The Villain casually invites the Journalist to a Hill-top Restaurant, and Calmly Shoots her between the Eyes. Afterwards he recalls the pleasure had had in doing the same to various other journalists, in various Dictatorships. The ‘Freedom of the Press’ had been proving to be a nuisance. But shoot a few of them, and the Others miraculously fell in line.
What I have written above is what I recall from Memory from one of my Favourite books, namely: ‘Remo, Unarmed and Dangerous,’ by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir.
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Modern media is the offspring of those Brave Souls who had ground away with Pen and Paper. Speaking only of Physical Hardships, there were those who went to Difficult-to-Reach Places to gather News, those who went to the Battle Fronts at risk of Life, and the Many who must have been Killed, ‘Because’ they were Journalists. I pay them my Homage.
I came across a Brave Young Woman named Y.D., who had even been molested in her pursuit of Reporting. Yet She carries on, for which let us pay Her and Others like her Our Respects.
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Coming back to ‘media’ in general, those who Investigated and Reported were Intellectuals, and must have been Concerned People.
We see how ‘The Hindu’ had played a part in Our Freedom Struggle:
“The first editorial on the public activities of the remarkable Indian barrister in South Africa appeared on August 20, 1896. In turn, Gandhiji, the consummate politician and master communicator, fed the newspaper with his communications on the struggle in South Africa.” …And,
‘The editorial says, “We hope that some good will result to our oppressed countrymen in South Africa from the efforts which Mr. Gandhi is making to rouse public opinion in India.”‘
I have culled both of the above from:
http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2020/stories/20031010005512800.htm
And it is not only ‘The Hindu.’ The Other eminent National Daily, ‘The Times of India,’ had played its part too.
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But, with time, things like ‘ADVERTISEMENTS’ started creeping in. And these have become the Bane of media. Think of all those ‘magnates’ who own various publishing houses and TV channels. We may be sure that they do it purely for the money that these bring in.
So, media has changed from being ‘Reporters’ to those who are Searching for Advertisements!
media gets Very Angry when We say such things of them. I raise the following charges against them:
A. In the coming Elections, the congress, the bjp and the AAP have become the Major contenders. media has been ‘VERY faithful’ in covering modi’s rallies. How Much of AAP’s rallies/gatherings have YOU been able to see, Dear Reader?
B. When AAP members/volunteers have been BEATEN UP, media calls that a ‘Fight.’ When AAP banners were torn, and volunteers beaten with Iron rods, etc, at AMETHI just recently, media again called it a ‘Fight.’ media HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO SHOW FOOTAGE OF ANY DAMAGE TO THE ‘OTHER’ PARTY.
Most political parties have drummed up, and have, professional rowdies in their cadre. So in clashes with members of AAP vs Other parties, it is NOT a clash of the Titans, but almost Professional Rowdies vs the College Hothead.
The bjp cadre had Beaten up AAP volunteers and had broken the Windshield of Arvind’s car. AAP volunteers had thrown some bricks when they protested against this at the bjp offices. I have seen videos of that. But the members have been taken up for that. Arvind himself Apologized for it.
We see below what had happened to Pushpa, an AAP volunteer, at Mumbai, when She had been Role Playing in a Street Drama. She was attacked and Wounded with a BLADE. If her Cheek had been cut, She would have been Disfigured for Life; and the strike a few inches to the right would have Cut Open Her Jugular.
Can the bjp or the congress, or the media, show Damage or Injury done to members of their parties?
C. SNICKERING FACES, MOCKING EYES AND TAUNTING WORDS can be noticed when media speaks of the AAP. Why? Are They not Human Beings? Are We not Human Beings? When media behaves thus senselessly, one could well ask, as they do in Tamil Nadu: ‘Sotha thaan Thingiriya, illa vera ethaachuma?’
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Below We have an Editorial Cartoon Mocking Western Famine Tourists in India, 1899-1900 HultonGetty.
Image credit: http://asianhistory.about.com/od/asianenvironmentalhistory/ss/India_Famine1899_3.htm
How Wonderful! The condition of those who have been forced to ‘pose’ for the photograph is apparent enough. Some are not even able to stand. But the woman is happily clicking away. ‘Protected’ by whoever it is. As to Why he has that helmet and watchamacallit in his hand, I do not know. His belly alone should have been Intimidating enough.
I say that much of Today’s media has come down to this level. Protected first of all by their Owners; by ‘laws’ which protect ‘them,’ and add to that the whole batteries of lawyers. All Serving One-Another’s Interests.
Sadly, the media of today seems to be in a mess. The On-line news from, let us say, the Times of India group is Excellent (these days), but the Times Now TV channel, if it is from the same group, is perhaps the worst. The Hindu, (I do not know if it has a TV counterpart), has remained very good. Among TV channels, Doordarshan, India’s National TV, as well as Sun News, are fairly Impartial.
Wanted: Honest Media.
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