involved and some other parties. If the anchor of the live programme was to be believed, some sort of momentous decision seemed to have been made right there. Arif was in the media glare after being released from a Pakistani jail and that story did merit national attention since he is in the army, but how much further are the cameras and the journalists going to follow him and intrude on what must be a traumatic time for all of them? How does the media ensure that placing someone in the public eye does not influence their decisions? Or will they be following up the story to ensure that it does? For how much longer?

I think the public deserves an explanation about what is it that these channels consider news these days. If TV channels are going to mediate in personal issues like this, on live television, soon we might have people queuing up there instead of at the courts, or other accepted channels (no pun intended) where such matters are settled. The media highlighted some disturbing questions after the action taken by some of the women in Nagpur when they killed a person in the court premises. That`s good, but who will judge the media in situations like this one cited above?

Where does an ordinary citizen get answers to these questions from?

Namitha Dipak
Delhi
September 22, 2004

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