15.6.06
Bye, Bye Love
Well, I'm going to quit the industry next week, and what then? Wonder if I'll still be eligible to post my thoughts on this forum hereafter, since I will not be employed in the television industry. But perhaps, I will. My new job will involve manipulating these buggers - even as I was manipulated so many times. It's good fun to play horse shit with the media, and get a fatter paycheck in the bargain. The downside will be taking horse shit from corporates, but then, that's where the fatter paycheck comes in.
A lot of things I'm going to mis about the TV bizz, though. Like most journos, I'm an arrogant prick, so of course I'm going to miss seeing myself on air. The bloated head will have to quell down a bit, shucks! Will miss the activity to a certain extent, but only to an extent. Am not going to miss the soaring blood pressure at the same time. Am not going to miss the ineptitude and the dithering indiscipline.
(I'm quite a harridan at times.)
A lot of people in the line of my new field of work have told me how stupid journos look from the outside world, and I wonder what idiocy of myself will be revealed to me when I embark on that new career. All journos are asses full of themselves. So many of the 'exclusives' are actually leaks by PR agencies. So many correspondents don't know what to talk about when they're in the limelight. Admittedly, I've been guilty of all of them. Confessions of a dangerous mind.
Adieu, Neverland.
A lot of things I'm going to mis about the TV bizz, though. Like most journos, I'm an arrogant prick, so of course I'm going to miss seeing myself on air. The bloated head will have to quell down a bit, shucks! Will miss the activity to a certain extent, but only to an extent. Am not going to miss the soaring blood pressure at the same time. Am not going to miss the ineptitude and the dithering indiscipline.
(I'm quite a harridan at times.)
A lot of people in the line of my new field of work have told me how stupid journos look from the outside world, and I wonder what idiocy of myself will be revealed to me when I embark on that new career. All journos are asses full of themselves. So many of the 'exclusives' are actually leaks by PR agencies. So many correspondents don't know what to talk about when they're in the limelight. Admittedly, I've been guilty of all of them. Confessions of a dangerous mind.
Adieu, Neverland.
23.4.06
All Seeing Saint ;-)
So I decided to play the ASS yesterday, and sat in front of the TV channels, watching and judging the coverage of the Pramod Mahajan shoot-out on all three general news channels – NDTV, TIMES NOW and CNN-IBN. The verdict is as follows. And, yes, even though I work for one of them, I’ve tried to be as impartial as possible.
Spread of coverage
NDTV wins here hands down. All three channels focused here on Mumbai, of course, cuz this is where most of the action happened. So, there were OBs at Hinduja Hospital and Worli Police Station, and some also at Pravin Mahajan’s house at Thane, but as far as getting the larger picture of the BJP was concerned, NDTV took the cake. They had reactions and pictures beamed from the rest of India, coverage from Delhi and centres where the BJP leaders are, much faster than either TIMES or IBN. Of course, both of them did come up with the reactions and pictures later on, but I suppose they lagged in time because of the lack of OBs on the scene. Aaa, well…
Breaking pictures and quotes
The prize goes to TIMES NOW here, I think. Or maybe, a joint tie with NDTV. Whenever there was some thing happening at either Hinduja or Worli, both channel went directly to their correspondents over there, who clued in the viewers on what was happening. In comparison, CNN-IBN had loads of packages and stings playing all the time, and reaction time in going to some breaking announcement – be it the doctor’s announcement or when L K Advani showed up – was behind the rest.
Also, full marks to TIMES for going back to the lawyer’s silly remarks over and over again, and trying to decipher the man behind the attack, Pravin Mahajan, much better than the other two channels.
Studio attitude
Extremes here. NDTV and CNN-IBN anchors seemed deadpan. They all said it was a sad and tragic thing to happen, and the events ahead are all going to very racy and exciting, but you could hardly feel the excitement when you saw them speak. On the other extreme, TIMES NOW was almost ballistic in their hysteria as to what this would mean – there were repeated references to the ‘shock’ and ‘grief’ on Advani and Pramod’s son Rahul’s face, and how everyone was looking forward and how the lawyer is making stark raving comments here, and how much the Mahajan family has been shell-shocked… I mean, yes, we all know that, and you don’t have to make us ‘feel’ the news quite soooo much!
;-)
The winner? Aaa, well, I’ll leave it to the ASS to decide.
