As I write about this, my guess is that most people would be unaware of this just as I have been. About 5 days back a shocking scam had come to the fore, almost. So you would ask me, ‘what’s new in that?’ What’s new is that this time the scam involves no one else but our renowned, ‘senior’ journalists. The people we have known to expose scams. Now, I’m not referring to a scam as in terms of money, there is no definitive proof of that…yet.
A few days back, the IT department released some tapes showing the unprofessional and frankly speaking, disgusting behavior of two prominent faces – Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi. These are recorded telephone conversations with Nira Radia. Now, I do not know who that is but from the conversations I take it that she is a powerful power lobbyist.
In the ten minute Barkha tape, you hear her act like nothing short of a pimp between Congress and DMK for who gets how many seats and which seats in the cabinet. In the Vir tapes, we first hear him scripting out a show so as to suit the purpose of the involved parties and then also playing the role of a pimp between the same parties (clearly the Congress had huge problems with DMK).
Now, on the outset you might think, ‘what’s wrong with that?’What’s wrong is that THEY ARE JOURNALISTS. They’re supposed to report the story, not become a party to it. The Press Council of India has put down a basic code of conduct for the journalists. Something like the hypocritic oath for the doctors. This clearly states that a journalist has to be objective, they have to report the story and not become a party to it. If they fail to do so, it is unprofessional behavior.
What is even better is that no TV news channel or print newspaper is carrying this story. NONE. No one is broadcasting the tapes. Of all the moments ever, this is when the press decides to unite and protect their black hearted own. If they are certain that they have done nothing wrong and unbecoming why don’t they telecast the tapes and let the people decide. Only the magazines OPEN and OUTLOOK are carrying this story.
I was always aware that nothing was as it seems. But this incident gives that phrase an all new meaning, an all new disgusting meaning. I feel sick, violated. The press has immense power in our country. And I think they’ve taken the ‘free press’ bit way too far this time. Something needs to be amended, something needs to be done to bound people like them, or at least make them answerable.
For starters I’m trying to spread this ‘sensational news’, this ‘aaj ki taaza khabar’ to as many as I can. And I request my journalist friends to please please please do not stoop so low, ever.
Link to the Barkha Dutt tape: http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/tell-me-what-should-i-tell-them
Link to the Vir Sanghvi tape: http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/what-kind-of-story-do-you-want
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