Broadcasting Bill - Outrageous and a step backwards for our already fake democracy!!

[sidchhikara]

Hello members,
I came across this excellent piece by Shruti Rajagopalan (http://kalachakraist.blogspot.com/) in the Wall Street Journal Asia
Here I reproduce the piece in its entirety - the original is here.......

http://kalachakraist.blogspot.com/2007/09/big-brother.html

Here it is...................

Big Brother (http://kalachakraist.blogspot.com/2007/09/big-brother.html)

My piece in today's Wall Street Journal Asia on the Broadcasting Bill here (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119084290166740418.html?mod=opinion_main_europe_ asia)(subscription required).

I have reproduced the piece below.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Richard Gere kissed Shilpa Shetty, the star of Britain's "Big Brother" program last year, India's moral police professed shock, and many called for media censorship. What they didn't say was that New Delhi's policy makers were already well on their way to doing just that.

This November, India's parliament will consider the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, the country's most sweeping attempt yet to infringe on free speech. The proposed law is the result of a Supreme Court decision that came down in 1995, when the court mediated a dispute over telecasting rights of a live cricket match. The justices deemed India's airwaves a scarce resource and "public property" which should not be monopolized by the government or private broadcasters but regulated for national interest. It recommended that New Delhi create an independent statutory body -- an oxymoron in itself -- to act as the custodian of airwaves.

That bill ignores decades of evidence that government control over the airwaves just doesn't work in a democracy. Britain may have created the British Broadcasting Service in 1922, ostensibly an independent body to regulate media, but it was later stripped of that role and the British media market opened to competition. The United States created the Federal Communications Act of 1934 to monitor against private monopolies and also regulate content and coverage in public interest. This relic has also undergone dilution over the years and given way to the somewhat less restrictive Telecommunications Act of 1996.

No matter; the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting intends to replicate their peers' mistakes decades later. The Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill 2007 sets out a comprehensive policy on broadcasting that is concerned with both carriage and content. It proposes to set up the Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) which will ostensibly be an independent authority; establish an independent content code; and develop the system for censorship and certification.

If the bill passes -- which is likely under a left-leaning Congress Party coalition -- the government's powers will be greatly extended. The legislation prohibits any person from broadcasting any channel or program without a license from an authority designated by the government. The proposed agency isn't really an independent authority and would be run by bureaucrats handpicked by the government. Thus the government would be able to arm-twist the media through the BRAI medium of licensing and registration, which allows it to mandate content as well as impose severe penalties on unlicensed broadcasters. The bill requires all shows to be broadcast only if they are in the greatest interest of the general public -- a judgment that will be made in New Delhi.

Policy makers also propose to free ride off of the profitable parts of the private sector. The bill makes it mandatory for every cable or satellite service to provide two government-owned channels: "Doordarshan," the long-running national government broadcaster, and one regional channel for the respective state government. The government also proposes to force private broadcasters to share live telecasting rights of any sporting event of national importance with the state-owned channels.

Just in case anyone objects to these repressive rules, the bill requires every channel to register with the BRAI -- which may refuse registration if it is of the considered opinion that the content of the channel is likely to "threaten the security and integrity of the State," "threaten peace and harmony or public order," or "threaten relations with foreign countries." The central government has also reserved the power to prevent a broadcast or revoke the license of a broadcaster in case of external threat or in "exceptional circumstances." In a pluralistic democracy like India, which has every conceivable kind of moral and religious police, whose ideas of what's proper would prevail?

The man best positioned to answer these questions is the minister for information and broadcasting, Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, who is responsible for this legislation. After the Gere-Shetty kiss was aired, Mr. Dasmunshi declared that he felt the media had been "irresponsible" for showing the image many times over, offending sensitivities with "frivolous news"; thus making a case for stringent regulation of news channels. So would Mr. Gere's affectionate embrace of Ms. Shetty be deemed an "exceptional circumstance"?

While the minister's views are cause for alarm, they pale in comparison to the "content code" drafted by the ministry. The code stipulates, for example, that broadcasters shall not present the figure of a woman as mere "sexual objects." Noble as the idea may be, it's scarcely a good reason for censoring the press, especially when pornographic material is already banned in its entirety. Similarly, the code prevents broadcasters from distorting religious symbols or practices in a derogatory manner.

The government has called the code a "roadmap for self regulation" whereby the broadcasters will follow the guidelines and manage their content accordingly. But the government's track record in regulating content doesn't inspire confidence.

This July the government banned an underwear advertisement for being vulgar and suggestive; oddly enough, no one was wearing underwear or appearing nude and it only showed a woman doing her husband's laundry. In January, the Ministry banned AXN, a cable network, for two months for airing a show called World's Sexiest Commercials. In May, the same policy makers banned Fashion TV, another cable channel, for a show called Midnight Hot, on grounds that it violated public decency.

