Breaking news !

The day was weary and I badly needed some break. I thought of catching up something interesting on television.  There was furore over Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik's wedding woes thanks to Shoaib's previous marriage with another woman. I started surfing channels, as I was already sick of ridiculously pathetic repetitions of the coverage on the same story that was being stretched to crazy limits. I noticed a tiny scroll flashed at the bottom of the television screen, breaking news of gruesome killing of  78 CRPF constables by Maoists, near Chhatisgarh.

I was numb for few moments. I frantically kept switching to different news channels, to get some details of the carnage that caused such heavy loss of human life. All news channels were still busy telecasting same clippings of the "exclusive" story on Sania and Shoaib's wedding! I was flustered and could not understand why it took so long for the channels to finally cover the story of massacre of that proportion, which was more important by  sheer strength of its nature and seriousness!

Indian media has crossed the line of yellow journalism long back! Now it is a war of survival in fiercely competitive world that starves precariously for good content! The merit of the issue is irrelevant as long as it gets sensationalized enough to catch eye balls and earns some attention! Small, insignificant incidents get blown out of proportion, presented in twisted form, while key issues sometimes take a back seat! Television channels need "celebrities" that would resurrect their falling TRPs. It doesn't matter even if that translates into  making a celebrity out of controversial characters like Rahul Mahajan! Bollywood too has realized the power of media and smartly engages its PR agencies work 24/7 with media houses. And in our Bolywood obsessed nation, it certainly ensures more TRPs!

Who said media's role was to keep the reader/ viewer abreast with information on key issues? In the end, it all comes down to business and money! Even the well known journalists and editors have fallen prey to this game that seems to be working fine for everyone involved! Most of the journalists and editors have successfully garnered a niche for themselves and have become big brands ! People who believe in sanctity of the profession of journalism, don't have much say in corporate media. The presentation of  news has changed. No matter what the issue is, it needs to be dressed in the form, that is appealing to news channels, selling  "info-tainment ".

It is sad, those CRPF constables lost their life. Saddest part is their tragedy is almost history on news channels as they are busy showing other breaking news. The latest one says, Aishwarya Rai gorges on sweets! Suddenly life doesn't seem that stark ..does it ?