Between the Lines

2003-11-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

Media and Women

Women's image in the media- undoubtedly done to death. But now an interactive, multimedia curriculum for students of media courses encourages a critical exploration of advertising and the images of women that it projects.

The future copywriters and journalists will perhaps learn a bit more than what they already know.

A good step, but will the ads change? I doubt it.

2003-11-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Election Time!

The pre-election polls have begun. Outlook did one. So did India Today. And now it's Zee News. And on NDTV India, you get to watch satires on Uma Bharti, Diggy, and everyone else in the political scenario!

What is next? A poll on which of these polls will be the most accurate? Not a bad idea! ;-)

2003-11-14T07:21:00.000-08:00

What the future holds…

As India has their General elections (Lok Sabha elections) coming closer, everyone’s eyes are pinpointed on the current campaigns launched by the two main Political Parties in India that is the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress for the elections that are going to take place in 5 states. And though Mr. Chandrababu Naidu might try his heads and what not off to have elections in his state, we will rely upon our very own Mr. J.M.Lyngdoh to keep him at bay.

But these days while visiting many websites I have come across these banners and ads on the websites having this particular link – “Howard Dean for America.” Now, I do not know whether Howard Dean will be elected as the Democratic Presidential candidate fighting against Bush or not but it seems he has some stiff competition from many other people within the Democrat sector. Read more about it here.

This brings me to the following point, I was talking with my aunt who’s residing in Detroit and I asked her what does she think about George Bush and the approaching elections in her country and she had something interesting to offer. She stated that if Rudolph Giuliani would run for President as a Republican candidate she would definitely vote for him and if not then she would definitely resist bringing the Republican Party back in power. The recent trends however do seem to show that George W. Bush is leading but one thing is for sure that Mr. Rudolph Giuliani’s’ contribution to New York is not forgotten yet.

2003-11-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

Destination India

India has been attracting a lot of foreign production houses lately. With the Indian economy opening up, we are seeing many pictures being filmed in India. Recently, Harvey Weinstein (the pioneer of Miramax) was in India looking as to how “Bride & Prejudice” a movie under his production was going on and also looking for destinations in India as a possibility where movies can be shot at a much cheaper rate. The reason I suddenly came up with this realization is when I came across this news information stating that “The Bourne Supremacy” a sequel to "The Bourne Identity" which starred Matt Damon will be partially shot in India.

In fact, destinations like Morocco, Malta (where the epic Troy was recently shot) all have become targets for some major production companies who are grabbing the opportunities presented by governments for opening up their nation for business oriented purposes. And what could be better than getting a big budgeted flick, with some superstars coming and shooting and going Ga-Ga over your country.

A great example here can be that of the trilogy of Lord of the Rings which was shot entirely in New Zealand and so amazed was the government that they themselves have spent loads of money: Like renovating a theatre where the World Premiere of the final installment of the trilogy (Return of the King) will take place and promoting New Zealand as a fantastic region for shooting movies. The result is evident as The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise had its dominant shooting done in New Zealand itself.
So go India!!!

2003-11-10T11:20:00.000-08:00

Eagerly Awaited

One of my most anticipated movies this year is Elephant. I can't wait for it to be released in India, which I sadly must admit might not even happen because we never saw "Bowling for Columbine" make it; so Elephant is a huge expectation. But I came across this article in which Mr. Gus Van Sant (Director of films like My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy, Finding Forrester) talks about Elephant as a depiction of his perception on the how the Journalists covered the Columbine High School Massacre.

I personally believe that this movie would not be well versed with the Members of the Academy (Oscars) but I definitely do beleive in one thing and that is: Gus Van Sant is one true visionary. He is a fabulous director, who really brought independent cinema the recognition and spotlight that it deserves immensely.

Watch the trailer of this movie - it will make an impact, it really made me think and I still have visuals from the trailer imprinted on my mind. Some shots are visually just so stunning. Hail Gus!!!

2003-11-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

He had it coming

Scott Peterson's trial has been dominating Larry King's show these days. So I decided to look up into the matter and get some first hand information. You gotta listen to Larry King, believe me, he is one heck of a guy.

What I found interesting in the case was that under the Californian law, if Scott Peterson is convicted he will be charged on two counts - The death of his wife Laci Peterson and also his unborn son. Right now it is going to be tough for Scott Peterson to prove he is "Not-Guilty" because things do not stand very bright for him. Too many conincidences are apparent in the disappearance of his wife.

Check out this Photo Gallery, to get some basic information about the case and if then you feel interested go on to the detailed version.

Wonder with the intense coverage by the media for this case what will be next a book by Scott Peterson or a documentary by NBC or CBS?

2003-11-09T08:19:00.000-08:00

Slam, Damn and it’s banned!!!

Being a huge movie-buff I was surfing through the web reading all the Not-So Good reviews for Matrix: Revolutions until I came across this rather absurd piece of information. Jim Carrey cannot be withstood as God by the Egyptian people. Poor Jim, he was only God for a week, give him a break. So Bruce Almighty will not be released in Egypt and this does come as a Shocker to me because it was my belief that Egypt was one of the few countries which came across as a nation with a moderate stance.

So we can easily leave out the possibility of "In the Cut" making it?

2003-11-08T04:59:00.000-08:00

Jayalalitha's - "Don't mess with me"

It is not a suprise that a newspaper like The Hindu which is the most widely read English newspaper in Chennai has fallen into troubles with the government of AIADMK. Many debates have lingered on what sought of freedom should the Press be entitled to and what are the barriers that should be laid down? This incident perhaps throws some light upon a long-ranging debate.

N. Ram, the editor-in-chief has a task in his hand as he will have to battle with the Might of Jayalalitha who in her rather incident prone tenure has ensured all her opponents are either silenced or taught a lesson. She definitely is a Wonder Woman.

Read more about it here.

2003-11-07T23:06:00.000-08:00

Interesting Reads

It's Justice Time around everywhere!!!. Indian Legal system is suddenly on a Road that is Less Travelled by. We are seeing decisions pounce upon us and it is becomng hard to keep track of things.

But what really caught my eye was the Eased Confession of the Green River Killer - Gary Hidgeway. It is a Must Read and just shows that after all every Legal system has its Loopholes.

2003-10-13T08:33:00.000-07:00

Dumb Down- Officially

This is the beginning of "dumbing down newspapers to attract young readers". And why not? Fewer and fewer people from the younger generation are reading newspapers, or even bothering about news.

2003-08-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

BBC Style Guide

BBC News has released a PDF version of its stylebook.

Whether you want to work for the Beeb or not, it's a must-read for full-fledged journos or aspiring ones.

2003-08-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

Newspapers promote ragging?

According to a student, the newspaper coverage of ragging in Delhi University promoted the crime.

And maybe he/she does have a point. The media are becoming less and less responsible, but who cares?

And should the head honchos of the media companies even bother?

2003-08-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

Freelancers!