Spread of coverage
NDTV wins here hands down. All three channels focused here on Mumbai, of course, cuz this is where most of the action happened. So, there were OBs at Hinduja Hospital and Worli Police Station, and some also at Pravin Mahajan’s house at Thane, but as far as getting the larger picture of the BJP was concerned, NDTV took the cake. They had reactions and pictures beamed from the rest of India, coverage from Delhi and centres where the BJP leaders are, much faster than either TIMES or IBN. Of course, both of them did come up with the reactions and pictures later on, but I suppose they lagged in time because of the lack of OBs on the scene. Aaa, well…
Breaking pictures and quotes
The prize goes to TIMES NOW here, I think. Or maybe, a joint tie with NDTV. Whenever there was some thing happening at either Hinduja or Worli, both channel went directly to their correspondents over there, who clued in the viewers on what was happening. In comparison, CNN-IBN had loads of packages and stings playing all the time, and reaction time in going to some breaking announcement – be it the doctor’s announcement or when L K Advani showed up – was behind the rest.
Also, full marks to TIMES for going back to the lawyer’s silly remarks over and over again, and trying to decipher the man behind the attack, Pravin Mahajan, much better than the other two channels.
Studio attitude
Extremes here. NDTV and CNN-IBN anchors seemed deadpan. They all said it was a sad and tragic thing to happen, and the events ahead are all going to very racy and exciting, but you could hardly feel the excitement when you saw them speak. On the other extreme, TIMES NOW was almost ballistic in their hysteria as to what this would mean – there were repeated references to the ‘shock’ and ‘grief’ on Advani and Pramod’s son Rahul’s face, and how everyone was looking forward and how the lawyer is making stark raving comments here, and how much the Mahajan family has been shell-shocked… I mean, yes, we all know that, and you don’t have to make us ‘feel’ the news quite soooo much!
;-)
The winner? Aaa, well, I’ll leave it to the ASS to decide.
10.4.06
TRING!!!
Everybody likes making phone calls. Everybody loves making phone calls. It's just that, when you're working in a 24 hr news channel, it's that much easier to make those free phone calls.
;-)
We could all probably get fired for this. Or, at the least, a huge chunk of cashola removed from the already miniscule pay packet.
I remember, at the earlier office, the other august blog writer here used to be stuck for hours after work timings, at night, calling up friends and relatives in Delhi, Punjab and Timbuktoo. Hell, I used to do the same - ok, maybe not Punjab, my repertoire was Delhi Calcutta, and Chennai, instead. At Journo school, there were so many of us who used the phones on the sly as well. Right now, I call international and croon into the telephone 'hey sexy....', so that the guy sitting behind me doesn't get to hear... too much.
;-)
Hell, think of the free std/isd phone call thing as a fringe benefit of an otherwise stressful existance. And think of us as clever people who know how to sell igloos to eskimos.
;-)
We could all probably get fired for this. Or, at the least, a huge chunk of cashola removed from the already miniscule pay packet.
I remember, at the earlier office, the other august blog writer here used to be stuck for hours after work timings, at night, calling up friends and relatives in Delhi, Punjab and Timbuktoo. Hell, I used to do the same - ok, maybe not Punjab, my repertoire was Delhi Calcutta, and Chennai, instead. At Journo school, there were so many of us who used the phones on the sly as well. Right now, I call international and croon into the telephone 'hey sexy....', so that the guy sitting behind me doesn't get to hear... too much.
;-)
Hell, think of the free std/isd phone call thing as a fringe benefit of an otherwise stressful existance. And think of us as clever people who know how to sell igloos to eskimos.
18.3.06
Deskwork
One of us works on the desk as a producer, and one of us as a reporter. Having never worked on the desk before, I won't pretend to know all the finer points of what exactly constitutes a deskperson/producer's life. But from what I've seen of it, via my friends' lives, it's not all that hunky-dory.
For one thing, it's BORING. Creating all those graphics and supers and astons (Greek for those little lines below/above the pictures that tell you who's talking on TV and what he's talking) is bone-breaking, back-balling BORING stuff. Not recommended if you want to exercise brain cells.
For another thing, it's stressful. You have cantankerous anchors with their bloody theatrics who want things to go their way, and you have stupid guests who never show up on time, and you have persistent reporters who want you to take their packages, and you're not allowed coffee on the desk. Recipe for a heart attack at the age of twenty two.
For the last thing: you tend to lose your sense of humour and derive your joys from very stupid things, like: Yay! The segment went through! Or, Yay! the anchor did what she was supposed to! Or, Yay! My shift is over.
O, wait, us reporters say that last bit as well.
