Wednesday, April 30, 2008

IRONY!!

A man looks at his devastated home and unwillingly poses for the cameras waiting to catch the right moment. A woman who has just undergone a painful pregnancy in a cab is tired of the shutterbugs. She is so sick of it that she violently shuts everyone out of her room. The poor baby in her father's arms is being tossed from right to left to get that perfect angle, the perfect shot, the perfect light. Its IRONIC to see how the savior of the distressed suddenly becomes this selfish photographer with just one motive- getting the best images for the next day's newsprint.

Its really a very sorry sight. Though I am not blaming our photographers, afterall they are doing thier job. But some amount of sensitivity is required. We journalists claim to reach out to people and bridge the gap between those who suffer and those who provide them the necessary respite, but all of this for more readership, attractive, eye catching pictures.

In fact it will be very unfair to blame the photographers alone. My fellow journalists, may it be print or electronic or even web for that matter, are all running a race. All of them aspire to finish first. All of them want the juiciest information for their newspapers, magazines , channel!

I really dont know how many people will agree with the text above and how many would disagree, but certainly am not too happy being associated with such a state of affair. I might not make a good journalist, considering the views I hold but I will definitely move towards becoming a responsible journalist! I might not get stories brimming with thousand scoops and scandals but am sure I wont earn the wrath of a troubled soul!

2 comments:

arunabh said...

I totally agree with what you are saying.
Only, if more people from your fraternity thought likewise, we would have news reports carrying more substance than masala.
Btw, i had read an article by karan thapar (i guess) on the prevalence of public wailing these days. It was definitely very caustic in its content but worth giving a thought. Read it if you can :)

MEENAKSHI said...

Yeah an attitude change is awaited!! sadly media in india is like an adolescent- confused to death!