Both shows were aired after 11 p.m. and the channels are considered mainstream everywhere else in the free world. But Mr. Dasmunshi responded to criticism of the bans by saying, "If out of 75 complaints we banned only two channels, why the hue and cry?"

The larger design of this government is to control political free speech. This legislation, if passed, will come down heavily on channels conducting "sting operations" to expose corrupt government officials or scams. This seems ominous given the ban last week on Live India for conducting a "fake" sting operation exposing an alleged prostitution racket. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banned the channel for a month as it aired material which "incited violence and contained content against maintenance of law and order."

Media censorship was seen last during the 1970s, when Indira Gandhi imposed emergency rule. The suspension of all civil and political rights soon followed, as well as political censorship. It was the only dictatorship that modern India has ever witnessed. While this legislation cannot be compared with the Emergency, the agenda to control free speech is alarmingly similar.

---
Ms. Rajagopalan is a lawyer based in New Delhi.
End of Article............................


My utter dislike for any kind of government regulation is well known to the people who might have read my earlier posts........ this time they are trying to cross the line and lot of people in the media and the press are absolutely pi**ed off at this.
My position is that if you donot like something on TV, there remote has a button to turn the channel - I don't need a half educated, half wit, imbecile, corrupt, immoral, irresponsible, hypocrite, pedagogical government minister to tell me what I can and cannot watch.

[ssindhu]

Well I cocur fully with you on the utility of remote functions here. I am also tired of regimentation in every walk of life. Even if content is watch out and filtered, things will be available in some or other mode. Let's decide what's good and what's bad for us on our own. We are no nincompoops.

[cooljat]

Same here bro!

This hypocrite double-std Govt pi** me off big way as well!

I remember they even banned liquor n ciggrate ads & even banned smoking on cinema as well....whaat utter bull$#it... though I condem Smoking but man those were the artistic ads!!:(

nowdays even they banned normal abusing & fighting scenes on movies on chanels as well...what the hell!!:mad:

All r learned citizens n all know whats gud for them n wats not....but this is irony of our so called democracy!! :(


Rock on
Jit
My utter dislike for any kind of government regulation is well known to the people who might have read my earlier posts........ this time they are trying to cross the line and lot of people in the media and the press are absolutely pi**ed off at this.
My position is that if you donot like something on TV, there remote has a button to turn the channel - I don't need a half educated, half wit, imbecile, corrupt, immoral, irresponsible, hypocrite, pedagogical government minister to tell me what I can and cannot watch.

[ssindhu]

Same here bro!

This hypocrite double-std Govt pi** me off big way as well!

I remember they even banned liquor n ciggrate ads & even banned smoking on cinema as well....whaat utter bull$#it... though I condem Smoking but man those were the artistic ads!!:(

nowdays even they banned normal abusing & fighting scenes on movies on chanels as well...what the hell!!:mad:

All r learned citizens n all know whats gud for them n wats not....but this is irony of our so called democracy!! :(


Rock on
Jit
well fight n abuse govt cnt filter/ban jit. b4 tht they will hav 2 ban loksabha broadcasts first. lollllllllllllllllllll

[rkumar]

I fully endorse that there has to be some public authority to keep an eye on Indian media. Commercial channels are crossing all limts of decency lately in order to gain market share. Khurana sting case and Red FM jokey care are the latest how irresonsible our media can be. Media often runs paid stories to defame people. Freedom of speech can not be at the expense of someone whom it hurts below the belt. There has to be some authority to look into the misuse of media. In every game we need a refree else it is free for all..

RK^2

[sidchhikara]

I fully endorse that there has to be some public authority to keep an eye on Indian media. Commercial channels are crossing all limts of decency lately in order to gain market share. Khurana sting case and Red FM jokey care are the latest how irresonsible our media can be. Media often runs paid stories to defame people. Freedom of speech can not be at the expense of someone whom it hurts below the belt. There has to be some authority to look into the misuse of media. In every game we need a refree else it is free for all..

RK^2

Sir,
What if the game is rigged and the referee is a member of one the teams contesting. How can you trust the referee to make the right calls?

Freedom of Speech - in the controversial case - it is bound to hurt somebody - I donot see how we can suspend freedom of speech for everybody because it hurt a few people. Maybe, the parties involved need to understand that words donot hurt anybody - you will live another day!! - and become more civilized in the process instead of resorting to knee-jerk reaction like mob-violence. There will be some ppl who will go to extremes with this freedom - but it is alright to tolerate that instead of denying it to the majority because of that fear.
Freedom of Speech is present to make sure that hate can come out through words - not the barrel of a gun - but both parties involved have to be mature enough to understand that.
I would say - If you are gonna restrict freedom of speech in India - then you should also restrict voting rights - because most ppl are not mature enough to vote in India.

