As I neared retirement, after a job schedule that was exhausting, one of the activities I was looking forward to was watching some TV.
After the little hassles of getting the TV hooked up and acquiring a beanbag to sink into, I was all ready. With my interests in current affairs, sports and wildlife, and with a plethora of channels (there are 800 of them by one account), I thought there would surely be no shortage of viewing pleasure.
There were lots of viewing options available, but look what’s happened after a few months of watching and listening to our ‘Great Indian News Channels’. I have gone cock-eyed, and my ear drums have been given a workout.
Now I have got myself wondering: how do all the millions of Indians go through what surely is, according to one faith, between heaven and hell – purgatory! Let me try and briefly explain, with an example. And I do hope some TV Editors are reading. News is what we are looking for when I click the remote, but hang on, there are endless advertisements to watch first. And then the news arrives with the anchor bursting on to the screen, virtually screaming, It’s Breaking News. Well, for all Indian channels, almost all news is Breaking News. So here we are watching a professor/teacher being beaten by a bunch of students. Really? Oh yes, this can happen, in our great country. The length of this clip is about 12 seconds. And now for the next eight to 10 minutes our senses are assailed by the same clip being shown in an endless repeat cycle! News being read, clip repeating.
So why can’t it be over in its 12 seconds? But heck, no, as the anchor keeps telling us what is happening in the greatest and goriest detail, we keep seeing the clip being endlessly played. And all the while, the special effects guy — that’s who I presume — is putting his knowledge and equipment to full use. So we have the anchor zoomed in, then out, then gone for a while, as the term, ‘Breaking News’, goes flippy-floppy all over the screen. The clip is playing one moment in the centre, then at the top and then at the opposite end. All the while we have other news, scrolling at the bottom, and then a second scroll on top of that. And in between, some advertisements for good measure. Hey, guys, what is it you want us to watch? And amid all this cacophony the anchor is pleased to inform us that their channel has brought us the news first!
So I switch channels. No luck, as the next one is showing the same news, the same clip, and there is more noise. And of course they are also the first to have it.
So I try to watch some sports instead. Sports? Well, it’s all cricket. Well, nearly all. If there isn’t a match being shown live, then how about some old matches?
An hour later I get back to the news. Hey now you guys can’t do that. Well, yes they can, it is the same news and it is still Breaking!
While the example mentioned was just about news worthy, it was killed with the excesses. But at times it can be some gory stuff, like the rape of two sisters and their subsequent hanging. I don’t have a kid at home, but how do parents handle such viewing? Do the channels care about niceties? Isn’t there some happy and positive news to view?
And then we have the debates. Well, you have one channel where the anchor is both Judge and Jury but more importantly, with the judgment already passed. For reasons of brevity, let’s keep this for another day.
Needless to say, I am almost giving up on this medium as I sit in the waiting room of an ophthalmologist.
While many of these channels do a lot of surveys, how about one on themselves? Am I in the minority or are there lots of others out there who feel the same way?
I do wish I get some answers.
kravishankar16@gmail.com
