An Open Letter to Rajdeep Sardesai

[kartik]

To,
Rajdeep Sardesai,
Editor-in-Chief,
CNN-IBN and IBN 7

Dear Mr. Sardesai,

As much as I would've loved to praise the change you've brought to the media industry, this really isn't the time for it. I'll try to keep this mail crisp, short and to the point as time is of essence during such crisis.

While media claims to have given real time info about the current terror strikes, I strongly feel it was uncalled for, for a bunch of reporters to storm across streets and run around like chickens with their heads cut off to monetize such a sad occurrence of events.It was a disturbing scene to watch bloodshed across all channels and to top it all, see reporters break all rules, unearth bullets that were not to be touched and access areas restricted by the police.

Also, the reporters addressing the masses on TV seemed nothing less than the "Madaris" that roam around with monkeys and yell on top of their voices with no emotion or empathy for the loss of several hundreds.

What was astonishing was the clipping where last night the terrorists fired rampantly while escaping in a police van, a journalist got shot in his hand and there was considerable blood loss. Instead of helping the poor guy, a bunch of cameraman and journalists pounced like hungry wolves to telecast the bloodshed.

I know that the tone of this mail is very strong but thats how the youth of India feels today. Whatever happened to responsible journalism and that too on your channel is most disappointing.

My humble request to you is to stop sensationalizing news and plea for your leadership to get the message across channels.

Regards,


--
--------------------------------------------------------
KARTIK RAICHURA
Founder & C.E.O
Management Paradise.

[divyavr]

Dear Mr. Sardesai,

I have been a regular follower of your reporting since your NDTV days. I have come to believing that you are one of the finest of your kin in terms of general intelligence in addition to reporting skills, which is why I draft this letter to you.

Following the latest terror attacks in Mumbai, I am appalled at how the press reporters are increasingly sounding like those awful voices one hears in the malls, that goads you to run to where the sale is on. Please check across TV channels last night, you will understand it when I say, that media persons were behaving like desperate salesmen selling off their wares except that this was during a time of crisis and therefore all the more disgusting!

I sincerely fail to understand some of the questions posed by journalists during the "event" to people associated with it, be it the cops or victims or mere spectators. A bunch of journalists at one point in time were hounding a cop for information on casualties in the Vile Parle blast. He repeatedly kept saying "I don't know the number of deaths" and there are clippings of innumerous questions on the lines of: "What will be your estimate on the number of those killed?", "How many passengers could have been killed?" or "Could it have been more than three because of the share a cab system?". I mean, getting facts right is a good thing but ganging up on on-field policemen, keeping him away from the action and giving him the taste of shutter-bugs thereby tempting him to linger towards safer quarters of the press by giving statements like "I cannot confirm the number of sites that this has taken place." Isn't that pretty obvious? The guy was on duty in one location, it was the media that was swarming the suburbs.

Another piece of ridiculous reporting, a phone call made to one of the three MPs/MLAs in the Taj hotel, where he was holed up. The reporter in the studio ended up asking him at one point, I quote "Sir, I know this is irrelevant, but are you afraid for your lives?" I would like to ask the reporter that, when he is in the line of fire! Responsible media people should have understood the fact that those men in there don't have food and water supplies not to mention electricity, and are subject to extreme situations where they have no idea of the bigger picture. But instead of sending reports into the hotel, the reporter if anything managed to create more panic by saying "We fear for your lives as well"?!

Newspapers that have been screaming headlines today, have atleast a reporter each who have recounted their tales of horror and eye-witness accounts of the police inefficiency (DNA). Two lines that run commonly across: "No one was allowed near…yet I managed to…" and "Our reporter nearly lost his/her life."

If this is thought of to be heroic, I wish to clarify that educated commoners understand media gimmicks and do not empathise which such "real-time" reporting. In fact if anything, the sight of a media guy, filming an injured man being dumped into a van and getting in the way all the time, in an attempt to catch the face of the guy, only angers the viewer's sensibilities.

