Bihar Deluge: What a Media!
Posted : August 31, 2008 at 4:13 am [IST]
August 30, 2008 Saturday: It has become now a routine for me. At 8 PM I switch on TV news channels of my choice to watch and hear the debates on current nation issues in which some of the topmost personalities in their area of expertise participate. I did the same today with a hope that at least one of the four channels of my choice will have a serious debate on the Deluge in ‘Bihar and its responsibility’. Why after 60 years of independence and so much of technical advancement by the country in all the areas of engineering, Bihar is still at the mercy of Kosi? Why a government that can waive 70,000 crore loan of the farmers and provide a subsidy on the fertilizers to the extent of Rs 90,000 crore can’t take up some project of national importance to overcome the source of this misery?
I got the answer to my question, ‘why it is so’. Even after more than 25 million people across 14 districts affected and 2.5 lakh houses destroyed in Bihar by the Kosi menace, the channels never thought the subject fit enough requiring a debate in its programmes at 8 PM. Two of the channels, NDTV India and CNN-IBN found communal problem with reference to Orissa’s incidents as the subject of debate. Among the other two, NDTV 24×7 debated homosexuality and the topic on CV18 was ‘left is problem or solution for reforms’. Is it not a gross irresponsible behaviour by the channel administrations in deciding the priority of burning issues? How can one overlook the natural calamity in Bihar that is there because the government after government has neglected Bihar for last 60 years? The channels would have debated why it has happened, and will Kosi remain curse in years to come too.
- Indra
Category: Government Policy/Administration |
4 Comments »
Dear sir,
I was also watching all the news channels yesterday and expecting that the biggest crisis in front of us will get the maximum attention. However, I could not find English news channels debating the same. On the other hand, lots of Hindi channels carried extensive stories of the tragedy. I think visual images speak a lot and was really moved by what I saw.
I think this will raise the whole India to do something to relieve the pain of so many people in whatever way they can — money, material, logistics support etc.
I am very hopeful that the people of Bihar will show their resilence and whole of India will rise to the ocassion.I can already see lot of sympathy and action from lots of concerned Indians.
Regards
Posted by: Balajee Diwakar at September 1, 2008 @ 5:23 pm
Comments from Patnadaily.com:
Don’t you feel that we Biharis should do things for ourselves? Don’t forget it was this Bihar which was the seat of the great Magadh empire It was this Bihar which gave the world and man the first taste of democracy (Vaishali under Ajatshatru), it gave the rupee and the custom systems (started by Sher Shah Suri) and the Grand Trunk Road.
However we as NR Biharis are making efforts to try to combat the present crisis in the form of rehab/health center. - Dr Murli Sinha, UK - Sept. 1, 2008
The article is an eye-opener how the Bihar leaders have been busy only in mudslinging on each other and never interested in the developmental works except development of their own and family. Standard of media has gone down so much that their of area of ineterest has remained limited to showing glimpse of one man only shading crocodile tears with sole motto to target the rival even at this point of catastrophe. - Ramashray Sinha - Sept. 1, 2008
I urge all sections of the society and people to come forward and help our brothers and sisters in Bihar in this hard time. This is not the time to blame each other. First priority should be to provide food and shelter to all the affected people.
Media role is very important in this kind of natural calamity and I hope all media people will do their job responsibly and generously. - Gunjan kumar, Bangalore - Sept. 1, 2008
The plight of Bihar really forces all of us to search our soul to find the reason behind this malaise. When we look deeper, we find that there are N numbers of problems which has plagued this state.
I personally feel only a revolution involving the classes and masses can help rebuild Bihar, it’s image. - Ritesh Kumar, Gurgaon - Sept. 1, 2008
This is a normal question which comes in my mind also. But we have to think that this is not the first time Bihar has been neglected by the media or the Indian Government. This should be thought by our political parties which represent Bihar through MP (Parliament). If you thing about any facilities like tax contribution, power (electricity), fertilizers, food purchased by Food Corporation of India etc in every place Bihar position is not a comfortable position. Dam has come or in the processes in almost every river in India except in Bihar’s rivers. If you see in north east state we find there so many dams are coming in the picture but what happens to Bihar? - Rajesh Kumar - Sept. 1, 2008
Posted by: Indra at September 1, 2008 @ 7:01 pm
This just indicates that the media guys are in for money??
It’ their living. They are not a non-profit oraganization.
Can somebody tak out his head today & say that Ramgopal Verma makes movies on ganglords, Dawood & mafia to tell the society what their life is?? It’ pure entertainment for money…
Also, these media houses are end of the day corporate bigwigs…
regards
Neeraj
Mexico City
Posted by: Neeraj Kumar Singh at October 12, 2008 @ 4:44 am
Hi Indra: I read some of the posts & they really interest me but what I feel disconnected on is - most of the posts seem to be “TOO GLOBAL” in nature; what I mean that the discussion is happening at around 30k feet level.
is there any implementation plan or are we doing something with the help of these posts (in terms of bringing some people together) or it is just a forum to come, stay far till you want to show your intellectual prowess & then forget about it.
if latter, i am out of it (well, anyways, I was not an invitee) but if we really plan to do something, lets talk that.
regards
Neeraj
Posted by: Neeraj Kumar Singh at October 12, 2008 @ 4:49 am
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