Are we still ethical?

The recent allegations made against eminent journalists of the country tarnish the image of the press as a whole. At least, that seems to be the perception.

         

           The uproar caused by the publication of phone conversations, in particular between NDTV Group Editor Barkha Dutt and lobbyist Niira Radia, is an indication of the strength of feeling on the issue of corruption among journalists. NDTV rubbished the allegations, calling it gathering of information; but the curious silence maintained initially by the press as a whole made the scene murky. Questions arose in the minds of the people as to why and how the Fourth Estate of democracy found its reputation dragged into a political scam.

               

         NDTV later organised a show where several prominent journalists openly questioned Barkha Dutt regarding the issue. The editor of Open magazine, Manu Joseph, who was on the panel, was clearly dissatisfied with her justifications.

            

       Vir Sanghvi and Prabhu Chawla, who also figured in the tapped phone conversations, were interrogated in another show conducted by Headlines Today. CNN-IBN’s Face the Nation programme also conducted similar discussions but chose to steer clear of getting to the core of the matter.

                           

        Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, who was on the Press Council’s sub-committee that prepared a report on the paid news phenomenon, says proximity to people in positions of power or wealth “feeds the ego of certain journalists, and they feel as powerful and influential as the people they are with”. This perhaps explains why journalists land in such situations. They tread a fragile line where they have to clearly understand the difference between collection of information from sources and violation of journalistic ethics. Journalists who violate ethics may roll in the riches today but the crime of sullying the image of the press will definitely catch up with them tomorrow.

                  

       What corrective steps can be taken? Perhaps there is need for an impartial panel to investigate and bring to book all those individuals who bring disrepute and shame to the media. Influential companies are now willing to pay huge prices to get coverage, and so temptations are on the rise. Hard-earned reputations are at stake. Just as important, aspiring journalists may get all the wrong ideas. So all those who believe in the tenets of journalism must get together and ensure that such episodes never occur again. 

Who will watch the watchmen?

      Ever wondered what happens when the watchdog itself becomes suspect and needs to be ‘watched’? When the Fourth Estate, which is supposed to serve as a bulwark against corruption, is itself corrupt. This is what is happening in some sections of the Indian media now, thanks to the rampant phenomenon called ‘paid news’.

        Paid news is a major threat to Indian democracy today. Apparently some journalists are reporting stories for money; some newspaper managements are passing off advertisements as news. The line between editorial and advertorial is rapidly blurring

         There have also been reports of some newspapers publishing political advertisements as news reports. In the worst form of corruption, some newspapers  present a rate card to the political candidates, who pay for positive coverage of themselves or negative coverage of their opponents. This can surely lead to unfair election results and declining trust in the media. The paid news phenomenon, we are told, is not just restricted to election packages. Film, sports, and private treaties are also a part of the package.

         The practice of private treaties was pioneered by the publishers of the Times of India which began taking stakes in companies from 2005 in exchange for advertising space in its medium. A ‘paid content’ service called Medianet was started which, for a price, openly offers to send journalists to cover product launches or personality-related events.

       The Press Council of India (PCI) had set up a committee comprising noted journalists Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and K. Sreenivas Reddy to examine the paid news scandal. They came out with a report which, to quote Thakurta, “named and shamed the perpetrators of paid news”. But the report never saw the light of the day as some council members argued that it would destroy the publishers’ credibility and hurt public interest.

         The issue must be used as an opportunity to restore falling credibility. Regulations, with supporting and enforcing laws, should insist on disclosing norms and practices of publications. Powers should be given to the PCI and amendments should be made in the Representation of the People Act to include paid news within the ambit of electoral malpractices.

                  The Press is acclaimed as the fourth important pillar of democracy after the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary.  Journalists are looked upon as moral guides. Sadly, in a U.S. survey conducted by Reader’s Digest this year, journalists were ranked 30 out of 40 on a list of trusted professions, after barbers and bus drivers. Clearly, the media has to win back the people’s trust.

When first loves beckon...

“First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity.”—George Bernard Shaw

                  We often have a strange attachment and magnetic pull towards all kinds of first things in our lives. Our first cell phone, first family vacation, or our first sneaky night-out. We remember about these incidents with a special kind of care and fondness. At lonely moments we long to be able to return to them.

                 Similar is the charm associated with our first innocent teenage loves. They are very clearly etched in our memories, added with layers of experience and at melancholic moments we ponder about reconnecting with them.

                 That exciting new experience we remember all our lives. We tend to forget the little troubles that seemed so tragic then and remember the moments of exquisite joy. We then lived in a world of fairy tale romances, believing without a doubt that there always had to be a happy ending.

               Just as happiness was so easy to come by then, the young hearts were equally easy to hurt. Some of these hurtful incidents often have great impact upon us and might alter the way we later look at love.

             The frustration felt when none took us seriously then and attributed all the new complicated feelings to ‘hormones’ is unforgettable. Now we know that the best thing adults can do is support the little ones to pass this changeable phase with the least wounds. First love is only the first lesson learnt.

             Very often we remember our first love as something innocent and pure, sometimes as something ideal and in rare cases with regret. As time passes our thoughts change yet we do wonder about our lost loves and want to wish them well. Adolescent first loves are very often our favourite actors, rock stars and even teachers. “My first love was definitely Hrithik Roshan! Still cannot hear a single rotten thing about him”, gushes a college student.

              Those for whom first love doesn’t come as teenagers, the feelings, excitement and silly mistakes made is much the same. The over powering enigma of love manages to pull one and all.

             The wandering mind which will never be reined does sometimes decide strange things. When it is about our first love, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

Can you eat and still impress?

      Very often our body weight grows in proportion to our affection towards our partners. Couples do not look as stunning, after a few months, as they did when they first fell in love. With time the calories lost are often gained back. And then there is the bad break-up, which wreaks havoc. In such situations, food either becomes your best friend or your worst enemy.

        It’s all right to lose a few kilos in the first few weeks of a new relationship. After all, you have to look attractive for the new partner! But all does not remain well in blissville.

        Skipping gym sessions, indulging in bags of chips and butter popcorn over Friday movie nights, and those large scoops of ice cream start to take a toll. The trouble begins when one feels that it is no longer necessary to impress. Before you know it the multiple slips have caused you to pile on the. You may begin to feel self-conscious about your body which in turn might lead to lowered self-esteem.

         But its never too late to fix the problem and there’s always a way to remain healthy. For one, give the dinner dates a miss and plan something more active like skating, or going to a gym, which are also great ways to bond. Pay attention to the food and drinks consumed. And never think it’s all right to get fat just because your partner loves you.

          Team effort always pays off: couples that promise to improve their eating and exercising habits will succeed in enjoying a healthy lifestyle. And there will always be exceptions like M.A. student Pratidhani Tamang who says, “I always eat, no matter what!”