As an Indian and as a student doing my MBA in Finance, I know and understand the concept of TRPs and the media business and how "people need to be sold stories", I fail to decipher how many of the most intelligent and educated minds in the country could be so short-sighted as to create a drama out of a real-life happening?

I speak pretty much on the lines of discussions that youth today have – and our common conclusion is that: the media is no longer useful. As one of the leading faces on Indian television I request you to consider what I have to say a little seriously.

Please picture a news channel that calmly tells viewers that the situation is being tackled in a sensitive manner and all images and clippings will be televised post the crisis. In the meanwhile, the situation is being researched by a bunch of journalists who are not out reporting truth but raising intelligent questions on where the flaws lie.

Has it occurred to you that the ATS chief was not covered in a bullet-proof jacket? Why weren't they being handed out the way bullets and guns were being doled out? I wish to add in a fact here: the traffic police of the US have bullet-proof jackets!
Our defence budget is one of the largest expenditures our country has every year and yet, in-house policemen use rifles that fire once and have to be reloaded before they take a second shot [while terrorists (unemployed - is my guess) have sophisticated weaponry - Ak47s]?
Our on-duty officers look anything but fit and healthy - each one leaning on their rusted rifles with a hanging paunch. What is the kind of training that officers have on a day-to-day basis? Or does it all end once they are enrolled into the force?
Why is it that 800 army men and NSG and many other forces who have been called are not able to evacuate the building with more speed and alacrity? They have been trying to get occupants out from the building since three last morning!
If the terrorists are educated enough to send mails to the press and the government and bold enough to take responsibility, don't you think giving them media attention just helps them fulfill their plans? Can the media not take a stance and openly condemn them.

It is better solace to hear or see on flash: "We think the Deccan Mujahdeen is a bunch of cowards who claim responsibility for killing people they don't know are at fault. If they were seeking justice for muslims, let's show them some muslim brothers who have been victimized. And if they were aiming to prove a point against foreigners, we think they are a bunch of eunuchs who don't have civil sense and cannot make their point with their education!"

What needs to be researched is: How and where security measures are lacking, what sort of equipments do they need? Are they on par with their international contemporaries?
What is the damage caused by any such event? What does it cost the country if its financial capital is shut for a day? What does it translate to in terms of loss per head in this country? Will a Bandh in Mumbai affect a Bihari? What does it cost if the stock exchanges don't function for a day? What is the cost of repairing damages to the Central station? How will hotels make up for their losses? Can employment be increased to keep youth from wasting the prime of their lives in pointless terrorist activities? This is a thought in line with the current financial scenario with unemployment on the rise.
Are political parties playing vote-bank politics and instigating these terror strikes? Are they responsible for issuing ridiculous statements like the "Marathi Manoos" and other offensive comments?
Can you bring in a rendezvous with such politicians on national television and ask them questions that make them squirm in realization? I bet new-comers like us will be willing to do a scoop on such cases.

Please don't misconstrue this mail as a personal attack or take it to be an insinuation of any sort. If anything this is a plea to please not fall among this category of defunct journalists who cannot differentiate between reality and real-time drama. In fact, you are one of the few who comes across as a level-headed person with the ability to change the face of real-time reporting.

I would love to hear from you.

Warm regards,
Divya Vasantharajan

Student

[ankitgokani]

i would like to add somethings to it media persons are acting like eyes t the terrorists they are giving live footages how the army is coming what are they planning so the terrorists can be aware of it

However in the evening the cable connections of the hotel were cut off so the media should act responsible and try to help people instead of just giving same news again and again and terrifying people

Yesterday when the Firing started at VT station a man was hit by a bullet instead of taking him to hospital he was asking him d news like kitne aadmi the what they look like etc etc

That is utter rubbish and very immature of the media persons

I would like to say in one line

“There is no way to peace, peace is the way.”