Freedom of speech has to be absolute - no middle ground - because it is hard to judge what is appropriate and whats not - also India has diferent cultures - so whats appropriate for one maynot be for another. Freedom of speech has to be closely associated to property rights (which by the way still need enforcement in our country)........as an example - you cannot yell "Fire!!" in somebody elses cinema hall.

I believe those ppl involved in that violence in Siliguri are going on with their life as usual - no arrests have been made for "physically" (not verbally) hurting other ppl and damaging public property. Mobs are allowed to do anything in India (kill, rape, permanently disable) but you will be gagged if you open your mouth - I find it highly disturbing and illogical....... here's and intersting writeup in case you are interested....

http://indiauncut.com/iublog/article/mobs-are-above-the-law/

[sidchhikara]

Same here bro!

This hypocrite double-std Govt pi** me off big way as well!

I remember they even banned liquor n ciggrate ads & even banned smoking on cinema as well....whaat utter bull$#it... though I condem Smoking but man those were the artistic ads!!:(

nowdays even they banned normal abusing & fighting scenes on movies on chanels as well...what the hell!!:mad:

All r learned citizens n all know whats gud for them n wats not....but this is irony of our so called democracy!! :(


Rock on
Jit
Amen Bro!

[sidchhikara]

By the way, I forgot to mention that this Bill comes from I&B Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, who has a history of childish benavior (probably suffers from little man complex) - please see the original article for his tantrums against AXN among other things.
This is just a scheme to restrict the media from doing damaging (to the politicians) sting operations. HE is just trying to save his a$$ and his freinds a$$ - so that they can continue with their corrupt and disgusting ways.
The corruption and robbery perpetrated by the government is more disgusting and obscene to me than some actress exposing a few inches above her knee cap.
There is nothing that ordinary citizens like you and me will get out of this bill - it only serves to protect the politicians........... you think if somebody curses you in front of other ppl - you can call the police and get him/her arrested - the government does not give a $hit about you - they are only trying to protect themseles so that they can line their pockets with public money.

[sidchhikara]

Well I cocur fully with you on the utility of remote functions here. I am also tired of regimentation in every walk of life. Even if content is watch out and filtered, things will be available in some or other mode. Let's decide what's good and what's bad for us on our own. We are no nincompoops.
Tru dat

[devdahiya]

Priya Ranjan Das Munshi...talking about control on media.....I will laugh out laud to my death.This person had been and is the most KHAKHI in gray matter.He only knows chamchagiri and talking foolish all the time.Why gag media...gag these politicians who talk senseless all the time.Most of the problems faced by our dear nation are the result of their stupidities.They have always taken Gullible Indians for a ride.They are most heinous and barbaric people with sole aim of staying in power.


I will say that Media is committing the mistake of playing to the gallery at times[may be because of garnering support or money] and that makes them suspect in the eyes of people[me included].If media can tear apart people for their misdeeds without fear and favor[In larger interest of this country]then i suppose they will be HEROES.


At present media is also doing what a few crafty politicians want and thats why media lacks credibility and transparency.They suffer from gluttony of various kinds and thats why waste their efforts 90% of the time.

BROADCASTING BILL THUS IS NOTHING BUT A STEP IN DISGUISE[ONLY TO TELL THE MEDIA TO TOE THE POLITICAL LINE ELSE GET GAGGED].....and media people should rise above all this and focus more on authenticated and dignified reporting.

[sidchhikara]

Priya Ranjan Das Munshi...talking about control on media.....I will laugh out laud to my death.This person had been and is the most KHAKHI in gray matter.He only knows chamchagiri and talking foolish all the time.Why gag media...gag these politicians who talk senseless all the time.Most of the problems faced by our dear nation are the result of their stupidities.They have always taken Gullible Indians for a ride.They are most heinous and barbaric people with sole aim of staying in power.


I will say that Media is committing the mistake of playing to the gallery at times[may be because of garnering support or money] and that makes them suspect in the eyes of people[me included].If media can tear apart people for their misdeeds without fear and favor[In larger interest of this country]then i suppose they will be HEROES.


At present media is also doing what a few crafty politicians want and thats why media lacks credibility and transparency.They suffer from gluttony of various kinds and thats why waste their efforts 90% of the time.

BROADCASTING BILL THUS IS NOTHING BUT A STEP IN DISGUISE[ONLY TO TELL THE MEDIA TO TOE THE POLITICAL LINE ELSE GET GAGGED].....and media people should rise above all this and focus more on authenticated and dignified reporting.

I agree. There will always be tabloid style reporting - happens in all part of the world - but ppl who need real news news and opinions will ignore them.

