Cherry Picking

Dear News Channels, 

‘No Room For Real Issues’, ‘War of Words’ and ‘Punch Fest’ are some recent headlines of editorials featuring in prominent newspapers. When the print media feels the need to debate real issues, I fail to comprehend your fetish for non-issues. 

The recent ‘Puppy’ and ‘Burqa’ analogy represents a sad trend of viewing debates purely from the TRP reading glass. I am referring to the cherry picking of words and dissecting them endlessly on prime time. Whether it was the ‘bee-hive’ observation by Rahul or the ‘puppy’ analogy by Modi, you select the juiciest bone, chew it to bits, and wait for another succulent one for consumption. 

If you happen to drive a few kilometers away from Gurgaon towards Haryana, you will come across ‘taus’ impeccably dressed, lazing on rickety charpoys, smoking hookah and engaged in animated discussions. A closer look reveals that these octogenarians spend days discussing buffaloes and their milking ritual.To any discerning viewer, you and their ilk look like contemporary versions of ‘taus’ who pick one insignificant  topic, chew it for days, regurgitate and conveniently ignore issues that really matter.

Interestingly, towards the end of trivial raucous debates, most anchors regain moral ground and conclude that instead of expending energies on coining and dissecting terms of little relevance, the political parties would do well to focus on issues that really matter to the average citizen.

While we are smart enough to see through the games of polarization, recent debates have created an impression that Modi was perhaps deliberately naming and denigrating one community. I am not sure, but after listening to your gobbledygook, it seems very likely that the attempt was to polarize voters. However, what Modi could not, you managed with amazing ease.Polarize the atmosphere that is.

It is easy to grab a microphone and record sound bites from politicians on isolated comments made by their rivals. Who wants to spend time and money on in-depth discussions when sensationalism comes easy and sells even better? 

Not willing to be left behind, the warring factions come up with their wittiest best. So for every Rambo we have a Scambo and for every Scambo we have a Mogambo. For every Burqa we have Khakhi shorts and for every Bee-Hive we have an Elephant.

A relevant study by The Hoot reveals that DD bulletins were most comprehensive in terms of number of stories covered.Perhaps the wheel has come full circle. 
Yes, it is the pre election year and our leaders are going berserk. Considering the stakes involved, who can blame them? But why are you going bonkers? Politics first? No, it should be governance first.

And yes, for whatever it is worth, I have no option but to revert back to the channel best known for Krishi Darshan.



A disheartened viewer.


(Read the entire article originally on The Hoot )