[onlygeek]

Right on target guyz .... My views abt the media was similar during the AHM Blasts ...
News Channels after Bomb blast in Ahmedabad | Annkur

Maintaining law and order isn’t easy? | Annkur

BUT a few random thoughts I have (Just random thoughts)

Running a news channel is a tough job, calls for heavy investment. The majority of the viewers (The ones who love saas bahu soaps) like this kind of chatpata reporting. The servants in my area have their eyes glued to the TV whenever such a spicy issue was on-air. And more often then not; they watch those same channels who narrate news like a hindi movie (repeating statements three times, and saying गौर से देखेये)...

At the end of the day they have to meet the requirement of the massed to survive. Most channels / media ppl follow this style of reporting religiously, while some are a little shy towards this approach, they still have to do it!

For this Mumbai Event Specifically:

I had seen footage last night of the ATS chief with a bullet proof jacket. Shouldn't it be asked Why was it removed? (referring to a statement above that he wasn't wearing one). May many viewers missed it; the media guyz surely can see it... cant they?

I have previously mentioned that its the public whom the law and order system greatly relies on; but in this mumbai incident - I truly feel that its a collapse of the security mechanism.

And do you have any comments about news channels airing Rakhi Sawant on the matter saying "I was about to host my birthday party on 25th in colaba,,, main baach gayi"

Annkur

[ROHAN KACHALIA]

Dear Mr. Sardesai

Well I am a big fan of your reporting news since your NDTV days since you are one of the best in its business and all my best wishes for all your furure endevaours.

But let me tell you that we as the youth of our nation are really appalled by the way the news is being not showed but 'SOLD' to us. And to top it all are the reporters who will go out of their way to dig out something which can be sold as news. I understand that you are running a news channel and a constant war is going on between various news channels regarding TRPs (and i am saying this to all the heads of various news channels) but doesnt mean that you should every now and then keep on saying that 'aaj kal news mein thoda masala hona chaiye toh he log dekhenge'. Common just cut this crap. Every other news anchor will say this line "This is being showed live for the first time on _______news channel". Is this the way you attarct the TRPs??

Well just try something different for a change (agreed where talks of changing from the routine comes definitely there will some retaliation of some sort) to market yourself in the business. And infact people would more appreciate that stop thinking about TRPs and just do your duty; success and awards will definitely touch your feet.

And I seriously fail to understand what is the need to show the same things over and over again especially during this time of crisis. People are already in shock and grave about this cowardly incident and repeatedly telecating the same things just further intensifies this shock. And more importantly I doubt if any news channel has atleast devoted 5-10 mins on covering the news on our former prime minister Mr. Late VP Singh who succumbed to the prolonged illness today.

And what kind of reporting I am getting to see. Just pathetic. Instead of letting the police, NSG and other armed forces do to rescue people from various locations and helping them even in the minutest manner would have been much better rather than just running like sheeps and goats to capture on the camera (oops sorry rather to capture it FIRST on camera) and get a live footage on this tragedy. And even our ministers are another bunch of jokers who will fight for 'Marathi manoos' but not against the terrorists. Infact they should be the first one to be shot. Many statements regularly come after such incidents that we will do this and that but the fact of the matter is Nothing has been done so far, only baseless claims by them. So where is media now?? Just having a debate on your news channel will not have any relevance unless a proper follow up is done and to see whether the politicians really do and vouch for what they had said in front of the nation.

In such time of crisis why can't all the news channel just come out together, forget for which channel are they reporting and show news under a single head, so atleast we the people come to know what exactly is happening instead of switching over from news channels every now and then and to top it all there is no consistency as to the figures reported by the channels which makes situation even worse.

Why dont I see media being bold enough to ask questions to the various parties live on the channel and make sure a concrete conclusion is come upto and then and only then they be left from the studios. Just question them directly about such lackadiasical attitude by the Manmohan government agiants terror and why everytime Intelligence agencies fail to notify things in advance. What the police and other personnel do once such things have occured. Do they check everyone single person thoroughly before letting them go. And more than half of the time they sleep ( I personally have noticed it many times at Churchgate station and many other stations too). The metal detactors arent working half of the time. These are few of the questions that should be given answers by all the authorities.