[ssindhu]

[quote=sidchhikara;149444]I agree. There will always be tabloid style reporting -/quote]
Yup...news are no burger...it's a thaali...eat what you like and rest can be left. The wider the system, wider the variety ought to be. But ultimately choice is yours. If people will stop eating pickle, media will stop serving pickle

[devdahiya]

[quote=sidchhikara;149444]I agree. There will always be tabloid style reporting -/quote]
Yup...news are no burger...it's a thaali...eat what you like and rest can be left. The wider the system, wider the variety ought to be. But ultimately choice is yours. If people will stop eating pickle, media will stop serving pickle



Seema bebey, i have a few questions then:

1]Is this media for people or people are for media?
2]Their responsibility starts where and ends where?
3]It means they are in business of thallis and not doing much in the interest of the nation[i suppose they are learned people]
4]They want total immunity from law[understandably]but don't want to be accountable?Tell me...... to whom are they accountable?
5]Ar'nt they misusing the freedom granted to them?

[rkumar]

Sir,
What if the game is rigged and the referee is a member of one the teams contesting. How can you trust the referee to make the right calls?

Freedom of Speech - in the controversial case - it is bound to hurt somebody - I donot see how we can suspend freedom of speech for everybody because it hurt a few people. Maybe, the parties involved need to understand that words donot hurt anybody - you will live another day!! - and become more civilized in the process instead of resorting to knee-jerk reaction like mob-violence. There will be some ppl who will go to extremes with this freedom - but it is alright to tolerate that instead of denying it to the majority because of that fear.
Freedom of Speech is present to make sure that hate can come out through words - not the barrel of a gun - but both parties involved have to be mature enough to understand that.
I would say - If you are gonna restrict freedom of speech in India - then you should also restrict voting rights - because most ppl are not mature enough to vote in India.

Freedom of speech has to be absolute - no middle ground - because it is hard to judge what is appropriate and whats not - also India has diferent cultures - so whats appropriate for one maynot be for another. Freedom of speech has to be closely associated to property rights (which by the way still need enforcement in our country)........as an example - you cannot yell "Fire!!" in somebody elses cinema hall.

I believe those ppl involved in that violence in Siliguri are going on with their life as usual - no arrests have been made for "physically" (not verbally) hurting other ppl and damaging public property. Mobs are allowed to do anything in India (kill, rape, permanently disable) but you will be gagged if you open your mouth - I find it highly disturbing and illogical....... here's and intersting writeup in case you are interested....

http://indiauncut.com/iublog/article/mobs-are-above-the-law/

violence through speech or through physical acts amounts to same thing. People who often indulge in physical violence are the one who are exposed to so called free speach by some irresponsible people. I am all for free speach and free writing till it does not hurt the feelings of communities and writing or reporting is not the cooked up stuff to malign some one to settle personal scores. Crimnals have entered all aspects of public life and media is no exception to that. Media needs to be weeded out of such elements who tend to play mischief behind this so called freedom of speech. If media can talk aganist former chief justice or anyone, there has to be someone who can pull the plugs of media as well.

RK^2

[devdahiya]

violence through speech or through physical acts amounts to same thing. People who often indulge in physical violence are the one who are exposed to so called free speach by some irresponsible people. I am all for free speach and free writing till it does not hurt the feelings of communities and writing or reporting is not the cooked up stuff to malign some one to settle personal scores. Crimnals have entered all aspects of public life and media is no exception to that. Media needs to be weeded out of such elements who tend to play mischief behind this so called freedom of speech. If media can talk aganist former chief justice or anyone, there has to be someone who can pull the plugs of media as well.

RK^2



Agree with you bhai jaan........for them no body is big/decent enough when it comes to maligning somebody.They take fullest advantage of this immunity.....Law must square their irresponsible deeds too.ACCOUNTABILITY is of paramount importance for these people else they will always trespass and go beyond limits..which i suppose is very dangerous for the society and nation.

[ssindhu]

[quote=seemasindhu;149448]



Seema bebey, i have a few questions then:

1]Is this media for people or people are for media?
2]Their responsibility starts where and ends where?
3]It means they are in business of thallis and not doing much in the interest of the nation[i suppose they are learned people]
4]They want total immunity from law[understandably]but don't want to be accountable?Tell me...... to whom are they accountable?
5]Ar'nt they misusing the freedom granted to them?
kaka,

1 point is like asking man needs woman or woman needs man
2 point they are fullfilling their responsibilities too through edit and op-ed pages
3. Of course they are contributing enough in national interest. Take the case of RTI. Media only brought it in being to major extent. Thaali is because they have to serve masses and masses have numerous different tastes.
4. All the good brands in media pretty much accountable for their content. Why don't you folks watch IBN, Times Now, NDTV more? Why you watch India TV? People's viewership has given them freedom to be not accountable.
5. Not all are misusing the freedom. You can't balme the whole fraternity for few sporadic cases of pedestrian channels. You can't beat the other kids for one's mistake.


