A News or a Story channel?

A lot is being said and done about Raj Thakray since quite some time now.. Here, I don't want to write about what seems to be right or wrong, neither do I want to pass any opinions or comments. We have been hearing lot of things already been spoken by many people.

However, I want to make a mention here about the media. To put it in simple words, the media should work as an information medium for the public, which serves the daily news (story, as they call it!) that enables the public to know about the current affairs around them. The public is then capable to understand and think for themselves and create their own opinions. The media plays a very influential role in shaping up the thought process of many (at least for those who do not think beyond what is portrayed). Hence, it is very important that media remains unbiased and serves just the news as it happens, and not make it a story!

As far as I think (as a common man), media has no right to impose its views on the public and cannot always think it is right. I was compelled to write this after I was watching a hindi news channel (or should I call it a story channel) yesterday night, to watch the updates about the Raj case. The court had given its verdict for Raj Thakray, and it was obviously the BIG story for all the news channels. After watching these updates, the news/story channel had prepared an analysis of Raj Thakray, to show to its viewers what led to all this drama, as they call it! The headline for this special analysis or the channel's expert vishleshan was: Gunda 'Raj' Mein Diwali! It was then followed by what they called, 'Gundagardi ke Saboot'! And, the saboot they mentioned were the incidents like Raj's take on Jaya Bachchan, the police commissioner, some ministers and the like.. The channel went on to say that Raj ke gunde atank macha rahe hain! Of course, their expert analysis went on even after that, but I thought of getting back to news than the STORY telling that was going on.

Here, I am not pointing toward what the channel had to say about Raj Thakray. Everyone would have their own opinions, and has a right to stand by their opinions. However, when you are presenting your views in front of the public, especially a medium like a news channel, I don't think they have a right to express such a sensitive issue in whatever manner they wish to. News channels do not have a right to give their verdict on anyone and give names to anyone in this fashion. Are they trying to say that Raj Thakray is a gunda? What impression do they want their viewers to carry? Let the Judiciary system alone have the right to give away verdicts. Why don't news channels simply serve news to us than any stories?

It makes me think that these channels have hired some kind of script-writers! Every news that they present has the flow of a well written script (well written only if we keep the sensitiveness aside). Sometimes I feel, why should there be a need of a 24 hours news channel at all??? If they are going to produce stories instead of news? Weren't the prime time news hours on some channels better than the channels exclusively dedicated to 24 hours story telling? It compels the common man to look at these channels as story telling channels when they hit sensitive issues on the wrong and sometimes, misleading notes!