Maybe I did this only to serve my purpose, but a few good websites for freelance writers-

Writing World

Peak Writing

Freelancing Tips at Sree.net

2003-08-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

Question

A discussion we had in class today- the role the media can play as a:
-watchdog
-forum for public opinion
-important informer

Of course, the group was divided on the first one. I was noty so sanguine about the media being a watchdog. After observing from both inside and outside the industry, my views have changed.

We are at the mercy of the media sometimes. We are not sure whether to believe a particular quote or statistic or report. Can't take anything at face value, can we?

Another debate for next week - Are jeans, Coca-Cola and Baywatch America's real cultural representatives?

Maybe they're not. Then what is America's real culture? And how well as the media (both American and non-American) projected it?

2003-07-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

The Most Influential Blogs

According to Mark Glaser, these are the most influential blogs on the web.

No surprises there.

2003-07-19T02:05:00.000-07:00

Get Outta Here!

A famous Pakistani university may ban several classics from its English syllabus- ranging from Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock, Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, because they contain "offensive sexual connotations".

What next? Banning these books from the entire country?

2003-07-19T01:56:00.000-07:00

Oh Boy!

Vikram Seth has just got 1.3 million pounds in advance for his upcoming memoirs about his great uncle. And five publishers bid for the book, without even reading the manuscript! Now that's something!

I'm booking my copy in advance!

And a lesser-known writer from Mumbai (Bombay), Ashok Banker, has signed a Rs. 9.5 crore deal for a seven-part series on the Ramayana.

Will lesser-known writers finally start making money?

2003-07-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

Showtime!

The Iraq-destroyers have admitted their mistake.

The question is- how do they amend it?

I'd say take a hike.

2003-07-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

Lessons for a Journo

Experience the noble tradition of a journalist! (Link via Codey)

A must-watch! (Flash needed).

2003-06-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

One can See Through The Glass

For all those Journalism freaks out there, if there was a Jayson Blair, long before him was a Stephen Glass. The guy fabricated stories for The Rolling Stones, George, The New Republic (the biggest victims)etc. To know more about his antics follow these links -

The Pennsylvania Gazette
Columbia Journalism Review

And for all those who are bored to waste their time on reading, you can soon catch on a movie about Stephen titled "Shattered Glass". Starring Anakin Skywalker aka Hayden Christensen in the lead.

2003-06-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Order of the Potter

So Harry's conquered the world again. I don't find that young fella any better than the enchanted trees and Janet, Peter, George, Fatty and others, created by Enid Blyton. Or the cute but meaningful Panchatantra and Jataka tales I read as a child. And the abridged Oliver Twist and Tom Sawyer.

And that haircut is no good because hair is sure to fall over the eyes of children.

2003-06-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

Ads or News?

Should news and editorial space be sold? The industry insiders debate over it. The Hindu writes about sponsors (re)writing news.

2003-06-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

The Good Ones

I called my cellular network the other day. After punching in my phone number and a few other extensions, I was put on hold, and then told, "Your call is important to us." Of course it was, or they wouldn't have put me on hold for just 12 minutes.

So the Customer Service Executive (different from the Billing Executive I had asked for?) came on, and asked the customary questions. I asked something, and I was put on hold again, then I asked another question, and was on hold yet again. And I'm not a classical music listener, so it was a learning experience for me, in a way.

After more holding time and less talking time, I finally hung up, the process complete but unsatisfying. If the customers were so precious why put them through this hell? And where are our educated Indians, with excellent communication skills and being underpaid? And the efficiency for which Indian call centres are well-known?

I forgot. They are busy talking to clients in the US and UK. We get lots of foreign exchange, and even more bad service in return.

2003-06-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Literary Visions

Playwright Kiran Nagarkar believes artists and writers should work towards a cause. Some writers agree, some think otherwise. Nonetheless, inspiring reading. Here are his visions for a divided world.

2003-06-07T02:37:00.000-07:00

The Price to Pay…

Serena Williams lost to Justine Henin in the semi-finals of Roland Garros on Thursday. And the aftermath of that match has brought into focus many aspects for me.

Now one thing is pretty certain that on that day Henin-Hardenne played the match of her life and was by far the better player on court. There is no denying that. However, nobody could miss the one sidedness of the French audience that day. They all were rooting for Henin and obviously it was driving The Younger Williams mad. Why did the French public react this way? Is this the way one treats the Number One Women’s Player in the World? We can bring out many theories for this
a) Were they angry for the thrashing that Serena had bestowed on their player Mauresmo and they wanted revenge? (Pretty Lame I say)
b) Belgium and France are pretty much close countries, in fact half of the Belgium population speaks French, is this mutual bond?
c) We all know things have not been going great between France and USA lately - was Serena a victim of Politics and anti-US wave?
d) Or was the French public racially biased?
e) Were people in simple words just sick of seeing Serena win and wanted a change?
f) Or was this an answer to Serena’s stubbornness when once she proclaimed that she would pass the year “Unbeaten”

I was dismayed to see that if Serena questioned the line calls (which everyone does in French open as one can see the marks) there was constant booing, if she put the ball in the net (there was cheering). Serena was aggressive (My Mom says she was like a woman who was out there to eat someone) but guys this is Williams Sisters we are talking about, I mean this is the angle they have bought to women’s tennis, it is power, ruthless aggression and dominance. Women’s tennis is no more about elegance and all that. Okay, I must say there were some pretty harsh stares from Serena’s part (& it was because Henin was one of the two people whom she had lost out to this season, Mauresmo being the other one.)

But what is happening is that people are forgetting the wonderful tennis that was displayed on that evening. It was one of the best matches I have ever seen. Henin constantly reminded me of Steffi Graf. Her serve was top notch, her forehand was startling, she was looking unbeatable. But then Serena came in the match and displayed the people why she is Numero Uno.

The Media is largely empathizing with the younger sibling saying that she was a victim. And Serena’s tears in the Press conference where she stated that - “It's a little difficult. All my life I've had to fight. So it's just another fight. I'm going to have to learn how to win. That's all.”The American was clearly hurt by the approach of the audience and also her losing the match. The girl has got so use to winning that she cannot stand losing. The same thing occurred in Roland Garros when Steffi Graf beat Martina Hingis in 1999 Finals. Hingis was mentally exhausted. The crowd was vouching for Steffi throughout. May be with the stiff competition, the mental level of the game has deteriorated. Players just cannot handle the pressure.

2003-06-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

In Demand

While Nisha Sharma is being lauded and felicitated all over the country and the world, a 20-year-old movie came to mind. Shubh Kaamna, which means Good Luck. It is yet another movie on the dowry system and other plaguing issues, like corruption and curse of the girl child. Yet it conveys its message(s) in a light manner.

Much has been written and said about the tradition of dowry since dowry deaths, how bad it is, how giving and accepting dowry is a crime, yet it is supplied in a hush-hush manner, and overlooked like it was as much a part of the wedding ceremony as the pheras.

If movies couldn't do the trick, perhaps the media coverage of Nisha Sharma will inspire more young women to put their foot down?

Fingers crossed.

2003-06-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Job Call

Salam Pax the man behind the weblog
"Where is Raed” is in news again. This time around it’s really great – he has got a job in UK Paper. Know more about it here.