Last but not least, aren't you people ignoring the role of media in bringing crime and corrution down to some degree after emergence of so many channels. You are forgetting that people started trembling holding money under table after tehelka sting?

On accountablity front, it was media only who showed the footages of that bloody IAS lying prostate in the feet of Shibu Soren when he got acquitted in murder case. Did that incident become a living room discussion? Did anybody castigate that officer? Untill public reaction, media's sword hangs in air.

[ssindhu]

violence through speech or through physical acts amounts to same thing. People who often indulge in physical violence are the one who are exposed to so called free speach by some irresponsible people. I am all for free speach and free writing till it does not hurt the feelings of communities and writing or reporting is not the cooked up stuff to malign some one to settle personal scores. Crimnals have entered all aspects of public life and media is no exception to that. Media needs to be weeded out of such elements who tend to play mischief behind this so called freedom of speech. If media can talk aganist former chief justice or anyone, there has to be someone who can pull the plugs of media as well.

RK^2
you can't have somebody over everybody. Media is mature enough to take care of it.

Firstly, the usage of violence is itself wrong in context of media. Media remains poised in every circumstance. It's people only who become imperative and act thoughtlessly. Secondly, verbal violence is not as an offence as physical violence. If it was so, the Indian envoy Ronen Sen would have been condemned with some legal penalty for calling domestic critics of the nuclear deal a headless chicken

(PS: tongue-in-cheek...though media aslo think of them as headless chickens, but we don't say it that way. Lol. That shows our accountability to ourselves. We put our point through public's verdict. We ourselves avoid to indulge overtly. So much equanimous minds we are. WE NEED NO REFREE, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DON'T DUEL. MEDIA IS A MIND GAME NO RING)

[devdahiya]

[QUOTE=devdahiya;149457]
kaka,

1 point is like asking man needs woman or woman needs man
2 point they are fullfilling their responsibilities too through edit and op-ed pages
3. Of course they are contributing enough in national interest. Take the case of RTI. Media only brought it in being to major extent. Thaali is because they have to serve masses and masses have numerous different tastes.
4. All the good brands in media pretty much accountable for their content. Why don't you folks watch IBN, Times Now, NDTV more? Why you watch India TV? People's viewership has given them freedom to be not accountable.
5. Not all are misusing the freedom. You can't balme the whole fraternity for few sporadic cases of pedestrian channels. You can't beat the other kids for one's mistake.


Last but not least, aren't you people ignoring the role of media in bringing crime and corrution down to some degree after emergence of so many channels. You are forgetting that people started trembling holding money under table after tehelka sting?

On accountablity front, it was media only who showed the footages of that bloody IAS lying prostate in the feet of Shibu Soren when he got acquitted in murder case. Did that incident became a living room discussion? Did anybody castigate that officer? Untill public reaction, media's sword hangs in air.



I don't watch TV any more....I lost interest long back.They are not to my taste bebey.Anyways i can not be convinced against my conviction.I have some very firm beliefs in life based on some fundamental truths.Thanks anyways bebey.

[deepakchoudhry]

They are trying to clamp the media down, no doubt about that.

You can't throw the baby with the bath water.

Bad apples in every profession overall media is doing a good job.

[rkumar]

....... MEDIA IS A MIND GAME NO RING

I don't quite agree with this statement. Media is more than a Ring, crowded by so many players who often break all the rules and therefore need to be monitored. Every tom dicken harry is becoming a reporter with no training or qualification in jouralism. Since media itself has failed to check this mashrooming of fakes among them, someone has to come and do the job. Let the media conduct an honest survey and they will know how much public supports their current methods of reporting.

RK^2

[rkumar]

They are trying to clamp the media down, no doubt about that.

You can't throw the baby with the bath water.

Bad apples in every profession overall media is doing a good job.

agreed. But then who will pull out these bad apples ? If media itself is not willing to throw them out, someone has to do this dirty job. If bad politicians can be put out, bad government officers can be sacked, why not bad guys in media? There has to be a system to identify such guys and then to put them out so that clean image can be maintained.

RK^2

[deepakchoudhry]

violence through speech or through physical acts amounts to same thing. People who often indulge in physical violence are the one who are exposed to so called free speach by some irresponsible people. I am all for free speach and free writing till it does not hurt the feelings of communities and writing or reporting is not the cooked up stuff to malign some one to settle personal scores. Crimnals have entered all aspects of public life and media is no exception to that. Media needs to be weeded out of such elements who tend to play mischief behind this so called freedom of speech. If media can talk aganist former chief justice or anyone, there has to be someone who can pull the plugs of media as well.

RK^2

I agree with you.

[sidchhikara]

I don't quite agree with this statement. Media is more than a Ring, crowded by so many players who often break all the rules and therefore need to be monitored. Every tom dicken harry is becoming a reporter with no training or qualification in jouralism. Since media itself has failed to check this mashrooming of fakes among them, someone has to come and do the job. Let the media conduct an honest survey and they will know how much public supports their current methods of reporting.