Simply to put it : people of Mumbai are being taken for granted and slowly many of them will raise thier voice as I did, not just for the sake of doing it but really its high time a strict action be taken in which media needs to play a more matured role, questions and conclusions need to come up which unearth the truth behind these incidents.

And please this is my plea to stop sensationalizing the news and act as a mature persons and YOU can really understand the situation the whole of the nation is facing against terror.

Please do not misconstrue this mail as a personal attack or take it to be an insinuation of any sort.

Would definitely like to hear from you SIR.

Warm Regards,

Rohan Kachalia.

[divyavr]

Hi Ankur,

like i mentioned before i understand the business angle and i believe that sustained viewership for a news channel is bound to come from the educated class and not the strata of society you are mentioning. CNBC TV18 has shown sustained growth in viewership for this reason. A news channel is not an entertainment channel but is supposed to be as useful as a newspaper is to the literate.

As these jokers go about holding microphones and cameras in attempt to get better footage end up defying police rules. Belittling the system and the politicians when the tragedy has struck is no brilliance - complaining and whining has become our national hobby! Concrete research and intelligent reporting like Doordarshan news used to be in the yesteryears is what journalism is all about.


The ATS chief was not involved in an encounter when he was shot. they were shot on the road when they were involved in discussions. The question posed is why is military combat infrastructure so pathetic? Understandably we are not well-prepared to take pre-emptive strikes, the least to be expected is corrective measures.

And as for Rakhi Sawant missing her birthday - that pales in comparison to a studio reporter asking an occupant imprisoned in his own room of the hotel "what are the attacks you know of?" and "Are you afraid for your lives?"

Better still, the terrorists on the phone at India TV told the reporters that they were watching their channel. At the end of which there was a nice live segment analysing speech patterns and calling them liars!! Long Live Truth!!

I say fire these idiots!!

[onlygeek]

Originally Posted by divyavr

Hi Ankur,

like i mentioned before i understand the business angle and i believe that sustained viewership for a news channel is bound to come from the educated class and not the strata of society you are mentioning. CNBC TV18 has shown sustained growth in viewership for this reason. A news channel is not an entertainment channel but is supposed to be as useful as a newspaper is to the literate.

Thats the point! Present or Future; a profitable today or a prosperous future...! I see the same decision making even in the ecommerce industry where I operate. Sites like eBay and FutureBazaar are keen on providing good customer satisfaction, where in others are happy promoting Chinese goods with no service/support to their customers as they need Sales/Profits/ROI.

as for the ATS chief, sad... I was waiting for the newspapers to come tomorrow instead of tracking the news channels. RIP

[trillionairegate]

Dear Mr. Sardesai

In an attempt sensationalize the conspiracy over the yesterdays Mumbai's terror attack it seems like the media is got into a tug of war between beings of non emotional and non sentimental and those of innocent beings of which has stunned the whole country.The media all together has been deter mental in the way they have been reacting to the situation and increasing the consciousness of the terrorists. Today I appeal to set of media which only make up stories for eg. when barkha dutt was saying that the she was getting some infos from intelligence sources that the government was negotiating with the terrorist but such an information was false and misleading, it looked as if the media foretasted the whole terror attack being fought in such a manner that the whole country was astonished by the drama which unrolled by the media had more to show than the actual action of the drama which unfolded in this critical event of India. Moreover the media was trying to provoke statements from the opposition so has to provoke a slug fest between these political parties the media had no rights to provoke parties like robots at the time disaster. The media only tries to play spoil sport where ever they go and one thing they didn't realize is that they were only trying to be part of the problem and not trying to be part of the solution. This comments are for all the media big wigs and not to a particular media co as such

Thank You
Yours Sincerely
Bhaskar

[hrishikesh_desai]

Dear All,

First, I would like to extend my Heartfelt Condolences to all who lost their loved ones in this tragic attack.