Man blogging really pays off doesn’t it? Gets you name, fame and now also a job. Cool. Way to go!! Mera Number kab aayegaa.

2003-06-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Felicidades

It was really really nice to see AC Milan become the new Winners of UEFA Champions League . I was really glad for Maldini that guy just keeps going on. Even at 34, his spark and hold over the game continues to grow. It is just amazing. Little disheartened for Alex Del Piero too, but I guess he has much to look forward too.

Montoya won the F1 at Monte Carlo, a really deserved victory; it was hard to see Juan even making it to the Chequered Flag so to see him winning race was Fab!!! Again the season is really getting excited and Kimi (My New Crush these days) continues to be one of the most consistent drivers on the circuit. And the risk elememt of the sport continued to show as Jenson Button survived a crash in the Practice session.

Hewitt crashed out of the French Open in the 3rd Round losing to Tommy Robredo after being two sets up. Again it puts questions to the ability of Male Number One Players to win the French Open. The dominance of the South Americans and the Spaniards continues on Clay.

And I would really like people to visit this great Oscar Site titled Oscar Race, the great part of this site – which I became aware of a few days back after visiting it regularly was that its ran by an Indian residing in Mumbai. It is a Grand Site, one of the best resources for great movies and their reviews and Oscar Countdown

2003-06-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

Reality Bites

Reality sitcoms are the flavour of this month for me. Today, I watched almost three hours of American Idol and so fascinated I was by the show that I went and actually saw the winner on internet. Almost all of these reality flicks air in India only when they are done with in America, still I personally feel they are an extremely good source of TP.

Many new Reality series are popping in, and people had estimated that it would be a short term thing, kind of like a fad. But as it happens, Reality series have surpassed the initial time they were expected to run. Infact more and more are imminent in the future, (The latest concept is for the gays – Guy Selects Guy) if America gets bored of it, then Europe or Africa picks it up. 'Big Brother' is one such example. I tasted the African version of it (and Jeez the man from Namibia was hot!!). Then there are the reliable and trusted ones like 'Survivor' which are like the GodFathers of Reality Series. (Going on and one from Thailand to Amazon.) "Bachelor" was another series that I watched thanx to this African bunch of channels that I get. AXN is the only channel which is showing us “The Amazing Race 4” as it happens, I think we are just a day or two behind the American Schedule.

India too is catching the bug with Mission Everest and though I remember ZEE once had made this pretty much futile attempt to mimic Survivor and it did not work out. The main dilemma facing Indian television while making Reality flicks is that first some one has to have the audacity to invest in it and second of all they really need to have the courage to snatch away the audience from the soapies. Another interesting aspect to note is that Reality series are doing really well in USA whether it is Joe Millionaire or American or Survivor they all featured in the top ten most watched shows. June 15th onwards the Indian version of American Idol begins with Coke V Popstars 2. Wonder it will work out?

2003-05-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

Imperialism

While the kids are busy learning about imperialism as part of history, and how bad and mean it was, America is creating history. Not by being the first country in the world to have a idiot as a President, but by indulging in imperialism in this age of democracy.
This essay by Arundhati Roy published in Outlook points out USA's imperialistic intentions.

Look at America's unreasonable conquer of Iraq and its aftermath. Where is the much talked-about freedom of the Iraqi people? They have little food, even lesser drinking water, their museum has been looted in spite of it being labelled as an important site to be protected, children orphaned, families lost... is this the freedom they asked for? Sure, they got freedom from the bad guy, but now they've been passed into the hands of another bad guy. The bad guy who is interested only in their oil, the guy who shocked and awed Iraq as well as the rest of the world, the guy who wants to turn their country into a haven for American capitalists so the latter can make pots of dollars.

And what can the Iraqis do? Hope that another country rescues them from the clutches of the capitalists? That just doesn't seem possible, for who will dare to challenge Big Daddy?

They say (in not-so-hushed tones) the next target will be Syria. And after Syria?

After that, the beginning of the end of democracy.

2003-05-24T00:43:00.000-07:00

The Future Of Journalism

Washington Post columnist Colbert I. King, like every other journalist in the US of A, was asked what he thought about the Blair-NYT controversy. This is what he says. A great read for journalism students all over the world.

2003-05-24T00:39:00.000-07:00

Love in Paris

French Open is going to start soon and well am I so geared for it. Has anyone seen the advertisements of Ten Sports promoting the Grand Slam? They call it the most Romantic Grand Slam and yeah I know it’s had it share of love stories and all. The most recent one was when Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf realized their love for each other in the beautiful city of Paris. The Open of Love and all. My favorite tennis player Marat Safin also dreams of winning this grand slam, obviously I do not want him to fall in love with someone there. But that is an all together different thing.

If French Open or Roland Garros signifies love, then I thought we should give the other Grand Slams some definition too. See it is not right to leave them alone.

Australian Open – “I hope I don’t catch fire cos of the heat” Open.
Wimbledon – stuck in the 1800’s Open
U.S Open – “Let’s Get Wild” Open

Now seriously, Australian I guess it is “Kangaroos or Koalas” which define them, Wimbledon I always remember the “Fresh Cream and Strawberries” (Hmmmm) and U.S. Open I always remember it as the Open where “The Naked Statue of Arthur Ashe is present.”

And coming back to French Open, remember Agassi had bet Steffi that if he wins the Australian Open which he did, she would have to play in the mixed doubles with him. Last that we heard was that he was having a hard time convincing Steffi to live up to that promise. Women Argghhh. But, latest news is that “Steffi is pregnant” with their second child on the way. (Your respective Reactions welcomed)

Coincidence: Brooke Shields – Agassi’s Ex-wife also became a Mommy recently. Steffi on the way of becoming a Mommie Again.

2003-05-19T05:09:00.000-07:00

Oops! I put on some weight.

Well well Christina Aguilera is surely a “Fighter” of some sorts and I do not know whether she is doing exactly “What a Girl Wants” but she has made it clear that she still Will look “Beautiful", no matter what they say.” Christina Aguilera is no more an anorexic Guyzz. She’s no more a “Genie in a Bottle” because now you would not need a bottle to fit her in. We have a new and revamped Christina, well the real Christina, who is a junk food freak and who recently, has been spotted drinking a lot and all the weight that she has put on has been attributed to the tons of beer possession.

Now comes the question, why do people freak out when celebrities put on weight? Especially in the case of Aguilera I really thought that she needed some. Man, watching “F.R.I.E.N.D.S” I thought Courtney Cox Arquette needed to put on some weight, I saw the Trailer of “Ishq Vishq Pyar Vyar” and I thought the Actor “Shahid” had to put on some kilos in his muscles and waist.

That day while surfing through one of my favorite TP sites I came across a huge battle between the fans who thought Christina Aguilera was a “Dirtty Gal” by putting on 30 pounds in one month or so. While some loyal fans “Turned to her side” and asked people to give her a break. After all she is doing the right thing, eating food and being healthy and normal!

