Ramachandra Guha has a neat piece in today’s Telegraph, Calcutta, on what the coverage of Pramod Mahajan‘s death says about the seduction of the media by the rich, the powerful and the glamourous.
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churumuri 
Is objectivity in journalism a myth? This was one of the debates we had in college.
And what a myth it is indeed.
Most members of the media so willingly suck up to those in power. Those who show flamboyance as in driving around in an immense, fancy car wearing dark designer glasses.
Those who speak good English and have an aura of ‘charm’ around them.
Those who are quick witted and come up with smart one liners.
In the ambience of five star hotels. In the company of the rich and the beautiful.
For journalism in general, these absolutely trivial attributes are basis enough to paint the person in glorious terms. For ever.
It doesn’t matter at all if the person has no genuine intentions of service; no honest thoughts as a politician; no courage of conviction; nothing really to contribute to better the lot of the teeming masses. In concrete, tangible terms.
After all, let’s face it, journalists too are products of the same milieu, socially speaking, and invariably come from lower middle class backgrounds.
To be easily dazzled by the gloss of appearance and the glitter of speech is one of those age old human failings, isn’t it? And as I said, almost invariably a middle class one.
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It is back to the old adage, Politics is the last resort of the scoundrels ! Why make a distinction and take on Mahajan ?Is there any point in nickel and diming a man after he is dead and gone ! Does not Guha enjoy his few minutes of Glory on those NDTV’s & IBN’s and may be make some noney on the side too for those sound bytes ?
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Lovely article. I happened to read it after reading Ananth Murthy’s interview. And i can recall Mr. Murthy’s words:
“Today, unfortunately, our kids go one kind of school and the children of poor people go to another kind of school. The shared knowledge, the shared wisdom that was available to all of us is no longer available to modern children. Our children are inhabiting different Indias. I feel very much about this.”
The media is giving us two India’s as well!
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