RK^2

So - you would trust the government to do the job !!! you are kidding right ?

Moreover, media is not funded by tax money (except - Doordarshan - hmmmm! Do I need to elaborate on their journalistic acumen?).

The relevant media is doing a good job - much better than some of the media outlets in the US - believe me! - I cannot vouch for Punjab Kesri though!!

[sidchhikara]

violence through speech or through physical acts amounts to same thing. People who often indulge in physical violence are the one who are exposed to so called free speach by some irresponsible people.
This is like blaming the car if you cannot drive.

I am all for free speach and free writing till it does not hurt the feelings of communities and writing or reporting is not the cooked up stuff to malign some one to settle personal scores. Crimnals have entered all aspects of public life and media is no exception to that. Media needs to be weeded out of such elements who tend to play mischief behind this so called freedom of speech. If media can talk aganist former chief justice or anyone, there has to be someone who can pull the plugs of media as well.

RK^2

So you are saying that the public should loose their watchdog just because some people in very extreme cases settle personal scores. You are talking about that teacher who was charged with being a pimp and later acquitted - the same media ran an interview with her after she was acquitted- I believe it was NDTV. What do you have to say about the mob who attacked her when she got arrested !! I don't find them apologizing. The ppl who maligned that teacher were arrested - but no mob showed up to beat them up. I am sure these people will be let off with very light sentences - so dont blame the media if the judicial system is messed up to not deal effectively with such criminals. I would also blame the police who failed to protect that teacher from physical harm and did not investigate the case properly. This looks like a offence perpetrated under the guise of media. This fake sting operation was conducted by these fake reporters because they knew that they could game the police and judicial system.

Would you ban the whole Airline industry if a Deccan Air plane crashes?
Also would you put low-quality engineers (who are paid and have job security till they retire irrespective of whether the plane takes off or not - just like Government!!) to inspect the plane to prevent future crashes?

[desijat]

I remember they even banned liquor n ciggrate ads & even banned smoking on cinema as well....whaat utter bull$#it... though I condem Smoking but man those were the artistic ads!!:(

nowdays even they banned normal abusing & fighting scenes on movies on chanels as well...what the hell!!:mad:


Firstly ciggys n liquor... creativity can be seen in other adds and never the less you are anyhow seeing serrogative advertising which is equal to real ads so you dont have much to miss


Secondly ... Sab nayee nayee hawa hoti hai abusing n fighting bann karne wali... see Dil Dosti Etc. you will get it what i want to say

[desijat]

Doordarshan - hmmmm! Do I need to elaborate on their journalistic acumen?

Please do so :-)

[desijat]

Rajdeep Sardesai once commented that people are watching crap because they are being served crap ... :( Well i assume he included IBN7 in this

NDTV India makes sense to me but rest all of the Hindi News Channels are more of entertainment channels to me....:p

Imagine a news channel showing reality shows live? or showing special half hour story on Shahid Karina brakup:p:p:p

Thank god Doordarshan hasn't done this as yet.....

Talking about chief justice's case.... Don't people in judiciary take bribes or are influenced(Of course not all)? Come on all of us know where our judiciary stands today ....


We do need a watchdog but we dont need a dictator for Media... We cant tell them what to show and what not but we surely must check the authencity of what they show...

[rkumar]

This is like blaming the car if you cannot drive.



So you are saying that the public should loose their watchdog just because some people in very extreme cases settle personal scores. You are talking about that teacher who was charged with being a pimp and later acquitted - the same media ran an interview with her after she was acquitted- I believe it was NDTV. What do you have to say about the mob who attacked her when she got arrested !! I don't find them apologizing. The ppl who maligned that teacher were arrested - but no mob showed up to beat them up. I am sure these people will be let off with very light sentences - so dont blame the media if the judicial system is messed up to not deal effectively with such criminals. I would also blame the police who failed to protect that teacher from physical harm and did not investigate the case properly. This looks like a offence perpetrated under the guise of media. This fake sting operation was conducted by these fake reporters because they knew that they could game the police and judicial system.

Would you ban the whole Airline industry if a Deccan Air plane crashes?
Also would you put low-quality engineers (who are paid and have job security till they retire irrespective of whether the plane takes off or not - just like Government!!) to inspect the plane to prevent future crashes?

My dear friend,

Car and driver both can be faulty. We all know how cars are recalled in masses when there are faulty components in them. There has to be check on both cars and drivers. I suppose same applies to airlines.

As far as mob is concerned, it was all result of irresponsible media sensation at first hand. Now its up to the police to book all those gangs who took law their own hands. If p[olice can not do the job, then it has to take blame and someone needs to fix it.

