Some journalists today got together to discuss media and the shoe. The shoe obviously refers to Jarnail Singh’s. His target forgave the Dainik Jagran journalist immediately after he hurled the show.
The shoe instead hit Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. Any way, here I want to share view about Bhopal media and not the ‘Shoegate’. I was not invited in the meet that was grandiosely (foolishly?) termed “Gol Mej Conference”. I am seldom invited in such gatherings and I am happy this way.
The few journalist meets I attended in the past left me more skeptical-- rather cynical-- about a section of the Bhopal media. When some of these journalists rather sanctimoniously talked about ‘declining ethics’ and ‘deteriorating professionalism’ in the media, I sardonically laughed within myself. What a bunch of hypocrites and fraud these gentlemen are!
This is my 23rd year in Bhopal. Twenty- three years is a lifetime. Most of these enthusiastic flag bearers of the Bhopal media sprung in the scene barely a decade or so ago. They are smart chaps. Most of them live in E-type government bungalows. Most of them are saffronites. Quite of few are just semi-literate. Books repel them.
What holds their interest is gossiping about politics and, of course, about fellow media men. They unceasingly gloat over ‘close’ friendship with ministers and bureaucrats. Chief Minister’s company is most coveted desire. They were genuinely elated over the BJP victory in the assembly election.
I rarely figure in their talks, much less in their scheme of things. If ever I get mentioned in their small talks it is with sneers. My reticence ( I find it hard to open to hypocrites, though I can suffer fools) annoys them and they show it by consciously refusing to recognise me wherever they run into me.
I don’t know what they talked in the ‘Gol Maze Conference’. But I am trying to visualize all that sitting in my office. More on Bhopal media in next blog.
Remeber this does not apply on all who attended the meet. My collegue Ranjan was also there. I am proud of my HT team. It is this team which has kept my faith in fair journalism alive.
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Liked your candid expression of journalism in Bhopal.
ReplyDeleteXYZ
Great observation. In fact, these guys get a feeling that by moving around the polticians, they also get some clout, which is nothing but al fake and an illusion.
ReplyDeleteAdnan
VERY GOOD VIEWS, RARE IN MEDIA NOWDAYS
ReplyDeleteANURAG TAGDE
NAIDUNIA INDORE
http://anuragtagde.blogspot.com/
atagde@gmail.com
i do agree--eating at neta's hands seems to b very c'mon among mediamen at bpl..while a few journos had been able to hurl shoes on these politicians...most of these politicians had been keeping bhopali journos under their shoes....political leaders do deserve rotten egg or `leather` treatment n there is nothing worth discussing on it as such
ReplyDeletegood post..
Sidd (Agra)
Mr Rakesh are you annoyed because you were not invited? mud-slinging in Indian politics has taken a new turn, with it being replaced by shoes,..so wot's wrong in there if it was discussed by a group of press people in your city
ReplyDeleteMost of the newspapers dont publish the true stories as they are under the debt of the government/Commissoner DPR
ReplyDeleteThe so called editors are dalals (most of them)
Some say individual causes should not be published least realising the story depicts the common man story.
Most of them blackmail
Most of them bargain.
Most of them do not even know how to write
they are full of isms...
The newspapers are too commercial
Throw money the story will be published
Throw money the they will regret publishing the story which they published. lol
theyll write what most the PRO mail them without even checking ..realising the next morning that they did a blunder..
they file for information through RTI act than blackmail.
they would travel at others expense and write about nature and environment
uffff
Save Bhopal from them
i can go on and on and on..
I also agree with what Mr Rakesh n Ms Masood feel
ReplyDeleteBhopali Journalists, say many, members of the hallowed fourth estate, make a living out of junkets and free lunches.
Rakesh ji someone must plumb the dirty depths and brings out the filth?.
I would like to share something about a correspondent of Bhopal-
The honest correspondent about whom I am talking about had been painstakingly working his sources, extracting stories out of the most uptight CEOs and making ends meet as a hack with the 'hip' designation of an correspondent with that newspaper.
Over the years, he had built up some reputation of being a diligent reporter and one who had come up from the bottom. So when a foreign major invited the newspaper for a sponsored visit to its headquarters, he thought he would be one the journalist to go and cover the event.
But there were other hyenas on the prowl. The correspondent's superior, who had been hungering for an overseas holiday grabbed the offer with both hands.
The tech correspondent meekly went back to his job, when the superior, who had never been miles around a tech company's premises holidayed abroad in colder climes, on official duty, all expense paid trip. He came back after a couple of weeks and distributed chocs.
..I was in Bhopal for many years.. i know many out there..so i do agree with what Mr Rakesh has written..
cheers
a secret admirer
Mr Rakesh, People in glass house don't throw stones.
ReplyDeleteAcha likha bhai sab
ReplyDeletedear anonymous... people in glass do throw stones...u might not be having ur balls intact to do that...Rakesh bhai has
ReplyDeleteRakesh Bhai keep it up...there must be someone to kick the bucket of these fkng journalists (especially a few e-media journalists) living on mercy of fkng political leaders and public relation officers.....get them out of their stinky holes....
good work...
by
Vishva Ranjan '
general secretary
Anti Bikau-journalist forum
Dear bade Bhaiya! let me first congratulate you for daring to speak out your mind. But it would have been more appropriate if u had been more specific in your last paragraph where you said "Remeber this does not apply on all who attended the meet. My collegue Ranjan was also there." do you mean to suggest only ranjan was the white horse amongst 'donkeys' sitting there. Or is it that only 'Hindustan Times' is having real journalists? Please specify on who all this does not apply if you can not tell the names on whom this post of your applies.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your responce
Hemender Sharma
Dear Bade bhaiya,
ReplyDeleteLet me first congratulate you for daring to speak your mind. But it would have been appropriate if you could have been more specific in the last paragraph where u said "Remeber this does not apply on all who attended the meet. My collegue Ranjan was also there." Does this mean that Ranjab wasthe only white horse sitting amongst donkeys? Or is it that onlt HT hires journalist? Please be specific on who all it does not apply if you can not name those on whom ur post applies?
Looking forward to see your responce.
Cheers
Hemender Sharma
Congratulations for daring to comment on individuals. It is a matter of your perception. If compared to you, these individuals seem to be more successful in their lives. So, the comments may be the result of some jealousy. After seeing your flamboyancy, I can only expect that you will also analyze and make candid and daring comment on Central Press Club of Bhopal and its managers. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThe most tragic part of the round table conference is the omission of a thought that journalists have lost faith in themselves. They are fully convinced that their writings hardly have any impact on the policy makers and political leadership.Some day a journalist can pick up arms and go naxalite way. They can discuss shoe hurling episode but not the public issues like deepening water crisis, depleting forests and the agonies people suffer every day. Alas that is not their job.
ReplyDelete