Yeh Hummer hamari nahi hai

Media sensationalism is reaching new intolerable heights in recent times. Around a decade ago, when cable television invaded Indian homes, people were relieved to be rid of the monotony of the boring Doordarshan news. In the beginning there were few news channels, mostly foreign - BBC and CNN. Gradually the number of channels proliferated as people needed more choice. This too was welcome as one could watch the channel whose style he/she preferred. But since the last couple of years, this abundance of news channels mixed with the new marketing techniques used by them to increase their TRPs has taken its toll on people wishing to watch unbiased, unsensationalized news. But no, that is not what is happening. News channels are fighting it out tooth and nail with each other and pulling out all stops to lure people to their channel. We've already seen the notorious Shakti Kapoor expose, and before that the Tehelka controversy. While some of the 'under-cover' is definitely helpful, but now Zee and Star have spiced up their anchors so much that it is more a comedy than something serious. I'm not sure of his full name but Raghavendra on one of the channels is one example. The way he stresses and shouts his each sentence is humourous. Star One had done a brilliant spoof on the fellow in its 'Great Indian Comedy Show.' Effective oration does not mean that a person has to exert in every breath. For God's sakes, you're not Amitabh Bachchan. This fellow looks like Zee is stopping him from going to the loo until he delivers his dialogue. Koi use Hajmola de do.

Even in the recent deluge in Mumbai, Star News kept harping on one point - Kaha hai Sarkar? Showing the concern and the condition of the people entials doing it responsibly, not exploding the issue more than it requires. And this reached a record (which will be broken, no doubt) during the recent controversy about Suneil Shetty's Hummer. Each news channel had sent its reporter to roam about the car, expound the car's features which would be then interspersed with a telephone call to the actor. One reporter even found his way in the car.

Each channel nowadays has exclusive breaking news which no other channel bothers to cover. The channel *has* to make an ordinary event into breaking news to increase its viewership. As my father said, "They have to run 24 hrs. What else would they broadcast?" Now each channel has its own crime reporting show which claims to solve more cases than the police itself. Even the timing of these shows is unclear. We would have to see these shows during the lunch hour at my company. Eating food while listening to murders and rape makes your food undigestible.

Well, the channel war shows no sign of stopping and is bound to go on and on. People who are tired of them will have to tolerate it in the coming days. Well, no matter, I can always switch off the idiot box and curl up with a good book.