But then came the harshest critics – when you are a celebrity, you have a price to pay and people think she looks like a very ordinary person with her new image, then the second one is that she has a tour starting in June with Justin Timberlake – putting on so much of weight, is it going to do her any good. Also none of the shows have been a sell out yet. Are people thinking that by putting on all that pounds Christina has let them down, as the sexy and stripped girl she was claiming to be.

“Christina” please do not get “So Emotional” all men have “Falsas Esperanzas” regarding women. I love your music and whether you sing it with a tummy or without it, I do not care, so long as your voice remains the same and your songs have that balance of peppiness and soul.

BTW, Check out the pics – Christina Now & Then

2003-05-18T03:17:00.000-07:00

Playboy Tales

God knows why but a lot of Playboy news is surfing around me lately. And I just thought I must share my Playboy concerns with you.

1. Playboy has some disastrous affects on your life – let me warn you. Miss Russia had to give up her title because three years before she had featured on the Russian version of the magazine. That cost her title! I thought Playboy gets you fame and money and rich millionaires to marry.
2. Then I read in New York Times an article about how Playboy is losing a lot of its viewer ship because of stern competition from rival magazines like “Maxim”, “Stuff” and FHM who are giving Playboy a run for their money. So they are now recruiting people to avoid complete nudity cause it seems that is “Not In” right now in US. After all in India it is the current trend.
3. As if things were not weird enough, I get this South African channel which shows me American reality shows like “American Idol”, “Survivor”, “Bachelor” which I must admit I am glad I can see, because really some of them do match up to Good TP. And then I saw the trailer of this show called “Who wants to be a Playboy Playmate?” where I could have never believed young girls are actually competing to feature on the cover of Playboy.

And now I can breathe easy. The load is off my back. Help Me, I’m being chased by PlayBoy!!!!!

2003-05-18T01:36:00.000-07:00

Back To the Past

It’s been a long long time since I have worked on the blog, while RK is busy attending a “Hot Summer Wedding” and me busy in getting myself acquainted to the “Hot Language – Spanish” well we all have been busy quite lately.

As if nothing was happening at all, it is back to the basics – Terrorism. If U.S.A. thought they would get away with Operation Iraqi Freedom well were they in for surprises. In a way we all knew it was bound to happen, and I am not surprised that Middle East is now the target with Saudi Arabia and Morocco (allies of USA) being the targets, I wonder whose next. And in Kashmir though the Honorable Chief Minister Mr. Mufti is busy promoting tourism, the string of terrorists attack continues. And Jerusalem the state of affairs is kind of similar, as soon as the respective governments try to settle down and talk “Its Boom”, you just mention the word Dialogue in the air and it is like “Boom”.

Our Dear neighbor Pakistan have initiated a friendly move and decided to release 20 Indian prisoners who were under their custody and I wonder what will be our next step. I think so we already have released the prisoners (Remember IC814 Hijacking) so please do not expect anything in return. As if the world did not have much to worry about, we have Glenn McGrath fighting and a new line up of ministers and Conditional Access System to face up to. Jeez, there is nothing good to talk about, even in movies we have “Bhoot, Harry Potter, Darna Mana Hai, Armaan ( A Medical Pain) and Ishq Vishq blah blah” to confront. Even the Indian cricketers and industry have left to enjoy themselves in England and South Africa (where I wonder do people actually care??).

And if there is one person who is having a ball of a time and getting to meet some of the coolest celebrities and creative wizards of film making – it is Aishwarya Rai. James Bond screw him, do not be surprised to see Aishwarya in some Soderbergh or French movie soon. Vivek and Salman – Hasta La Vista babies.

2003-05-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

Men's Lib
I pity the men of my generation after reading this. May there be more hilarious columns like these!

2003-05-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Specials

Come the hot season, and every women's magazine in India is flooded with swimsuit and summer specials- Wear the Right Swimsuit for your Body Type, The Best Designer Swimsuits this Summer, How to Get the Sun-Kissed Look... The list goes on.

And every such special is picked up and read with varying degrees of interest. Interest or no interest, what I fail to understand is why such magazines year after year, waste time, energy and resources on such useless features. True, less than half the features in all kinds of magazines today are of any importance to anyone, but this example just came to my mind.

It's a well-known fact that in India, women rarely wear swimsuits. The ones that do wear these revealing water-proof suits are either the professional swimmers, and just a handful are casual swimmers. Indian women don't visit beaches either, especially in swimsuits- it could be to avoid (ugly) tans, or because of the rowdy crowds, or because their hubbys don't let them.

And so, what's the practical value of having such features? None whatsoever.

And all other magazines (and newspapers and TV Channels) seem to be heading down this road of supplying more and more useless information to readers. An actor of bygone days with famous daughters had a bypass surgery- this made it to one of the news channels. What's more, the hospital was shown, and so was the great surgeon who performed this amazing operation. Every PYT in town is now wearing corsets, that made headlines too. And there's more such stuff (that would be the most appropriate word for it) which earlier wouldn't even come close to news, but now is being sold (literally) as hard-core news.

We are now dumbing down.

2003-05-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

What they Should Promote...

Ektaaa Kkapoorr- Glycerine

Fardeen Khan- Charas

Salman Khan- Steroids

Dubya- Stupidity pills (if there are such pills!)

Britney Spears- Liposuctions

Aishwarya Rai- Coloured contact lens

Sanjay Leela Bhansali- Chewing gum

Sourav Ganguly- Nail-clipper

Couldn't think of any more!

2003-05-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

He's Back!

Just when I thought he'd disappeared, Salam Pax of Where is Raed? came back! It's still not clear whether he's real or not, but he's got a lot of publicity- BBC, Alertnet, The Scotsman, Wired... and of course, JALS! (links via Anita)

2003-05-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

What is the Matrix?

The Matrix is one of my favourite movies. Even though we may not be trapped in a real matrix like the movie says, I think life is pretty much a matrix- Nothing is what it seems to be.

I thought I was one of the few Matrix fans till I came across Matrix Essays, a fantastic weblog about The Matrix and its sequel. There are extracts and hyperlinks to write-ups about The Matrix from all over the web-right from the Oracle's gestures to Morpheus's T'ai Ch'i moves. What more could a hard-core fan of The Matrix ask for?

2003-05-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Anti-American or not?

Madonna caused ripples when she released her new video American Dream, because people thought it was anti-American. The new video has Madonna singing to lyrics like:

American life
I live the American dream
You are the best thing I've seen,
You are not just a dream.

And you see flags of different countries waving in the background. The video ends with the American flag, of course.

The question is- is it really anti-American, and pro-Iraq? Madonna of course denied it. But the lyrics of the song do mean something. It doesn't sound like she's anti-American, but anti-materialist, with a little mockery of the American obsession with superficiality- Do I need to lose some weight? (The obsession with losing weight is well-known, even Monica Lewinsky's trysts with desserts weren't spared).

If you pay close attention to the lyrics, especially the part where she raps about having everything possible to be a star (nannies, bodyguards, sylists), and ending with Do you think I'm satsfied?, you can't help but think that she really isn't satisfied with what she has, and satisfaction isn't all just about having all those things which Americans would die for. Or are they just random lyrics?