RK^2

[rkumar]

So - you would trust the government to do the job !!! you are kidding right ?

Moreover, media is not funded by tax money (except - Doordarshan - hmmmm! Do I need to elaborate on their journalistic acumen?).

The relevant media is doing a good job - much better than some of the media outlets in the US - believe me! - I cannot vouch for Punjab Kesri though!!


1. Some body has to do the job, be it government or some autonomous body. Let media come out with its own media council like bar council. Since someone is not doing the job properly, thats why the need to monitor. I never said that all media and all reporting is bad. There are few bad elements and they need to be monitored and if necessary, removed.

2. What do you mean that media is not funded by tax money ? Does that qualify media not to be monitored or controlled ? By this logic guns bought with personal money should also qualify for same treatment. Most drugs manufactured in factories are also not funed by tax money but are still controlled by FDA. List is endless where products are monitored for their quality by various agencies. What media offers its readers and audians is also a product for which we all pay. Like any other product, this needs to be monitored for its quality. One can not just push anything under the garb of freedom of speach.

RK^2

[sidchhikara]

My dear friend,

Car and driver both can be faulty. We all know how cars are recalled in masses when there are faulty components in them. There has to be check on both cars and drivers. I suppose same applies to airlines.

As far as mob is concerned, it was all result of irresponsible media sensation at first hand. Now its up to the police to book all those gangs who took law their own hands. If p[olice can not do the job, then it has to take blame and someone needs to fix it.

RK^2
Ok this is getting a little convoluted.. since you are picking nits......here ya go....... The case being discussed here is..................
1) The driver is really bad
2) The car is a brand new Mercedes Benz that has been tried and tested for a very long time on different terrains and passed successfully.

3) Now the bad driver says....... I will keep making payments for this expensive car (this is like...the politicians screwing the citizens over because there is no watch dog!!) but will not learn how to drive it (make free speech an important issue).

[sidchhikara]

2. What do you mean that media is not funded by tax money ? Does that qualify media not to be monitored or controlled ?
Yeah it should be controlled so that they donot show Porn on Cartoon Network - I gave the extreme case.... you know what I mean.
By this logic guns bought with personal money should also qualify for same treatment.
Same difference - guns (like cars) dont kill people .... people (like bad drivers) do !! YOu cannot say guns are bad.
Most drugs manufactured in factories are also not funed by tax money but are still controlled by FDA.
Bad drugs can kill ppl........ if have never heard of a sting operation by the media on a corrupt politician killing citizens...... the analogy is a little out of place. Lets not start discussing the competence of the FDA here.
List is endless where products are monitored for their quality by various agencies. What media offers its readers and audians is also a product for which we all pay. Like any other product, this needs to be monitored for its quality. One can not just push anything under the garb of freedom of speach.

RK^2

Most of these comparisons you gave are for things that can harm people physically....... does not depend on the maturity and civility of the person............but free speech does'nt kill unless somebody decides to kill somebody over some spoken words........ such a person would be highly uncivilized and an idiot. Anyways......

[rkumar]

..... ........but free speech does'nt kill unless somebody decides to kill somebody over some spoken words........ such a person would be highly uncivilized and an idiot. Anyways......

I beg to differ here sir. Irresponsible free speech is worst than bullets. Bullet kills only one target, irresponsible free speech leaves its scars on the minds of socity for centuaries. History has enough proof of such human behaviour. irresponsible speech can lead to mental injury and which in turn can lead to unpredictable consequences. Anyway, you are entitled to your views and me to mine.

RK^2

[ssindhu]

Firstly ciggys n liquor... creativity can be seen in other adds and never the less you are anyhow seeing serrogative advertising which is equal to real ads so you dont have much to miss


Secondly ... Sab nayee nayee hawa hoti hai abusing n fighting bann karne wali... see Dil Dosti Etc. you will get it what i want to say
oh oh you saw tht movie...prakash jha is great man. but the movie left me confused.

[mukeshkumar007]

I beg to differ here sir. Irresponsible free speech is worst than bullets. Bullet kills only one target, irresponsible free speech leaves its scars on the minds of socity for centuaries. History has enough proof of such human behaviour. irresponsible speech can lead to mental injury and which in turn can lead to unpredictable consequences.
RK^2

100 % true sir.. cost of irresponsible speech could be really unpredictable when more than half of the population is half educated..

