By B V Rao (source: exchange4media.com)
From the way CEOs and editors keep defending the brain-dead programming on Hindi channels, you would think that the population of morons is galloping in the country.
Thankfully, the contrary is true. continue reading…
By B V Rao (source: exchange4media.com)
Team, I am aware the box office numbers this morning have disappointed all of you. I was disappointed, too, though I was not expecting anything other than a drubbing. We have suddenly stopped the supply of opium to our viewers and it is only natural that they should show severe withdrawal symptoms. Rather than restart the supply to them, we should stay the course and remove all traces of the drug from their veins, after all, it is we who put them on the dangerous drug diet. continue reading…
By B V Rao (source exchange4media.com)
Tamilnadu is in the news for the arrest of two editors in quick succession on charges of criminal defamation. B Lenin, the news editor of Dinamalar, a widely circulated daily, was arrested on October 7 and A S Mani, editor of “Netrikan”, a Madurai magazine, was arrested in the last week of October. continue reading…
By B V Rao (source: exchange4media.com)
As a CNN regular, I have always marvelled at their readiness to not just pick important stories from rival channels but also give them full credit and play in their own bulletins. That’s such a rarity in our own country. Here, if one channel or publication comes up with a national scoop, the others will pretend as if nothing happened for as along as they can avoid it. continue reading…
By B V Rao (first published on exchange4media.com)
Things are looking up at the Time of India. The country’s biggest and richest media house, which rang the alarm bells first with an unprecedented round of blood-letting last year, has just announced the end of recession. Ravi Dhariwal, CEO, wrote an endearing letter to all his staff to inform them that the management has decided to put some money in their pockets ahead of Diwali, a sort of bonus payout. continue reading…
By B V Rao (source: exchange4media.com)
In 1987 the Times of India set in motion a process of deconstructing the Indian newspaper as we knew it up until then with the launch of the rather wordy Sesquicentennial (150th birthday) Celebrations. Even though journalism became collateral damage (some would say it was the primary target) in its relentless march to superstardom, the Times of India did much more than just deconstruct the newspaper. It changed the game totally and completely. continue reading…
BY B V RAO (source: exchange4media.com)
So the government wants to file an FIR against two reporters of the Times of India for their report which said two ITBP jawans were injured in firing by the Chinese army.
The government claims that the report was wrong, that there was no firing by the Chinese and hence no question of any Indian soldier getting injured. continue reading…
first published on exchange4media.com
By B V Rao
“Our editors run their businesses without any commercial consideration. Let me give you an example. It came to me as a compliment from somebody the other day. On CNN IBN our film Welcome (a film we’ve taken a huge bet on) was reviewed by Rajeev Masand on his very popular show. Rajeev said: “The film is so bad that anyone who goes and sees it and enjoys it, I will personally pay for his psychiatric treatment.” This was his line, on our own channel, about our own film. There is no influence on our editorial… continue reading…
This article first appeared on exchange4media.com on May 8, 2009, even as the polls were on.
By B V Rao
As the first family of Indian politics let the cameras get up close and personal, it was Rahul Gandhi who stunned me with his manner and maturity. For years Rahul has had to live with the tag of the prince who didn’t deserve his heredity. But in three press conferences in three weeks (the last in Delhi on Monday), Rahul showed he has emerged out of the shadows of his family to be his own man. That prompted me to write this open letter to his mother imploring her to end his political internship. It’s a lament of a voter who thinks the Congress has passed up an opportunity to project somebody fresh, energetic, idealistic and engaging in this election of non-choices. continue reading…
(This piece first appeared at Exchange4Media.com under the Newsmanic Series)
Last week, I posted my article (Newspapers and the importance of underwear – Part I) on Facebook with the status update: What’s the connection between a newspaper and underwear? “They both become stale in a day?” responded my brother.
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