Second, I feel the Police alongwith ATS have done very well to contain the situation till the NSG forces, Army and Navy men came into action... I say this only because of the fact that these men have stepped up to the occasion and took on these terrorist with minimum or even lack of adequate training and equipment... I would also like to point out to all in this discussion that Mr. Karkare was indeed wearing the bullet proof jacket (All news channels showed him getting ready to go into action), but the jacket was ineffective against the bullets from AK-47... infact if a bullet was fired from a desi gun even then it would have pierced the jacket, thats how much the jacket was out of date... I saw his interviews and I found him to be very honest and straight forward man who felt alot of pride and honor in serving his country... I have immense respect for him because not many high ranking officers like him would have gone into action like he did... That's speculation but still... May his soul rest in peace...

Third, What were the politicians thinking??? Why were they are flying into Mumbai??? what were they going to do after coming here??? Grab a gun and get into action??? The only thing that they are doing is diverting energy and forces from battleground to their ground... By coming there they are just increasing the pressure on the security personnel... The most funniest thing which happened was of all the politicians Mr Raj Thakeray was no where to be seen or heard... I have been glued to my television set for the last 40 odd hours (off course I slept in between) didn't see him on any news channel... May be I missed him when I went to the toilet... May be he didn’t speak because of the gag order… I never thought that it could stop him from doing anything… Anyways… Later I heard our PM Mr. Manmohan Singh read out his speech from the prompter, I know he is a man of few words but now I have found out that he is also a man of fewer emotions... It was suppose to be a speech of a leader but it turned out to be a announcement of a trustee... I know he is the most honest man we can find right now in our political circuit but he is no leader... No offense meant but he should step up, take control and take action... I m sure if he puts his head into it and come up with a solution without considering any outside pressure he will do what is in the best interest of the country... And Mr. Modi, I m sure he meant good and was very concerned about the whole situation... but I think he does not understand the word jurisdiction which comes under letter J in the oxford dictionary... No offense meant to him too... but coming all the way here and demanding to be driven in a car near, around and across the battleground sites for "assessment of the situation" was just going too far to get political mileage from this situation... He has done great things in Gujarat no doubt about it but Maharastra is totally different ball game Mr. Modi...

Fourth, Our news channels which are run by Smart, Intelligent, High caliber, Highly Educated, Terrific Orators, and last but not the least, Dumb@$$ Full of $*** newsmen and women... Smart because they know what sells, Intelligent because they know how to sell, High Caliber because they have all the resources to create and sell, Highly Educated because they know how to pick up one point, turn it around and put words in the mouth of others, Terrific Orators because they can sensationalize anything with their way of speaking and Dumb@$$ Full Of S*** because I m sure they know their product Stinks and they also know they themselves stink but still will sell whatever that sells... They are not newscasters but are only marketers of their channels... So they will sell whatever they can sell in the open market... irrespective of its repercussions... As pointed out above my friends, I do not agree to them about media coverage... I feel the media should be allowed and encouraged to cover all events that happen in the society which may have good or bad effect on it... but what should be addressed here is how it is covered and presented... Wars have been covered... each and every war after the advent of LIVE television has been covered extensively and entirely LIVE, be it GULF War I or II or any other incident... but what is different between this terror attack coverage and them is the objective of the coverage... where the objective has been to cover the true story of the war, gathering knowledge and proof to authenticate the actions taken, etc but here the sole objective of the coverage was TRP and nothing else... How else could you define it because for the last 40 hours the only news that has been covered and telecast on these news channels is this terror attack... thank god that the markets opened today or else CNBC would have also continued covering this mayhem... I m sure there has been other news that have happened across the world if not India...