2003-05-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

It’s That Time of the Year Again

It’s the most hottest news on the circuit - our very own X Men Starrer “Storm” aka “James Bond Girl” aka “Sexy Abs” girl tops the list of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.”

Well, Halle Berry created headlines in 2002 itself when she became the first “African – American woman in 74 years of Academy history to nab the best actress award.” Her speech and spontaneous display of emotions had won the hearts of millions and made many people cry too. For some it was the belief that finally the black actors are getting some recognition for their contribution to Hollywood. Anyways back to the Beautiful.

Though I am not an ardent fan of the feature of 50 Most Beautiful People, must say it does create some anticipation in me. News like Julia Roberts has managed to come for a record eight times and the absence of “Orlando Bloom” (Legolas Greenleaf) the most beautiful man in Lord of the Rings trilogy does disappoint me a lot. Then there are the likes of Britney Spears who manage to burp in and some people like Ashton Kutcher who features as “Kelso in That 70s Show” do thrill me.

Then there is another bunch of humans whose presence is there mainly because they dominated the headlines in the Gossip Column like “Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, CZ Jones, Salma Hayek” and then there are those who are there solely because of their contributions like “Daniel Day Lewis (the star of otherwise pretty dull Gangs of New York), Norah Jones (Grammy Award Winner), Julianne Moore (the actual Best Actress of the Year), Leonardo DiCaprio ( I never knew he could act and be hot one at the same time).

Well, next year some of these people will lose their beauty and some new will come in and we will again look who are the most Beautiful People in the World tomorrow. But whatever one says I know People’s Magazine solely because they came up with this trend, I do not know who is on the board to select these 50 People, or how they evaluate and rate them – but I guess Life is Funny and Beautiful after all.

2003-05-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Living Life The Amish Way???

The latest SARS developments have left me puzzled. I am utterly confused on whom to believe and whom not too. I must admit that this disease is having far reaching consequences on my life too. Well Pune is now the hot spot for disease in India and my recent plans to go to Film and Television Institute of India have to be flushed and well news in from Australia is that they are not giving visas to people from Asia in threat of SARS hitting their country. So indirectly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is affecting the lives of millions of people.

Now the most amazing part was the recent news that this disease is meant to be and will not vanish from the scenario completely which really puts me in a panic state and hearing from my Uncle that this disease had hit one of his friends in Australia back in 2002 and though he recovered from it, his lungs are severely damaged that he cannot even think of moving back to Delhi or Mumbai. Plus, United States of America is taking matters in its own hands (After all its time for some re-action besides panic and protection) - A vaccination for SARS in 2-3 years possibly. Vaccines and Medicines pretty much define our lives now-a-days.

Did anyone notice Madonna's new video “American Life”, I would say its “Okay”, I mean I have seen Madonna doing way better than this. “Vogue” is one of my all time favorites. Talking about Madonna with my friends we tried to analyze Madonna’s pretty much futile attempt to rap, though it sounds good but you can understand each and every word that she is saying, so rap and Madonna do not merge in well.

Yesterday while being on one of my favorite sites Crime library , I was reading this story of the first Amish man being convicted of murder in the American legal history. Quite an interesting piece, though the material on the site is extremely gruesome and sometimes very disturbing and spooky, it is very informative. I personally have been very fascinated by the Amish people, this piece provides a great deal of input on Amish customs and traditions and way of life.

And well the debate rages on in terms of equal pay for men and women players in Tennis.Wimbledon has made a very important announcement that it would not be obligatory from now on to bow in front of the Royal Box. Thank God!!! But they are pretty much stiff in their stands that they will pay men more than women. The salaries have increased for the individual titles respectively and Australian Open and U.S. Open are the only grand slams that have equal wages for both the parties. So what say you?

2003-05-01T00:56:00.000-07:00

Poll or Mole?

NDTV conducted a poll in Baghdad on what Iraqis thought of US invasion of their country.

Here are a couple of important stats:

Number of respondents: 1000

Population of Iraq: 24,001,816 (July 2002 est.)

Does 1000 people out of 24,001,816 signify much? My calculator tells me 1000 people corresponds to 0.004166% of the Iraqi population. Less than 0.05% of the population can hardly be representative of the population. So while the world rejoices or rejects the results of the poll (54% said that the US war to remove Saddam Hussein was right), they forget that the poll may actually signify nothing.

Of course, all opinion polls across the world are conducted with such meagre figures. And then their results are publicised and upheld like the gospel truth. But I doubt if such polls deserve so much attention. They are so often misleading. On the one hand, you'll have a poll declaring J Lo the sexiest woman, a few days later, she will be replaced by someone else and slip to No. 5. I have never heard of people losing their sex appeal in a matter of days).

NDTV described the poll exercise as "not an easy task". Of course it wasn't an easy task. Scouring the streets and talking to people in a war-torn country is not a piece of cake. The correspondents surveyed 1000 people, and for that they deserve a pat on the back.

But the results cannot be vouched for as the true sentiment of the people, because a thousand people don't comprise Iraq.

2003-04-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

CLICK

Last year, Mumbai saw a sudden splurge of hoardings and advertisements of something called Click. It was supposedly the smarter choice. The print ads had a picture of the product- a flat, round, green box. Something like a chewing gum roll box. Click is nothing but a small tobacco packet whih a person places under his/her tongue, when aching to smoke, but can't (like in a public place).

The concept of all Click ads was this- a picture with someone important missing, like the groom, or a jockey. The punchline was- Gone for a Smoke?.

Some advertising professionals called it bad advertising- simply because they believed it was a bad ad. But even more appalling was the reaction of young people toward the ad. For them, Click with its attractive packaging and bad, yet prominent ads, was something to check out. So promos are meant to appeal- but what about the tobacco ones? Are the warnings enough?

Whether tobacco and cigarette ads be banned is the current debate in many social and business circles. I doubt if there can ever be a conclusive answer to this question.

2003-04-23T23:38:00.000-07:00

In Battles of Their Own

Finally, I can sit with ease on my PC and write, last few days have been hard I guess, but with my mother’s arrival things have started to become normal--- finally!

On Sunday, I witnessed a teary eyed Schumi win the San Marino Grand Prix and the news came to me that his mother had died just a few hours before on the very same day the race was to take place. She was in coma as she had fallen from the stairs of her home and it is sad to note both her sons were not by her side during her time of need. Now some people might say that it is Professionalism on the part of the drivers that they were able to confront the tragedy and race but my personal opinion is that they should have been there for their mother. I mean every year there are around 16 races taking place if Schumi and Ralf missed one what difference would it make. I mean really, hasn’t Schumi accomplished everything that has to be done in F1. It was pretty obvious that Ralf was barely in control of his emotions and well Michael Schumacher aka Schumi was in turmoil when the German National Anthem was taking place. No Champagne Celebrations this time around on the Podium and no Schumi on the post race press conference. By the way this was Schumi’s first win of the season.

