“Breaking News”- Is it really BREAKING?

 

BREAKING NEWS!!! What comes to your mind when you hear these two words? These are not just words but Powerful Words because the moment we hear them our eyes, ears & mind are all focused towards “What is it NOW”. Just like a coin has two sides, these two words also have inverse effect. Thanks to our Indian Television News Channels that managed to completely change the sense of these words. Today every other news is a BREAKING NEWS. Be it a “celebrity buzz” or Train accident – Both are shown on same platform and with equal importance.

So friends, the so called latest BREAKING NEWS is Actor Saif Ali Khan arrested for assault. Even your favorite English Channel is airing it under BREAKING NEWS section.

It was so surprising to see almost all news channels showing this as Breaking News. Reporters were asking the camera man to show the fans who had been waiting to see the star at the police station. The irony was that in current scenario when we have a burning issue about NCTC (National Counter Terrorism Centre) where at least 13 chief ministers voicing concerns over, don’t this powerful media need to focus on the REAL news. Don’t worry, we will not be getting into any political debate, but the point is should Media be selling “What is just another entertainment “or news on burning issues “Which is actually a BREAKING NEWS”.

But the surprising aspect is that such news over powers the real news that is important to the nation. Do you think the news channels should be wise while flashing the word “Breaking News” in their respective channels?? Or do you think they should have the liberty to sell anything and everything as news?

Remember- “Media is one the strongest tool India has which can change Lives which has the power to change Nation”.

As Spiderman once said “With great power comes great responsibility”. Hope the media also understands their responsibility while using their power.

Kapil Sibal and his censorship; Dear, Keep it Sibal, Silly.

 

   #IdiotSibal is back. Yes, such hashtags have been doing their daily rounds. Earlier this week, Kapil Sibal, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology expressed his desire to web services like Facebook and Google to pre-screen material that may be considered offensive, inflammatory and/or defamatory. He examples he showed the services, included a Facebook page where Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh were not portrayed in a very good light, as well as examples of religious intolerance on the social networks. Facebook and Google already have facilities in place to report offensive content and removal of offensive content. However, setting up a human task force to pre-screen content and ensure its removal is a task too big for the tech giants. For one, the amount of content that Indian web users produce on a daily basis is far too much for the services to possibly screen. The other problem is that their employees cannot be held responsible for deciding which content is offensive and which isn’t.

   The two giants, Facebook and Google, have been silent on the matter. Thanks for that.

    I guess it's time to dish out real fast at Sibal now. So it's screening content after it's uploaded now. Been getting objectionable dreams about Sibal these days. He is never quiet. According to media reports, Sibal met top executives of companies like Facebook, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft and told them to find a way of screening and thus preventing disparaging comments or imagery about himself or his ilk from appearing on the internet. (Normally what happens is they first appear, then some idiot takes offence, and they are taken off.)

   But the executives let him down. They told him pre-censorship was impossible because Facebook has 25 million users in India, and Google, 100 million. Anyway, why can't he get a life, and solve what really are problems and which also happens to be your job. Not gagging netizens! Henceforth all song lyrics containing sonia/soniye will be banned! Live, up Sibal! That's my advice to you.

   PS: Do check out this picture below:

Acronyms and Acrimony

    In one of Chetan Bhagat's more readable novels, 2 States, the protagonist Krish Malhotra is on board to a marriage hall named Arulmigu Kapaeleeswar Thirumana Mandapam, and has almost 50 letters to it. He struggles on the streets and finally reaches the venue, based in Chennai, thanks to the locals. Guess what, the locals to called it AKKT Mandapam.
    
   It seems Tamilians love to keep complicated names but in the end clutter it up and simplify them...

   2 States was published in 2009. Today, look across any daily, newspaper, magazine or news source and you find dozens of bizarre acronyms, ready to take you back to your brainy part. It's not only the choultries, chatrams, but also the politicians like MGR or NTR.

   And yes, how do you explain the reference to NaMo as Narendra Modi? NaMo(meaning 'bow down') sounds more like the Tatas' Nano car, whose main plant was shifted to Gujarat following agitation against it in West Bengal. Why, I wondered, to keep a short name for a person who has name with twelve fine letters in it?

   Is it to avoid confusion with similiar Former IPL Chairman Lalit Modi, who keeps appearing in the news for being controversial in cricket matters? Or is it a sign of Indian political unity to assign abbrievations?

    Acronyms are always preferable to acrimony!

RIP Tiger Pataudi

Like all Indian cricket fans of my generation, I have never seen MAK in action. All that we have are old newspaper clippings, stories passed on to us by glorified media platforms of today.

So, I’m not in the best position to comment on his contributions to Indian cricket; but the common thread which runs through most of the eulogies is the fact that he was the first Indian captain who made the team and an entire nation believe that they can win and not just be satisfied with honorable draws.

A timely reminder to the present Indian team, a month after losing the Pataudi Trophy.

Rest in peace, Tiger.