Nuisance Channels
They cross the line again and again, glorify trivial issues, create unnecessary hype, and yet go scot free.
While the ruckus created by the national media during the 26/11 rescue operations is still afresh, I am shocked at the way Telugu news channels are vying with each other to package and broadcast updates on the Telangana agitation over the past one month.
Meaningless debates between pro- and anti-Telangana leaders, clips of provocative speeches of peanut leaders, and ghastly scenes of violence accompanied by background score have been the order of the day for these channels.
The news reporters along with their cameramen seem to be omnipresent, ready to capture every movement. Gasping and panting they run behind protesters, interview them as though their opinion of national importance. They provoke, harass and pose questions with ulterior motives aimed at making the respondent utter something sensational.
Then we have the reporter reciting everything that we saw and heard to the news reader squatting in the studio. The communication that happens between the reporter and the reader is loud and miserable. On the lighter side, these conversations have been spoofed hilariously in many films.
For all such strenuous efforts, should the news channels receive a pat on their back? Of course, they deserve something on their back, but certainly not a pat.
While the ruckus created by the national media during the 26/11 rescue operations is still afresh, I am shocked at the way Telugu news channels are vying with each other to package and broadcast updates on the Telangana agitation over the past one month.
Meaningless debates between pro- and anti-Telangana leaders, clips of provocative speeches of peanut leaders, and ghastly scenes of violence accompanied by background score have been the order of the day for these channels.
The news reporters along with their cameramen seem to be omnipresent, ready to capture every movement. Gasping and panting they run behind protesters, interview them as though their opinion of national importance. They provoke, harass and pose questions with ulterior motives aimed at making the respondent utter something sensational.
Then we have the reporter reciting everything that we saw and heard to the news reader squatting in the studio. The communication that happens between the reporter and the reader is loud and miserable. On the lighter side, these conversations have been spoofed hilariously in many films.
For all such strenuous efforts, should the news channels receive a pat on their back? Of course, they deserve something on their back, but certainly not a pat.
It can't get worse
Watching the ongoing Test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is a big torture. The mundane commentary by the likes of Waquar Younis (with beard), Rameez Raja and Ranjit Fernando, sub-standard graphics and transmission by the Ten Sports team, empty grounds, uninspiring performances by the teams are making my viewing utterly boring. I don't even have the chance to shift to Australia Vs South Africa match as the greedy Ten Sports have acquired the rights of both the series (not to forget England V West Indies which runs on the same day from 7:00 pm), and the latter is telecast only after the former, i.e., at about 5:00 pm. It's consoling that at least India Vs Newzealand is telecast on Set Max.
Why don't we act?
"Why hasn't our Government taken any serious action against Pakistan even after knowing that the country has been sponsoring terrorism against us?"
"Why is there a huge security cover for our politicians while the common man has only a police station located far off from his home?"
"How can 10 terrorists create such large scale destruction in Mumbai?"
"Is it true that Hyderabad's old city has large number of terrorists from Pakistan?"
"What is Pakistan's problem?"
These are some of the questions posed by my 12-year old curious cousin after knowing that a few ISI agents managed to free themselves from the Hyderabad police. There were more such inquisitive questions from the kid who seemed keen on finding an immediate solution to this problem.
At first, I didn't want him to know that we have a highly ineffective and inefficient government at the helm and refrained myself from criticizing the government's abysmal performance over the years. I tried to be as diplomatic as our leaders. But, suddenly, I observed that my diplomatic answers were making him restless and understood that he was expecting strong dissent from a commoner like me.
His agitation was justified. His reaction was reminiscent of the reactions of people after hearing our Netas' platitudes post Mumbai terror attacks. I thought there was no point in screening him from the truth as, in his own world, he was seeing an inefficient Neta in me. Sensing trouble, I slowly divulged details of the state of affairs in India and his restlessness only increased. Finally, he got out of the chair and yelled "waste fellows" referring to our Netas.
Throughout the discussion, his only concern was 'Why don't we act?'
The answer is simple, India is a peace-loving nation.
"Why is there a huge security cover for our politicians while the common man has only a police station located far off from his home?"
"How can 10 terrorists create such large scale destruction in Mumbai?"
"Is it true that Hyderabad's old city has large number of terrorists from Pakistan?"
"What is Pakistan's problem?"
These are some of the questions posed by my 12-year old curious cousin after knowing that a few ISI agents managed to free themselves from the Hyderabad police. There were more such inquisitive questions from the kid who seemed keen on finding an immediate solution to this problem.
At first, I didn't want him to know that we have a highly ineffective and inefficient government at the helm and refrained myself from criticizing the government's abysmal performance over the years. I tried to be as diplomatic as our leaders. But, suddenly, I observed that my diplomatic answers were making him restless and understood that he was expecting strong dissent from a commoner like me.
His agitation was justified. His reaction was reminiscent of the reactions of people after hearing our Netas' platitudes post Mumbai terror attacks. I thought there was no point in screening him from the truth as, in his own world, he was seeing an inefficient Neta in me. Sensing trouble, I slowly divulged details of the state of affairs in India and his restlessness only increased. Finally, he got out of the chair and yelled "waste fellows" referring to our Netas.