Following are my recommendation to the channels to consider when faced with such situations: -

A. Never Ever, and I mean Never Ever show LIVE footage... You never know what would happen or what could be said in front of the camera when its LIVE... For Example - On 26th near Metro Cinema when the Gun Shots were fired... There were a lot of obscenities and Graphic images which were on telecast LIVE... I m sure if the channels have some morals, integrity and sensibilities they would show, if not anything, things Differed LIVE so if there is something which can be avoided from been telecast LIVE can be remove or deleted or covered/blocked before they are shown on LIVE television. Also by being LIVE and showing everything on TV the terrorist are kept informed with all the moves of the security personnels... which gives them a big advantage... I guess thats one of the reasons why this mayhem has been continuing so long... I also guess none of these news broadcaster ever saw this movie called SPEED (Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock), they will realize how they have helped the terrorist in a big way when they do see this movie... The government does not need to tell you that don't show this or that, its plain common sense, which they simply don't have... may be thats the reason I did not mention it in their attributes...

B. Always maintain a distance from action... Not just where the bullets are flying but also when other things are happening like someone is getting transported to hospital, etc... Also Distance should also be maintained from the security personnel, people in action and others involved like Victims, etc. A proper forum should be created at all such events were after every 1 hour or 2 or which is suitable according to people handling the situation, would come and update about the progress of things... This will ensure there is a proper channel through which the information is flowing and no one who is handling the situation will be in wrong kind of pressure which is exerted due to constant media attention... Remember that these personnel are not answerable to you atleast while the operation is still on!!! Asking them things like why is the operation still taking so much time??? Are there any more terrorist inside??? How many??? How many security personnel have been lost??? etc... Guys let them do their job... Also keep out of the Battleground/Crime scene, I saw few Jurnos at CST showing the aftermath of the carnage that took place there... showing around the scene like its a museum and picking up the empty cartridges to show on the camera... What were they thinking??? Thats tempering with evidence... (I guess they don't see CSI... I thought atleast they would have seen CID but I guess not)... Now I think the Police should step up down as these Karamchands with do the job... What the Jurnos should realize is that they are there to cover the event and make their observation if they want to... If they have any questions and/or doubts, then they should direct it to the right people rather than taking matters or bullets into their hands...

C. Most Important Point - Never broadcast anything till there is a firm confirmation of the same... This should not be said as it should be understood by everyone... and I think people who would have taken some kind of degree or course in media would have this in their curriculum too(If they studied)... How can a major broadcaster like Aaj Tak/Headlines Today broadcast that (first) there are reports that there are fresh cases of firings at CST, Metro Cinema, Marine Lines and RBI Towers (second) the police have confirmed that 4 suspected terrorist in a white van/car and doing the rounds and firing indiscriminately at these locations (third) the police have cordoned off these areas to contain this situation... when finally after about 20-25 mins of the first breaking news, this confirmed report is falsified and termed as a rumor... This is, according to me, a major breach of all laws and understanding of moral, ethical and professional environment... This can be avoided if the news broadcaster shift from reporting fast to reporting right...

Finally, I m sure that there is a lot of work ahead of us when it comes to our security, infact if you look at it we have a lot of catching up in all aspects of governance, poverty, equality, corruption, to name the few... I believe anything and everything can be achieved if all came together and worked as a team to work towards a common goal which is India. Everyone has a role to play in it, big or small, of high significance or of no significance but is possible only if all of us did our job and did it well... This philosophy will work when it starts from the top... Without Leadership no battle can be fought let alone won... The media has a very big role to play in this... Its the responsibility of media to generate awareness among common people with a clear objective of good faith and good spirit and carryout operations in achieving a bigger national goal of progressing India to newer highest of prosperity in the 21st Century... Its our Destiny... We just need to have the courage to fulfill it!!!


Regards,

Hrishikesh Desai

Citizen
India

[grazilrocks]

hi,
well your letter was really good to read.pls continue the good work ALL THE BEST.