For one thing, it's BORING. Creating all those graphics and supers and astons (Greek for those little lines below/above the pictures that tell you who's talking on TV and what he's talking) is bone-breaking, back-balling BORING stuff. Not recommended if you want to exercise brain cells.
For another thing, it's stressful. You have cantankerous anchors with their bloody theatrics who want things to go their way, and you have stupid guests who never show up on time, and you have persistent reporters who want you to take their packages, and you're not allowed coffee on the desk. Recipe for a heart attack at the age of twenty two.
For the last thing: you tend to lose your sense of humour and derive your joys from very stupid things, like: Yay! The segment went through! Or, Yay! the anchor did what she was supposed to! Or, Yay! My shift is over.
O, wait, us reporters say that last bit as well.
26.2.06
Now, who's not seen THIS before?
29.1.06
ATTACK OF THE CLONE
It's been about a month since the launch of CNN-IBN. The first question ofcourse, is it just a NDTV rip-off? One month may not be time enough to give a qualified comment but Mr. Roy should start buying sleeping pills.
CNN-IBN has pumped in money and thankfully for them, it shows. The sets, range of reporters and production value reflect a huge network. The on-air look is refreshing, graphics are snazzy and colourful, quite a change from the boring white and red of NDTV.
Surprisingly, there is no attempt to play around with the 24 hour format (like Aaj Tak did in the Hindi space) The transition from one show to another is seamless, all shows are branded differently, same as NDTV, only I wish they would have come up with better names than 'Good Morning India' or 'Good Evening India'. Another concept that works for me are the various News Updates before breaks and not at the end of the bulletin.
One area where NDTV still scores heavily over CNN-IBN is in the quality/experience of anchors. Apart from Rajdeep, Anubha Bhonsle and Shankar Aiyar, the others look amateurish. NDTV recognises it's USP and has launched a new show 'India 60 Minutes' to unleash all 'recognised faces' of the industry in one grand show. A good plan that needs polishing.
A detailed comment on the English News Space after Times Now is finally on air. For now a simple question, What English news channel would I switch to first, it's CNN-IBN for now.
CNN-IBN has pumped in money and thankfully for them, it shows. The sets, range of reporters and production value reflect a huge network. The on-air look is refreshing, graphics are snazzy and colourful, quite a change from the boring white and red of NDTV.
Surprisingly, there is no attempt to play around with the 24 hour format (like Aaj Tak did in the Hindi space) The transition from one show to another is seamless, all shows are branded differently, same as NDTV, only I wish they would have come up with better names than 'Good Morning India' or 'Good Evening India'. Another concept that works for me are the various News Updates before breaks and not at the end of the bulletin.
One area where NDTV still scores heavily over CNN-IBN is in the quality/experience of anchors. Apart from Rajdeep, Anubha Bhonsle and Shankar Aiyar, the others look amateurish. NDTV recognises it's USP and has launched a new show 'India 60 Minutes' to unleash all 'recognised faces' of the industry in one grand show. A good plan that needs polishing.
A detailed comment on the English News Space after Times Now is finally on air. For now a simple question, What English news channel would I switch to first, it's CNN-IBN for now.
24.12.05
Say CHEESE!
TV and events/festivals. And how to be viewer-friendly regarding sentiments, but not go overboard. I know a channel that used tshirts when the Bombay Sensex crossed 8000. There were fireworks as well. And then there's my own channel which decided to have its anchors and reporters wear Santa caps all of Friday, because we wanted to showcase the 'Christmas' spirit. I found it quite harmless myself, but when I recounted the idea to a non-TV friend of mine, he pulled a face.
"All you TV people are too much!" he grimaced.
And maybe he has a point. Maybe we're all so geared up to think about what looks great on screen and what should/would relate best to the viewer, that we decide along the way somewhere that taste doesn't matter too much. So maybe the Santa caps were a bit too much, and maybe the 8000! tshorts were way over the top. Or maybe I think 8000! was idiotic only because they're the competition.
;-)
Cuz, let's get it straight right from the start: in TV, it's all about vested interests.
"All you TV people are too much!" he grimaced.
And maybe he has a point. Maybe we're all so geared up to think about what looks great on screen and what should/would relate best to the viewer, that we decide along the way somewhere that taste doesn't matter too much. So maybe the Santa caps were a bit too much, and maybe the 8000! tshorts were way over the top. Or maybe I think 8000! was idiotic only because they're the competition.
;-)
Cuz, let's get it straight right from the start: in TV, it's all about vested interests.
