“Being a journalist, you have the power to do it. Its good work you people are doing”.
It wasn’t my first assignment and every time this word was attached to me I felt jolted….yes, jolted and revolted (very strong words and that’s precisely why they have been used here). For the first three seconds I was wondering if he actually was addressing me. When did I become a journalist, maybe I have. Slowly the venom has got to me as well…and it shows….but still whenever I am being refereed as a journalist, I feel disillusioned…
Some sanctity left? I don’t know.
By now all you readers (I am sure many are journalists themselves) have realized that I am definitely not going to (if the title didn’t give it away) go bonkers over the kind of good stuff we journalists do or the angels in disguise we people are…not exactly.
“Cut the crap! Its business. You have to sell… its all about the TRPs afterall.” Doesn’t it sound as if you heard it yesterday in office?
Well, that rape of minor ...did it happen in a car….if yes whether it was a moving car…if no….then lets not cover it (Forgot to ask….if the car was indeed moving…then what was the next criteria. Was it a merc or a Maruti? ).
A lot is expected of me, getting the story on time, getting that all important byte….that elusive visual of the body being taken away….that makes good television. I am told….by the way we don’t show blood, we just blur it….we have a heart afterall. You see we care for the people.
But don’t forget to take that byte of the father whose son was just murdered…..throat slit….how can you not dare take his byte…afterall the other channels are also playing it…
Welcome to the world of Broadcast Journalism…..its mean, its ruthless, its hypocrisy but most importantly it sells….it sells like hot pancakes…
I am not a preacher so I won’t say or suggest what one has to do…or one should not do. It also doesn’t mean that by writing this my keeping myself clean (i.e. in my own eyes)…
Rather I am more confused than anyone. Atleast my colleagues acknowledge that this is business/ some sort of social work we do in return for fame, money and respect (but that is nothing when one sees the kind of social work we have been doing in this business)….
Would it be wrong if I say that we are nothing but wholesalers in a ‘mandi’…as for what are we selling - Emotions, tears, pain…..as for our raw stock. It’s the people around us, it can be anyone… you …me…..as far as there is a ‘story’ there…
If the story is there, it will be told - Whatever it takes….be it a father whose constantly reminded of how painful it must have been for his son when the knife was razing his son’s throat…or the mother who saw her own husband rape her twelve year daughter…
This is what the first few months of journalism has taught me – the story is the most important thing. As for those who don’t know what a story is, standard formula – 3 voice overs (VO), a couple of bites, a piece to camera and you have a standard story on your hand.
But this 3 VO , the bite have a lot more than it seems, starting with the VO…as per the market demands…get the strongest visual. Strongest means, which strikes you most, since we ‘humane’ people don’t show blood, its good if we have a crying mother/father/son/daughter (as long as they are crying and have agreed/don’t know that they are being filmed) its ok.
The second part of the story….the bites, no matter what the person says…the good thing about bite is that it can always be moulded…such is our craftsmanship that we can actually make him say whatever we want….
Last but not the least (rather the icing on the cake), the Piece to Camera, where I conclude the story in my own way. Its not the story anymore but the way I (the channel) looks at the whole ‘incident’ which has now been turned it into a ‘story’.
I don’t know how many of you would agree with me, but this is something which I have been seeing in the early days of my ‘Journalism’. What did I say “Journalism”???….I still feel jolted, revolted. Maybe I am not a good Journalist…maybe I am not a Journalist.
It wasn’t my first assignment and every time this word was attached to me I felt jolted….yes, jolted and revolted (very strong words and that’s precisely why they have been used here). For the first three seconds I was wondering if he actually was addressing me. When did I become a journalist, maybe I have. Slowly the venom has got to me as well…and it shows….but still whenever I am being refereed as a journalist, I feel disillusioned…
Some sanctity left? I don’t know.
By now all you readers (I am sure many are journalists themselves) have realized that I am definitely not going to (if the title didn’t give it away) go bonkers over the kind of good stuff we journalists do or the angels in disguise we people are…not exactly.
“Cut the crap! Its business. You have to sell… its all about the TRPs afterall.” Doesn’t it sound as if you heard it yesterday in office?
Well, that rape of minor ...did it happen in a car….if yes whether it was a moving car…if no….then lets not cover it (Forgot to ask….if the car was indeed moving…then what was the next criteria. Was it a merc or a Maruti? ).
A lot is expected of me, getting the story on time, getting that all important byte….that elusive visual of the body being taken away….that makes good television. I am told….by the way we don’t show blood, we just blur it….we have a heart afterall. You see we care for the people.
But don’t forget to take that byte of the father whose son was just murdered…..throat slit….how can you not dare take his byte…afterall the other channels are also playing it…
Welcome to the world of Broadcast Journalism…..its mean, its ruthless, its hypocrisy but most importantly it sells….it sells like hot pancakes…
I am not a preacher so I won’t say or suggest what one has to do…or one should not do. It also doesn’t mean that by writing this my keeping myself clean (i.e. in my own eyes)…
Rather I am more confused than anyone. Atleast my colleagues acknowledge that this is business/ some sort of social work we do in return for fame, money and respect (but that is nothing when one sees the kind of social work we have been doing in this business)….
