The Rahul Mahajan overkill

IN Opinion | 12/06/2006

Letter to the Hoot: The watchdogs of the society seem to watch only the high and mighty.

The media overdose in the Rahul Mahajan¿s drug case seems to have no end. Hours and hours of discussion have taken place in this regard during the prime time.

The country especially the urban viewers, are now being made acquainted to the different high end drugs allegedly used in some socially elite parties that are many times covered by even these news channels to fill their night slot. Some may call it ?Raat Baki? some may as ?night out? some in the name of fashion some while showing the latest trend.

Things become more painful when some ?sabse tez? channels came up with the details explaining difference between the some deadly drugs and the ways to consume it. Mind you all this on national television!

Time and again the attitude of media has proved that every thing that sells cannot be avoided even by some of the ¿pseudo intellectuals¿ in the profession. The media trial of Rahul Mahajan is another way to sensationalise and sell. Had there been any ethical issue raised by the media in Rahul¿s case, similar parties would have never found place in late night programmes of the same channels.

The media that was shouting that cocaine was consumed by Rahul initially had to eat its words with the reports of heroine being the substance recovered from Mahajan¿s Safdarjung residence. So it simply proves that modern channel reporting is not about reporting facts but is based on rumours.

The watchdogs of the society seem to watch only the high and mighty.

Ajay Shukla
Hindustan Times
Lucknow

June 9, 2006

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