Television journalists, who are always in a rush to report ‘breaking news’, go to great lengths - even if it means deeming a living person dead.
City councillor H.S. Lalitha from Girinagar ward, who has been undergoing treatment at a private hospital for two months now, got first-hand experience of this.
Though she was not suffering from anything that was life threatening, TV channels first announced that she was “critical”. A day later, channels got into a race announcing her death. They even went ahead and announced how her “body” had reached her house, among other updates.
This, even when she was very much alive recouping in the hospital.
Many hours later, realising the error, channels quietly pulled down the tickers, giving a quiet burial to the “news.”
In the line of fire
The photo journalists have the unenviable job of being in the line of fire.
On Thursday, several BJP leaders were to stage a protest against the government in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha.
Probably due to miscommunication, the protest was held in batches.
After the first set of leaders, led by MP Shobha Karandlaje, were detained, another group took out a procession led by state president Pralhad Joshi, MP B.S. Yeddyurappa and Leader of Opposition in the council K.S. Eshwarappa.
The police tried to prevent them by pushing the barricades.
In the melee, several photo journalists were caught between the protestors, the barricades and the fence.
While the adrenalin pushed them to get the job done, it was only much later in the day that the aches and pains manifested.
All this for that perfect shot!