In response to the incident earlier I remember, Sachin Tendulkar did not participate in a World Cup match against Zimbabwe, as his father was ill and ultimately died. And we saw the Indian team lose the match when it was almost in our hands to take it away. It is Sachin’s birthday today and he turn 30 (onlyyy) and well has anyone been lately following the way the media has been going ballistic over the “Young Master’s” birthday. After all he is the Man of the Series of the 2003 World Cup held in South Africa and yup he is still going on and on. Happy Birthday Sachin. Roll On.

And well no good movies to go and watch in theatres right now as the distributors are in battle with the producers and who would not blame them. One can watch “Chura Liya Hai Tumne” starring Zayed Khan and Esha Deol on Zee TV (Already!) Wasn’t it released just like a month or so before? Man is our film industry in some huge pit. But if Bollywood is in clutches watch out for the movies that are going to be coming in Hollywood and for that I have a blog of my own where I basically cover up the Hollywood movies that one has to watch out for in 2003 – 04 and which might even go on and win some Accolades. I write a small preview of them. So check it out!!
http://didujustsaytht.blogspot.com

2003-04-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

On the Other Side

Prannoy Roy is the man from Newstrack and has played a major role in the changing face of Indian news media. He has always shied away from the media, but with this interview by Anil Thakraney, Roy speaks out.

Here's another interview with him.

2003-04-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

Too Much or Too Little?

SET MAX will be showing the blockbuster Devdas this week. And the channel is doing everything it can to publicise it.

A part of the promo scheme is to air the popular songs and poignant scenes from the movie regularly till the movie is finally broadcast. While this seems to be a good way to inform and persuade people to watch the movie (the main objective of advertising), somehow showing complete scenes and entire songs, and from time to time, is a bit too much.

Thanks to their promos, I have seen the songs from the movie quite a few times and I've already had enough of them. When Devdas finally hits the small screen, I'll probably switch to another channel. And in any case, the advertisements are going to be unbearable. Methinks the movie will last at least four and a half hours!

2003-04-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Punjabi at Last!

I saw a Punjabi film for the first time ever. In spite of being a Punjabi, I've never seen a Punjabi film! I'd love to blog about it, unfortunately my wrist pain does not permit me to. I have to rest it for a couple of days, and perhaps exercise it in some other better way.

The computer caused the pain, and yet it's a lifeline! Strange!

2003-04-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

The Story of my Life

April 10, 2003

i woke up today @ 7 & went straight for a shower. then rushed to work. worked all day. got a headache so i came back early. right now i am very very tired. so going to bed. but i must feed my hamster before that. good nite!

Huh, what was that? No, it wasn't a page of my personal diary. Nor was it a snippet from any of the famous autobiographies. It is just an excerpt from a hypothetical weblog.

The blogging community rejoices at every mention the word 'blog' anywhere in print or television. 'Wow! Blogging is getting recognised the world over. We are getting recognised! Isn't that great?'

Yes, it is great, that a once-emerging concept, relatively unheard-of is now getting a mention in several places. And bloggers everywhere are jumping with joy when they see how senators, rock bands, journalists have caught the blogging bug. Blogging is hitting people faster than SARS.

But then, there is a flip side (there always is). People with absolutely nothing to do are blogging like crazy. The result- the hypothetical blog entry you read above. Every other blog you come across (randomly) will have content like:

I met some new girl in class today. I asked her name, and she told me, though I can't recall it now.

or

I read my favourite book 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' for the third time! I felt so happy for Harry in the end!

or

Today is the first New Year with my blog. Happy New Year!

So here we are, the serious members of the blogging community, giving extensive write-ups on why Dubya should not have attacked Iraq, why Eminem did not deserve the Academy Award, and there they are, writing about what they did, the music they heard all day, what a lovely time they had at the beach, and basically being the black sheep of the blogosphere.

Thousands of dorks thought it would be cool to just log on, and do something online, besides check their nonsensical and oft-received forwards, and chat with their tattooed or idiotic buddies online. The best thing for them to do was- blog! And blog they did. It's a fad now, just like once there was a fad to wear hipsters, and once it was a fad to have opium as described by DeQuincy in his book. And it is these so-called bloggers who are now becoming a major part of the blogging community, and well...taking the blog out of the blogging.

Of course, you can't dictate what another person should blog about, and it is your choice whetheryou want to even read a blog or not, but then, do the hard-core bloggers want to be part of just another trend that hit humans? So a day will come when someone will say: "Oh yeah, he's a blogger" in the same tone as, "Oh yeah, he knows his left from his right" or "Oh yeah, he knows ABC."

According to Phillip Kotler, the Marketing Guru, a fad is something which is easily accepted by the people, and disappears quickly. Is this what blogging is?

2003-04-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

I’m on a Stroll

Rather than being a person who would want to keep herself away from Golf, I’m one of those very rare species of girls that appreciates the intelligence of the Game called Golf. What I earlier thought was that this sport had certain traits; somehow a Rich Man’s game (In India it still is!) And that it had this thing that “one is just not hitting the ball, but planning the ball to the putt.” So I assumed that okay this game requires a great deal of patience and one is not only battling against humans but also against the forces of nature. But one thing that I noticed yesterday while watching the Augusta Masters (which has the air like just Wimbledon for Tennis) I realized how Golf had become a Popular game and no more a Gentleman’s Game.

An admission here is that I did not want to see Tiger Woods winning this title for the third time. What I have calculated is that many games are increasingly becoming unappealing because there is one person who is dominating the scenario of that game for pretty much a long time. Tiger Woods is the most consistent and dominating player in Golf, while in Tennis – Serena Williams for the women’s while Lleyton Hewitt for the men’s, in Cricket Australia is the team which pretty much defines the game, Schumi once was doing the same in Formula One, and Ian Thorpe in Swimming, while we always see China winning Women’s badminton and Table tennis titles – the list goes on.

So what does this mean? The supremacy of an individual in a sport leads to its downfall! We saw how people were getting extremely bored of seeing Ferrari and Michael Schumacher pretty much controlling the sport for two years or so. On the other hand, an individual who establishes his governance on a sport can also uplift the sport and get much needed support from the people. And for this the best example I can give is – Tiger Woods – what he has done for the Game of Golf, very few people can do for their respective game. When were the times did you actually see a Golf Player being on the cover of Sports Illustrated – Tiger started the trend and he has made the game so powerful and glittering that it is doing a great deal of good for the upcoming generation. Now at the age of 8, a boy or girl can say “Hey Mom & Dad, I want to be a Golfer.”

Augusta Masters 2003 did have a surprise in store for us- and it was that we had for the first time a Canadian to win a major title. Mike Weir a handsome 32 year old, left handed player became the first Canadian to win a Masters. Weir beat Len Mattiace in the playoffs and right from Day one was in sync with his game especially his putting was outstanding.

In other sports news, I am extremely happy to announce that sport personalities are going on with their lives and at the same time their careers, with Marion Jones pregnant, it is nice to see that people actually sometimes give priorities to their personal lives. The last time I saw that was when Jonty Rhodes announced his retirement from Test Cricket as he felt that he needed to give more time to his daughter (Awwww!!!)

