M S Subbulakshmi passes away after about 80 years of utter devotion to Carnatic Music. To my disgust, not a single TV news channel plays out a proper obit. All of them are content with just a story announcing her demise, and another tracing her life chronologically. Being a TV professional, I know how much time that would have taken - not more than a couple of hours.
Where was the stuff talking about why MS is considered so great? Was it because she was the principal exponent of an art form, or because she redefined it? Was MS special because she took Carnatic music from the Brahminical domain to the masses? The answers to these questions could have been addressed in a story not longer than a minute and a half in duration. But no, we don’t care, even if some of our viewers do.
Forget journalism, MS was also an opportunity to wean traditional viewers onto our channel.
In the same session of channel surfing I came across Tom & Jerry. In an ad for a mosquito repellent. So now even they have fallen prey to commercialism, after Garfield and Mickey Mouse. Next we’ll even have Calvin fighting Hobbes for your friendly neighbourhood space toy, available for just Rs 99.
4 comments:
hey kunda, how are you ra? prem here. seen you on tv, all professional and serious. :)
ah prem! i've been taking peeks into your blog.
And in the last coupla years, I've been trying to
copy and paste stuff from your website (unsuccessfully)
Udderwise, the milk is full of human kindness
Good points, Kunda.
Although the space toy is more likely to be available at just Rs. 99.99
Atleast, hope you guys didn't catch too much of that blasted Kareena Kapoor-Shahid Kapoor kiss coverage. And of course, Venkatesh's mother being asked insensitive questions on his impending death. (No, not me!)
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