Media Mania: Rahul Mahajan Case

What a poor sight it was all channels taking credit for exclusives and Rahul Mahajan dominating the news of this country with a population of 100 crore!
There was no other news. Already there is little of developmental stories, postive news and social stories on televsion. The Ajtak guys were so elated for having Saahil at their Kashmir studio! Even if Nelson Mandela would have walked into the studio, they wouldn't have been so happy. Doesn't that suggest the priorities of our news channels who thrive on sensationalism.
If they keep working at this pace, high-profile criminals would be brought to studios for giving their side of stories before going to jail--that is not too far. Already, we had once Punya Prasoon Bajpai talk to the PRO/lawyer of an underworld don.
MEANWHILE
I was reading a story in Asian Age. I read it because it appeared an investigative story about the role of a radical Muslim outfit (SIMI) that has a strong base in Maharashtra. However, glaring errors in the story made me upset. The fact that the writer Olga Tellis is a well-known journalist made me wonder. It could not be the fault of the desk alone. Such a serious issue and such a poor reporting! I rubbed my eyes in disbelief and found it was really Asian Age. If you don't know spellings, you can ask somebody who is aware or do some good search on the net, else make a mockery of all. Reading the story I remembered the cardinal rule, don't write your by-line unless you are too sure of your story because it affects your credibility.

Quota issue: Outlook favours, HT TOI and rest disagree

Most of the leading newspapers maintained that reservation for OBCs would further divide the society and that it would affect merit. In Indian Express Kumar Ketkar went to extent of prophesising that if we continue at this pace, India will be balkanized.
However, Vinod Mehta, in Outlook took a sharply different view. He said that the Middle Class is hostile to any such proposal that aims at empowering the backwards, Dalits and the poor. He cited the growth of Southern States where quota exists for long and it has not affeceted merit. Rather, these states have fared much better than North-Indian states.
CNN-IBN made an extra effort to shows that it was unbiased. The figures on number of Dalits/OBCs in journalism and Shivam Vij's report on the other side (views of AIIMS doctors in support of quota) gave the channel an edge. Another channel went to the extent of exhorting youths to do a Rang De Basanti on Arjun Singh, I heard. Now if this is true then it is a matter of introspection for all of us that where journalism in headed.