Did anyone see how shattered the South African Cricket team appeared in the TVS Cup in Bangladesh? Ouch it hurt to see them so apart and pathetic in their play, they seemed like people who did not know each other at all. This brings me to another point, how important leadership is in team sport. Since the departure of Hansie Cronje, I have seen the downfall of the S.A.Team, nothing seems to be going right for them. The team was evidently divided into two camps the Smithys (Graeme Smith) and the Pollys (Shaun Pollock). It reminded me of the split that Congress had suffered in 1969 when the members of the party had to choose between Indira Gandhi (the then Prime Minister of India) and Mr. Kamraj (President of Congress then.)

2003-04-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

Three Men and No Women

I am currently reading Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. This book was highly recommended by a voracious reader (a cousin), who claimed it to be very funny.

And true to my cousin's word, the book is funny. There are parts where I can't help but smile, and some parts where I just have to laugh. The people around me may think I'm crazy, but there's a perfectly logical explanation for my assumed insanity. It's Jerome's style, his words, the sequence of events, and his caracterisation.

Unfortunately, there is one aspect he fails in (according to me). The portrayal of women. Most of the women as shown to be dressed in pretty and delicate outfits, or like people who easily get frightened. And there's more... but I don't want to get into details.

Portrayal of women is a very cliched topic, which comes up repeatedly wherever there are intelligent and concerned people. There are numerous seminars are held, myriads of books are written, and a couple of accusation letters or complaints are lodged. A few such things are reported in the press, but on the whole, the women on TV, print or Internet remain the same. Then there is a lull in such trying-to-make people aware activities. And out of the blue a demeaning ad or movie or soap opera springs up like a jack-in-the-box, and the topic is again discussed like there's no tomorrow.

And then there are those who say, "It's all about money, honey! I make something, I get paid for it, my employees get their bonus, that's all I care about, that's all I'm supposed to be doing." There are others who say, "People are intelligent. The choice is theirs- either they take it or they leave it."

But we yet go on and on, saying it is derogatory, unrealistic, irresponsible... and whatever else that can be said. I wonder why, in spite of no significant action taken, people still continue complaining. Because they know that some day they can make a difference? Maybe. Or because they feel it's their inherent duty to declare what they feel is wrong? Could be. Whatever the reason, I feel it's the approach that's wrong. A bit of sarcasm would help- like the Duryodhana awards for example.

I don't blame Jerome. It was innate for his generation, and his gender(!), of that generation, if not this one!

Where are the Germaine Greers and the Flavia Agnes's? Or the Bronte sisters and Louisa May Alcotts? As for Charlotte Perkins Gilman, I doubt there'll ever be another like her!

2003-04-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

The Eternal Blabbering of the Congested Mind

I’ve not written on the blog now for almost three days, and in these past three days I did see varied aspects of media. So I watched the much publicized Play “Class of 84” and it was a nice break from the various movies I have been watching lately. Directed by Rahul Da Cunha, the play features around the lives of 8 friends from the batch of ’84 from St. Xavier’s College. Well written, with each character having equal emphasis however it was perhaps two characters that made the audience go ballistic. Fuzzy, obsessed with Art of Living and Feng Shui & Cyrus or fondly called Charsi or Sci-Fi - were exceptionally dynamic. Watching Theatre is a blessing so if you people think that the recent Bollywood films suck; please do try on English & Hindi Theatre.

Then, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was next in line. I’m speechless to describe the brilliance of the movie and the extra-ordinary vision of the director "Peter Jackson”. All I can say is ‘Amazing’ no may be remarkable, nah startling, nope Miraculous. okay, I guess you got it!! This movie will be remembered 100 years down line and has already enlisted itself in cinematic history. Mr. Peter Jackson can I please play an extra in any of your films? You are awesome.

Mr. Mohammas Sayeed al-Sahaf is vanished for now, but he certainly has left his mark. There is a website dedicated to him now which has many visitors since its inception but the news is in that the site is down so one can visit it around the weekend. Sahaf with his witty talk has made many fans who believe that he should not be killed if found because there are very few politicians like him around. Something which I became aware of through the Indian Express article by Shishir Gupta was - Sahaf was a special envoy send by Saddam Hussein to India and during the 70s the Iraqi Ambassador to India..Cool!!! So we can offer him exile, can't we?

And perhaps the most hilarious news was how the flight of the remaining crew of Rolling Stones was cancelled because of some technical problem in the Air-India plane. The sad news was that the Rolling Stone show in Bangkok was cancelled and is now scheduled to take place in September. So, people of Thailand we’re very sorry please forgive us but you need not worry because these guys will be around even when I have my grand grand children. By the way did anyone notice the waist of Mick Jagger! He gives me a terrible complex. So who says dope ruins life.

2003-04-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

Poor Russell!

Gladiator Russell Crowe just got married. While many young (and not-so-young) hearts have been broken (including mine!), the most heart-broken will be the tabloid scribes and photographers. The pesky paparazzi hovered above the wedding ground in helicopters to get exclusives.

There is absolutely no doubt what must be going on in Crowe's mind during the wedding- Why can't they just leave me alone? Poor fella, he was one of the many targets of the scoop-hungry journos.

It's these journos that could be called the black sheep in the family. They're the ones who'd do anything for a story. Not just any story, but a story which will skyrocket their sales, and make their profits reach unimaginable heights. And they'll stoop lower than the trenches to get the exclusive.

I wonder what can be done to stop this behaviour. But of course, nothing! Because they will never stop as long as people love reading who's dating Liz Hurley, who kissed Anna Kournikova, who designed Halle Berry's Oscar outfit... I believe there will never be a stop to this.

Watch out, Catherine Zeta-Jones! They'll want the exclusive pictures to your new-born baby' s first moments.

2003-04-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

Your Name in the Headlines

I was reading BT today (not P3 though), and came across an article about a nondescript musician "who has carved a niche for himself..." I have never heard of him, even at a recent wedding in Delhi they didn't play his music. The article goes on to describe his tremendous talent, and his terrific music etc.

Below the article, in a teeny weeny font is the simple (meaningless) word- Medianet. It stands for nothing, most readers will think. But it does, and therein lies a brewing media debate the readers are blissfully unaware of.

At http://medianet.indiatimes.com you will come across a list of space and rates to publish something in ToI or its sister publications. What does that mean? It simply means that if you want to sell news to ToI, that's the place you have to go.

So this means you can just pay to see whatever you like in the headlines, or at least somewhere in the paper? Yes. The idea is simple, people approach the Medianet divsion of the Times Group if they want to get soemthing published, and they pay for it. These articles are usually used to promote someone or something- a new restaurant (which actually serves rubber-like rotis), an upcoming actor (probably a druggie who happens to look good), or a movie (one which helps the aspirin-manufacturers).

