"People see news on Channels as a reality show , like Bigg Boss. Some are fighting, others crying some walk out. They see news channel shows in these way. They don't vote by this . If that was the case, then Pinrayi Vijayan would not have become a CM. All he had was a Deshabhimani and Kairali. People know who has delivered. Who has suffered ? The credibility of the media. I am not saying that you have to sing paean of Pinrayi . Don't run it on an agenda. When the exit polls result came the media house did not known to say whether it was right or reject it and they were fumbling around. This is a subject for new feature " says Sashi Kumar ,the veteran media personality about the state of Kerala media ( he says mainstream media means TV channels )
On Breaking News in channels : Breaking News means giving news that has come in like in digital media, they give un update and correct themselves with a timeline. The channels should do that and not stand on prestige. You are not Moses with a Divine power receiving ten commandments. Usually what is trending on social media is breaking news on TV. Roles have been reversed.
The responsibility is with media people. They are like Media sales person. Like those who go around shouting about the protein qualities of peanuts, they are after TRP. Like in ISRO spy case, we withstood pressure from all quarters and as we had the evidence. Today it has become like the bus operators. They race with each other to lure passengers from each stop. If somebody says something then the others shout it loudly.
On International media reporting on Covid and mainstream Indian media overlooking the Covid mismanagement : Mainstream media is in a stage of fear. Will the advertisements stop ? Will we lose jobs ?. The International media has no such fears and so does digital media. When reputed International media like The Guardian, Washington Post and even a medical journal like Lancet writes editorial on mis-management of the Covid pandemic, there is no point in calling it colonialism- imperialism etc. As they are not Indian nationals, they have no problem. If we share this news then we are anti-national.
International media does not see it as a problem confined to India but as a global one. It can be tackled only globally.
Covid and Media : There was enough indications from the scientific community about the second wave. Some mention was made here and there . We were occupied with religious festivals and then elections and the debates. In between we had the IPL bubble-gum, a criminal activity in these times. Some media did not report it saying that their conscience did not allow it.
We ( media) were thinking that Covid is over and lets move on. I feel that media did not do its bit to create an awareness of the Covid protocol and the likely impact that the coming second wave would do. It did not give sufficient warning about the dangers.
Was it dictated due to reader/ viewer interest ?
If the media gives what the public wants then it is not journalism. If public wants drugs, you cannot give it. You have to educate them. You cannot go with a mob mentality. If a guy who killed a cow is stoned to death, you cannot join it.
( A few takeaways from the interview with The Cue. As the interview is in Malayalam, a rough translation. Those who ask Sashi Kumar ???. Hate to describe him as the man who launched the Asianet TV as he is much more than that )
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