MRR : Media’s winning formula

June 23, 2008 

Reading the daily newspaper first thing in the morning over a cup of chai is no longer a pleasure.  The experience is depressing to begin the day on a dark note. Media, Rape, Robbery (MRR) appears to be the mainstream media’s winning formula to garner more readers and viewers. If the headlines of a national newspaper announces the murder of a reputed physician in the city, then the pages inside are filled with more stories of double murders, homicide of an aspiring air-hostess or the latest gory details on the trial of Aarushi Talwar’s murder. As if this wasn’t enough, the twists and turns in the Neeraj Grover murder case takes up more space. Honestly, I don’t know if the ratings of the news channels increase because of sensationalizing such news. It is such a pity to give so much media attention to some families when they are grieving (not in these two where the families maybe involved but in other cases) and not treat the deceased with the respect and dignity they deserve. I can’t quite recollect when I last browsed through a news channel for more than 5 minutes. Before these murders took up prime time, it was the case of Scarlett. There’s always either some murder or rape that gets more coverage over real news. Is it really required to go into the weapon used, recreate the scene and such? Reporting on the news is not the end of story. A whole series of programs are aired ranging from talk shows discussing on the values of today’s children to the lack of involvement of working parents on their children’s education and general knowledge about their mobile/Internet usage and whereabouts on weekends. A set of specialists from child psychology to marriage counsellors is always readily available who lose no opportunity in preaching on parenting and ranting on Indian values. Oh..let’s not forget the saas-bahu serials who are quick to edit the plot to give a new twist based on the latest real life thrillers.

The print media is not far behind. In addition to such news of national significance (not the right word perhaps), there is the daily dosage of local robberies and other anti-social activities.  Can we please stop focusing so much on such news in mainstream media? Are you creating awareness amongst the public in the process or corrupting more minds in the process actually hinting that there are other brilliant ways to do it?

Here are a few clips of the news items that appeared one day last week in consecutive pages of a local tabloid. Now tell me if it makes for a pleasant reading. People who are interested in reading thrillers every morning, please get yourself the Sherlock Holmes series and spare the rest of us.

On a closing note, the editor-in-chief David Schlesinger of Reuters writes in his blog about news beautifully:

There is no question that news is emotional.

News is about real people, real issues, real money and real lives.

News is about history, and about how history - and different views of history - impact the present.

Readers of news services, including those of Reuters News, have strong views and often emotional views about how we cover stories that either directly affect their lives or their emotions.Every year brings to the headlines stories that have the power to stir bitter feelings.

Our job as journalists is to keep the emotion out of it, to strive for objectivity, to strive to be free from bias, to strive to tell the story as it is.

Couldn’t have been better said. If only our journalists learn a thing or two to strive for objectivity in reporting - all in the true spirit of journalism.

Related Reading : Dial M for Murder

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Comments

2 Responses to “MRR : Media’s winning formula”

  1. Aditi Sharma on June 25th, 2008 2:51 pm

    I do not know you personally and I do not know what you do for living…but I’m a journalist and very proud to be one. You may think of grieving families when u see deaths we see justice and its only because we dissect the weapon used, the time of death and the credibility of the investigating agencies cases get solved…do you even for a moment believe that the noida police would’ve honestly investigated the case had it not been for the media involvement?
    I understand that news is getting gory but so is the world we live in. And you as a reader/audience might hate us for the negativity we ‘breed’ but i know for a fact that sometimes honest journalists are all hapless victims can depend on. I know this because I was the first reporter to reach Goa for the Scarlett case and I’ve seen her mother go through hell because of the local police’s attitude. She herself agrees that the case would not have gone far if it hadn’t been for the media. I also know this because Neeraj Grover’s father said he was most grateful for the media support or else he would’ve waited for his ‘missing’ son to return back home for as long as he lived.
    I do hope you will think a little differently about our ilk…and I also hope that you never have to suffer a tragedy with no one to help you!

  2. Lakshmi on June 26th, 2008 1:30 pm

    Aditi,

    It sure comes across from your comment as to how proud you are of your profession..and I respect you for that.

    I’ve never once undermined the effort that has gone into bringing justice in various cases..be it Jessica Lal’s or Mattoo’s or Scarlett’s. No doubt there are many more like Aarushi’s in this country who perhaps don’t get the kind of attention a few get or the treatment they deserve which perhaps makes justice elusive.

    Just so I’m clear, I do not hate you guys and neither does the public in general. I can’t say we understand what you go through in reporting such cases because we don’t…what circumstances you guys live in every day of the year - to see so much negativity must definitely take a toll on y’all I assume.

    What we hate is the final product not the effort that went in reporting. It’s because news is not reported as is and is packaged into this sensational form as we see on TV or print these days that is despicable. Negativity breeds negativity..if anything it only encourages hundreds others pushing them off the edge to commit crimes. By going into every angle of the crime committed and re-running the same thing on prime time TV and interviewing every person in the locality ..I sometimes just don’t get it. Maybe this is contributing in a teeny bit to the gory world. I’m sure you get the point but you love your profession so much that a different view may not matter much?

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