Would it be wrong if I say that we are nothing but wholesalers in a ‘mandi’…as for what are we selling - Emotions, tears, pain…..as for our raw stock. It’s the people around us, it can be anyone… you …me…..as far as there is a ‘story’ there…
If the story is there, it will be told - Whatever it takes….be it a father whose constantly reminded of how painful it must have been for his son when the knife was razing his son’s throat…or the mother who saw her own husband rape her twelve year daughter…
This is what the first few months of journalism has taught me – the story is the most important thing. As for those who don’t know what a story is, standard formula – 3 voice overs (VO), a couple of bites, a piece to camera and you have a standard story on your hand.
But this 3 VO , the bite have a lot more than it seems, starting with the VO…as per the market demands…get the strongest visual. Strongest means, which strikes you most, since we ‘humane’ people don’t show blood, its good if we have a crying mother/father/son/daughter (as long as they are crying and have agreed/don’t know that they are being filmed) its ok.
The second part of the story….the bites, no matter what the person says…the good thing about bite is that it can always be moulded…such is our craftsmanship that we can actually make him say whatever we want….
Last but not the least (rather the icing on the cake), the Piece to Camera, where I conclude the story in my own way. Its not the story anymore but the way I (the channel) looks at the whole ‘incident’ which has now been turned it into a ‘story’.
I don’t know how many of you would agree with me, but this is something which I have been seeing in the early days of my ‘Journalism’. What did I say “Journalism”???….I still feel jolted, revolted. Maybe I am not a good Journalist…maybe I am not a Journalist.
11 comments:
I truly can relate to most of it, I am reading this at 4 in the morning and I am quite moved, I think we all have now (comfortably or helplessly) woven ourselves withnin the ruthlessness of human culture.
very impressive. i hope the dreaded word always jolts you, it does help us believe we are humans after all..
the good, the bad, the ugly!! :)
I dont think this dillemma about 'morality' v/s professionalism should be adressed so prematurely by you..its just your first post(year) after all :)
In our field we make this decision everyday..Either we become happy laid back individuals letting things happen to us...where we think am not gonna disturb anybody's peace of mind...becoz..that means i am moving out of my comfort zones!i ask uncomfortable questions, i stare reality in its eye( was it a maruti? was it moving?)
or we go out and move the world..become assertive, get some work done...get the first byte. grab that story! because its happening because it sells...and you cant sell shit!(unless you are India tv) We are doing it because somewhere we agree with it..somewhere we know there is some importance in it... you make more immediate diffrence to the world by being on prime time news than you would have if you had became a mathematician.
Besides 5 years from now...
You would be the one who would be defining for your cub reporters what a good story is made of..maybe then you can change the details( cut the crap...and not bother whether its a maruti or a merc!!!)
You will have the choice my friend..IF YOU ARE STILL A JOURNALIST till then!
Isnt now too soon to decide TO NOT BE a JOURNALIST? :)
Great start Faisal, keep it up !
I remember a lot of people talk this while having coffee, but its entirely a tough job to write on a blog, as you are on record. keep writing.... I see a book coming out in 'public' domain.
Hi Purplesilt....
Yes you are right, absolutely....I have just started...one year....but as you must have read these are some of my experiences in the job...on the field...maybe I am right...maybe I am wrong...this is something I felt...which I tot of sharing through this platform....you may agree with me....you may not...
Hey buddy I never knew you will end up writing a blog one day....I have been planning for it long but could not do so....keep it up buddy....and keep posting your thoughts... :)
I can feel your feelings. I think its more about YOUR definition of journalism vis-a-vis the so-called journalism YOU have actually ended up into. And its in this clash that you can find out the REASON. And its the SYSTEM.
When I say SYSTEM, it pans across a wide area-- from TRPs to people's sense of viewing things. The very people of India, the laymen want to see what the Indian TV channels show. So I would suggest that people themselves are responsible to an extent.
Second point is, we as journalists need to improve on the QUALITY of production. Don't speak to the father of a deceased, speak to his family friend instead, the neighbour should the need be. Idea is, there are multiple ways of saying thing. YOU as a journalist have to choose one of those very ways.
Ok Hello Faisal, nw i understoo dwhy i ws on ths blog,
Perfect, this is ur frst blog n u kept the book open on the table in front n thts wht is needed in any field of profession or life, ths is the urgrncy to knw n understand whts happenng n why i shud b or nt b a part of it n if i am a part hw shud i keep up my views n tht also fearless n true. i must say a long way to go, move on....
mauni
Very well written Faisal. So true! Could relate to it so much. And its come at such a right time. Its hard to accept it. What all we need to do for a story. It's the story that matters afterall, not the people. They are mere faces for TRP's. Their tears, screams are nothing but subjects for better footage. The more they cry, the better for us. The true face of journalism.
Very well written Faisal. So true! Could relate to it so much. And its come at such a right time. Its hard to accept it. What all we need to do for a story. It's the story that matters afterall, not the people. They are mere faces for TRP's. Their tears, screams are nothing but subjects for better footage. The more they cry, the better for us. The true face of journalism.
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