The Journalism that Jars

Yesterday, I was watching the news on Zee News at 10 PM in Hindi. And it had its presenter: Punya Prasoon Bajpai.

There was news on the nose-diving plight of the Kingfisher Airlines. The presenter briefed about the news to the audience and entailed how the crony capitalism has been responsible for the deplorable state of the airline.

Mr. Bajpai was rubbing his palms frequently (that can be termed as his style) and making all roundabout sentences that he is famous for to make the audience understand the occult reality behind the Kingfisher’s plight.

What amazed me was the insensitivity with which he presented the news. He even sprinkled his inopportune smile on the news as well. Though his rubbing palms and inappropriate smile may sound natural and appropriate to many of his regular audiences, but to me it seemed out of the place.

 I mean as a news presenter he should be aware of the fact that such news has two aspects. One is related with the newswallahs being excited about being able to understand the nitty- gritty of a situation (good or bad) that is transpiring or transpired and other aspect is about those people who get affected by the activities related to the situation (news).

What I am trying to say is that when there are talks in the air about the Kingfisher Airlines being on the verge of shutting down, it directly means that there are people who will lose jobs. And such news should be tackled with utter care that it doesn’t hurt when it is informing.

I know that I am not a part of the intelligentsia that these senior journalists are, still I am of the opinion that such news demand sober and sensitive attitude. Patrakarita (Journalism) is not about only informing but also about how it is informing. Feeling elated that you have presented the news and used all your trademark sentences (without caring whether they are intelligible or not) is doing injustice to the responsibilities attached to presenting a news.

Digital age journalists should understand that it is not the omniscient-beard or the squeaky-clean suits that make a presenter worthwhile the job but the attitude adopted towards presenting the news-piece.

I think that the race of TRPs have squeezed the anxiety and restlessness (that a gloomy situation engenders) from the minds of people who were once regarded as thinkers on social upheavals (developments).

P.S: I don’t have anyone, be they relatives or friends, in the Kingfisher Airlines. I don’t have anything against Mr. Punya Prasoon Bajpai at personal level either. The views are just the outcome of the observation of a situation.