Throughout the discussion, his only concern was 'Why don't we act?'
The answer is simple, India is a peace-loving nation.
Shahid Afridi - Who is your Coach?
Note: The write is not against Islam or Pakistan.
A Telugu daily (Saakshi) reported that Shahid Afridi cried after getting out for a low score against Sri Lanka in the ongoing Asia cup. Of late, Boom Boom Afridi has been going through a lean patch and is getting out cheaply. He let down all even in the IPL series where he played for Deccan Chargers.
Instead of approaching the coach, Shahid approached his religious leader and asked for some tips to come out of the bad patch. In a typical guru style, the preacher asked Afridi to offer some prayers and not to get disturbed by other things.
There is no wrong in believing in God, but leaving everything to God and the so called gurus and offering prayers five to six times a day do not guarantee you results. Former greats like Wasim Akram, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad are also very religious, but maintained a fine balance between sports and religion.
Current Pakistani team has been under this Islamic effect ever since Saeed Anwar lost one of his family members. Then it was Saqlain, Inzamam, Mustaq Ahmed, Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammed Yousuf who became very religious.
As someone commented after Pakistan team's debacle in the 2007 world cup, the Pakistan team is more like a religious group than a cricket team.
A Telugu daily (Saakshi) reported that Shahid Afridi cried after getting out for a low score against Sri Lanka in the ongoing Asia cup. Of late, Boom Boom Afridi has been going through a lean patch and is getting out cheaply. He let down all even in the IPL series where he played for Deccan Chargers.
Instead of approaching the coach, Shahid approached his religious leader and asked for some tips to come out of the bad patch. In a typical guru style, the preacher asked Afridi to offer some prayers and not to get disturbed by other things.
There is no wrong in believing in God, but leaving everything to God and the so called gurus and offering prayers five to six times a day do not guarantee you results. Former greats like Wasim Akram, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad are also very religious, but maintained a fine balance between sports and religion.
Current Pakistani team has been under this Islamic effect ever since Saeed Anwar lost one of his family members. Then it was Saqlain, Inzamam, Mustaq Ahmed, Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammed Yousuf who became very religious.
As someone commented after Pakistan team's debacle in the 2007 world cup, the Pakistan team is more like a religious group than a cricket team.
Help Me Mate!
"We are now surviving on a six-million dollar bank overdraft," said Arjuna Ranatunga, chairman of the Sri Lankan cricket board.
He has approached the BCCI to bail them out of trouble. Seems like the former Sri Lanka captain has forgotten the ICC or his government and feels that the BCCI is more important than the cricket's highest governing body. That might (might not be) also be one of the reasons behind supporting India during the Harbhajan-Symond's row.
A strange thought has just come to my mind "What if the BCCI asks all the Indian players to contribute their one test match earning toward revamping the Sri Lankan board?"
Anyway, the big brother has vowed to offer support. With India set to tour Sri Lanka during mid 2008, the Lankan cricket board's bank account might smile again.
Are requests from the cricket boards of Zimbabwe, Kenya and Pakistan in the pipeline?
He has approached the BCCI to bail them out of trouble. Seems like the former Sri Lanka captain has forgotten the ICC or his government and feels that the BCCI is more important than the cricket's highest governing body. That might (might not be) also be one of the reasons behind supporting India during the Harbhajan-Symond's row.
A strange thought has just come to my mind "What if the BCCI asks all the Indian players to contribute their one test match earning toward revamping the Sri Lankan board?"
Anyway, the big brother has vowed to offer support. With India set to tour Sri Lanka during mid 2008, the Lankan cricket board's bank account might smile again.
Are requests from the cricket boards of Zimbabwe, Kenya and Pakistan in the pipeline?
T20 - Indian Lions in African Safari
"I never expected India to win T20 world cup," has been the reaction of a number of Indian fans after the Titanic T20 final. India was only one T20 match-old when it entered the competition, and nobody thought India would qualify for semis. But things turned dramatically after Yuvraj's blitzkrieg innings against the Englishmen and the performance graph of the Indian team since then soared only in one direction - North. That's what a young team does with young ideas, new methods and fearlessness.
Good for a young captain to win his first series, and that too a big one. It doesn't matter whether India won it or Pakistan gave it (as pointed out by many that Pakistan were unlucky) as it is the victory that matters. I feel a bit for Pakistan, who have put up a brave show and almost pulled off a great victory. But credit to Indian bowlers who were brilliant and especially captain cool Dhoni was outstanding. He was fantastic, switched bowlers cleverly and used his resources very well.
Having said this, the future is going to be tough for Dhoni as he will be handling about four seniors who have ego problems.
I believe that the pressure factor from the media and the people back home is playing havoc on Indian performance. So, my appeal to media is to give Dhoni some time and don't hype the Indian team whenever they beat a big team or score heavily in one Test.
Finally, I have this small sentiment of changing houses whenever India is in a pressure situation, and it always paid off. This time again, I watched the first half in Koti in my friend's house (of course! took the permission of my boss) and the second half in my home. I told my friend that India would win if I change house, and it is proved correct again.