[ssindhu]

I am tired of reading this point of free speech being more incitefull than holding weapon in one's hands. It's too raw a thought. And if public is so gullible that they will start beating a teacher just because some pedestrain news channel (which has no authenticity in media circle, I repeat no good channel is close to Rajat--India TV's Chief) portrayed her to be acting a pimp, I must say I am more ashamed of such foolish public that they vent their personal frustration on anybody trusting anything blindly. In any case then, such dickheads will be fooled by one or another thing if not media. I pity those who castigate media due to few bad examples of very few pedestrian channels/papers. And more I pity on those who watch such channels. Well of course that shows their level that take such phoney people seriously and don't have a sense to distinguish between real and fake. Isn't it? Fools will remain fool and look for fooling stuff anyhow

[devdahiya]

I am tired of reading this point of free speech being more incitefull than holding weapon in one's hands. It's too raw a thought. And if public is so gullible that they will start beating a teacher just because some pedestrain news channel (which has no authenticity in media circle, I repeat no good channel is close to Rajat--India TV's Chief) portrayed her to be acting a pimp, I must say I am more ashamed of such foolish public that they vent their personal frustration on anybody trusting anything blindly. In any case then, such dickheads will be fooled by one or another thing if not media. I pity those who castigate media due to few bad examples of very few pedestrian channels/papers. And more I pity on those who watch such channels. Well of course that shows their level that take such phoney people seriously and don't have a sense to distinguish between real and fake. Isn't it? Fools will remain fool and look for fooling stuff anyhow





Bebey Seema bawalle saan jibbe te ye fayda thha rhe sein...? Rewaddiyan ki dukaan khollein baithhe sein dhhuratt.

[sidchhikara]

I beg to differ here sir. Irresponsible free speech is worst than bullets. Bullet kills only one target, irresponsible free speech leaves its scars on the minds of socity for centuaries. History has enough proof of such human behaviour. irresponsible speech can lead to mental injury and which in turn can lead to unpredictable consequences. Anyway, you are entitled to your views and me to mine.

RK^2

The wife = prostitute discussion on this forum did not kill anybody - a few ppl got their panties in a bunch - thats all - nobody died !!
In India - it is an irony that all the wrong ppl are allowed to use free speech - let me give you a specific case - there is this sadhu baba in Varanasi - he used to be a BJP MP - after Karunanidhi's setusamudram remarks - he announced a prize (via the XPrize Foundation - just kidding!!) to anybody who brings him the severed head and tongue of Karunanidhi - he could use free speech because he has political backing, security and personal gundas / pehalwans. No ordinary citizen could have made that announcement - his family would have gotten his head handed to them on a plate by Karunanidhi's Madrasi gundas. So there are double standards - one for the gundas / politicians - one for the aam-aadmi - I think one standard will do just fine!!

[sidchhikara]

I beg to differ here sir. Irresponsible free speech is worst than bullets. Bullet kills only one target, irresponsible free speech leaves its scars on the minds of socity for centuaries. History has enough proof of such human behaviour. irresponsible speech can lead to mental injury and which in turn can lead to unpredictable consequences. Anyway, you are entitled to your views and me to mine.

RK^2
Not if you have a heavy machine gun like the BAzooka - even an ordinary AK-47 can put down a mob - what about Napalm - that US used on the Vietnamese - do you remmeber Hiroshima / Nagasaki or the holocaust or the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre - no free speech there - just tonnes and tonnes of military hardware. What about the Roman games - with the gladiators, what about all those attacks by those Muslim invaders in our country - I am sure they were motivated by free speech !!

[devdahiya]

Not if you have a heavy machine gun like the BAzooka - even an ordinary AK-47 can put down a mob - what about Napalm - that US used on the Vietnamese - do you remmeber Hiroshima / Nagasaki or the holocaust or the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre - no free speech there - just tonnes and tonnes of military hardware. What about the Roman games - with the gladiators, what about all those attacks by those Muslim invaders in our country - I am sure they were motivated by free speech !!



Agreed Sid, but then free speech must have a limit.Free speech should not work as a wrecker and destroyer.I think Balance is the buzz word here.Motivation can be both sentimental madness and a revolutionizing therapy or a peace embarking journey.It is a tough thing to use the free speech as a tool for progress and harmony....At least in present times it is more relevent.

[sidchhikara]

Agreed Sid, but then free speech must have a limit.Free speech should not work as a wrecker and destroyer.I think Balance is the buzz word here.Motivation can be both sentimental madness and a revolutionizing therapy or a peace embarking journey.It is a tough thing to use the free speech as a tool for progress and harmony....At least in present times it is more relevent.
Dahiya sahab,
Is freedom ke liye duniya bhar mein logon ne jaan de di throughout the centuries - yahan Jatland pe log nakhre kar rahe hain - nahiiiin!! aur freedom nahi chahiye .....kabji ho jayegi.
Sirf India mein hi aisa possible hai.....par Jats se yeh umeed nahi thi....yeh shahar mein rahkar bhajan kirtan jyaada karne aur aastha channel dekhne aur sadhu babas ki ulti seedhe baatein sunne ka natija hai.
You donot have to sit on the fence and be moderate on all the issues..........these are freedoms you are born with .....no government or country can grant you these......there are certain issues that are worth fighting for.
I will explain this is detail over the weekend.....