Media Control

Watching the media coverage, I can't help but wonder if some guidelines should be developed for the media outlets, atleast for times like these?

The reporters on the ground want to say 1000+ words in one breath; they rush themselves in doing so; use grandiose words without realizing what they are talking about and the reality on the ground; nor do they show any reverance, sometimes, to the sensitivities involved. How else would you explain a reporter saying - "Let's look at the 'drama' unfolding before our eyes here at the Nariman House"?

And another gushes out - 'this is along the lines of the 9/11 attacks' - again a fascination to be identified alongside the US. Why do you want to draw the parallels so soon? so early? while the disaster is still unfolding? Media is always looking for sensationalizing any and each incident/event. Is it necessary? Are the media outlets above the norms of public decency?

Some of the reporters on the field don't want to yield the floor back to the studio - and keep repeating themselves with the same information again and again, changing the order of their statements. This of course is not as much an issue as the other points I mention here in this post.

Then comes the most atrocious behaviour from the reporters. The anchor in the studio asks the field reporter the following questions:

• How many commandos, do you think, have been assembled there?
• Which floor have the commandos reached? Is there any news or can you see from your position on the ground?
• Is it not dangerous for the commandos and their operations - if the terrorists inside know how many are coming at them? And which floor the commandos have reached so far?

• How many terrorists do they think are there all together? How many are participating in the Mumbai attacks and how many dispersed into the crowds and went to other places?
• What are they trying to gain by speculating these numbers? Shouldn't this be left to the Intelligence agencies to deal with? If the masterminds behind these attacks know that the intelligence agencies know about the exact number or the whereabouts of the remaining terrorists, won't they change their plans and make it that much more difficult for the Indian authorities to prevent further attacks? What are the media outlets trying to achieve by getting their "sources" to reveal such valuable intelligence information?

• Our sources tell us that the terrorists have rented a flat as well, to reside in the area and continue their attacks at other places, and they are here for a long haul.
• Will the terrorists stay back in their 'flat' now? They would have checked out and gone somewhere else.

It's not just in India. Even in the USA. I remember - back in 2006(?) - in California's Los Angeles airport a plane lost one of its landing gears (the front tire burst, I believe) after take off and couldn't land normally. So, it has to nose dive and come to a forceful halt after hitting the ground with a thud. When it does that, the pilots didn't want the fuel in the plane's storage tank to catch fire - so they kept the flight hovering around the city for several rounds to waste the fuel. And the cable channels are all fixated on this unfolding event - and sensationalizing it as it to show a plane landing and about to go in flames. Great credit to the pilots for handling the situation with great skill and landing the plane safely. But the couple of hours spent in the air is the fodder that the cable channels look for - to make it a media event, and raise their viewership. It's almost as if the channels were disappointed at the anti-climax. That's how sick the media outlets have become, sometimes.

Now look at the questions asked of the political leaders. The reporters ask provocative questions knowing very well what kind of responses they would get - and then try to sensationalize the responses. Case in point - some reporters asked Advani in Mumbai - "Advani ji, do you think this is an intelligence failure?". Advani could have just chosen not to answer it saying the situation is still developing and we have to see what the concerned officials say. But he chose to answer it in the affirmative. Even the Union home minister Shivraj Patil has agreed to intelligence failure. But CNN-IBN (not sure of the other channels, as I don't have access to them) channel announcers pounce on Advani for making such provocative and political statements on the day the security forces are still battling to save the hostages and capture the terrorists. What can one say of this reporting? Where has accountability gone?

I sincerely feel that the media role in similar and other incidents should be analyzed thoroughly and some guidelines should be developed. I am not a proponent of curbs on the media and free speech - but at the same time the media outlets need to know what to say and how to report various incidents. I would take a somber report on an incident of this magnitude and nature, any time, than the sensationalism we currently see. It's not helping the viewers, not soothing the friends and family of the victims; and more than any thing else, not at all aiding the security forces doing their job.

Take for example the case of the commandos and the number present at the incident. Shouldn't it be kept a secret as to how many commandos, what types of forces are at any given site - to act against the terrorists? If the media pries into each and every such detail and publishes/announces it - the masterminds behind the attacks (or future attacks) will also be reading/watching the news and take necessary counter actions. In fact, this has been a long standing peeve of the intelligence and security organizations world over - that the media should cut down on sensationalizing what they report - during the incident and leave the analysis for later. Details like this are not going to help the common man or even the friends and relatives of the victims even one bit. The media is doing more harm than good with their conduct.

Oh well - we will be slicing and dicing this incident and the reporting for many days, weeks and months to come; or atleast until the next media 'sensation'. May common sense prevail and God save humanity.

Swasti !!