What about all the hyped-up talk about media ethics, responsibility, objectivity etc. etc. since the Iraq War began? It doesn't really matter, news-sellers say. The funda is- Show me the money, and I'll show you to the world. There's little doubt that earlier-spiritual Indians are now embracing Western materialistic values. So trying to cover the bottom-line and more shouldn't be a surprise. Media Houses, at the end of the day, are businesses out to fill their pockets. This argument will sound good when it comes from Ektaaaaa Kapoor, if she hasn't already used it.

The powerless anti-news selling journos can do little or zilch about it. The answer to their question of whether selling news is the right thing to do will always get the same xeroxed reply (see previous paragraph).

The question is- how do readers react to the idea of selling news? They don't! Simply because they don't know about it!

And what will the poor reader do even if he/she does learn of this? Nothing- because old habits die hard. Or people feel too lazy to tell the newspaperwallah at the beginning/end of the month to change their newspaper. Or they're not bothered. All they know is that they're reading the newspaper and are familiar, if not thorough, with the basics- where the war is going on, the PM's full name, the Oscar winners, Salman's latest antics...

Either way, it's a win-win situation for ToI, and, from what I hear, so it will be for others that follow suit.

PS: Read this article by Sucheta Dalal to know more. (Via Sameer)

2003-04-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

And the World Moves On…

I have been so engrossed in the Operation Iraqi Freedom and Shock & Awe Campaign that I barely took notice of what was happening in the Sports World. And it was only when the weekend came around that I finally took notice of Star Sports, ESPN and the likes. The first thing I saw today morning was Saddam Hussein’s toilet and it made me so nauseated that I decided “Enough is Enough” the target should be “Mission Re-Launching Sports”.

Whether it was Formula One or Football or Tennis or for that matter even cricket (it just never ends, does it?) I was glad to get back to my favourite world. Though one of my friends mother thinks that F1 is a complete waste of time and she has various reasons for it - one of them being that there is complete wastage of fuel, (now we must agree with her on that, shouldn’t we?) I was more than ecstatic to see Schumi (Michael Schumacher) leave the centre stage and Kimi Raikkonen taking the tracks. (Good for the Finnish people, I hardly see them in news!!) But was the race like a Bollywood movie where everything seemed to be pacing up. There were barely 10 cars finishing the race and accidents and car failures rocking the screen and then a tragic accident bought the race to an end (Alonso I hope you are fine and in the best of spirits).

What made me off was definitely Liverpool’s thrashing loss to Manchester United and that did keep my morale down at the bottom, but then Yes spirits were definitely rejuvenated seeing India’s win in the Davis Cup. Did anyone see Sourav Ganguly’s appeal to the
“Chest-Bangers” to play together for God’s Sake and let not their egos take the best of them? Is anyone really seeing the Sharjah Cup, I mean there is hardly anything happening, no filmstars, No Akram, Afridi, Waqar!!!! Bluhh.

So when you see Saddam statues falling down, BJP announcing its main target and propoganda for the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections, Aishwarya – Salman saga, and CNN probably doing the worst coverage of the war (what’s wrong with them, where is the objectivity???) It is just nice to see some people doing the things they like and want, earn their living, entertain us – so can we give them a bit of focus please.

2003-04-06T22:49:00.000-07:00

Daddy Not-so-Cool

Bombay Times (BT) has launched an innovative hoardings campaign. Great concept, with mass appeal- C for cutting chai, C for champagne. B for BEST, B for BMW.

The sheer genius of the campaign, or rather, the reason behind the campaign struck me as I travelled to the stuffy suburbs yesterday. I thought, “Why is BT being promoted by itself, since you cannot purchase a BT without a ToI? Shouldn’t ToI be promoted?”

And then it dawned…of course BT is being promoted to promote ToI! ToI’s quality of articles and stories has fallen like the gold prices.

So now you have Aishwarya Rai hitting back at Salman on the front page (is that even news?) and Preity Zinta wearing a yellow outfit when appearing in court for the Bharat Shah case (err…isn’t that the job of BTP3?). Or you read about Radio Mirchi winning some silly award (like people care!) and that XYZ wannabe visited Planet M (who’s interested in wannabes?).

So poor poor ToI is rusting day by day like an old needle (couldn’t resist this simile) and BT is trying to cover up Big Daddy’s arse.

And I thought parents tried to cover up for their kids…?

2003-04-05T22:50:00.000-08:00

Yes Minister

Well, can anyone guess who is rocking the screen of the Televisions recently? Well, nope its not Saddam nor it is our Dubya Man, and the mysterious Chemical Ali though he does seem to evoke some interest in us , it is the Information Minister of Iraq with his 'No Shit" talk that really stands out. Mohammad Sayeed al-Sahaf is the man in this Gulf War 2 who is taking the centre stage, he is doing the talking for Saddam and to just listen to his press conferences daily is a blessing and a nice laughing class.

With such determination and ease with which he makes his statements is just amazing. If I were a journalist and had to attend his press conference man would I have a Ball. Yesterday Mr. Sahaf introduced us to the word which had long lost its touch in Politics - it was "Retarded". And my mind suddenly jolted and said "The world is a nice place after all" (Isn't It?)

Well, Mr. Sahaf is a busy man now-a-days, I saw him on the television around five to six times in one day giving interviews to different channels all around and re-affirming the faith of the Iraqis that it aint over yet. When Al-Jazeera asked him that what does he have to say regarding the Assosciated Press Report saying that Saddam Intl. Airport (Oops, before I get shot by a US Soldier in a friendly fire ) Baghdad Intl. Airport was in the custody of the Coalition forces - the Honorable Minister blurted out that he had taken the journalists around the city convincing them that the Coalition is just lying around.

Mr.Sahaf, you're a doing a great job indeed and let me tell you I prefer to watch you doing the talking then the American brief ups which are Oh so Boring.

You can't find peace by avoiding life- The Hours

2003-04-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

Weblog in an Editorial

Open ToI, dated 5th April. Turn to the editorial page. On top you'll see Baghdad Blogbuster (unable to locate online). The most famous blogger currently, Salam Pax of Where is Raed? gets a mention. The write-up takes up the famous question- whether the blog is a hoax, or whether Salam Pax is now an Anne Frank.

Salam Pax's famous quote- "I am not anybody's propaganda ploy, well, except my own" is the Thought for Today on the same page.

2003-04-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

Chhota Coke, Chhota Boycott

Just when the experts were hailing Coke for securing itself in India, consumers in Andheri and Bandra in Mumbai, won't be getting the Chhota Coke for a while.

The reason? A boycott by the retailers in the region. And the reason for the boycott? Well, because the advertisement (starring Aamir Khan) in which a retailer is shown to be a cheat hasn't pleased them a bit. The retailer charges two customers Rs. 6 for a chhota Coke instead of Rs. 5. When Aamir Khan (dressed as the village smartass) makes the shopkeeper repeat 'five' at least five times, the cheat finally realises how foolish he has been in cheating the women.

So the retailers are irritated that they have been portrayed in a bad light in the advertisement. And maybe they do have a point. But what about thousands of other ads which portray women and errr..even men in a bad/negative/demeaning light? So should the wrongfully-portrayed people abandon the product?

Like women abandoning Fair & Lovely and Axe (the latter for showing them as waiting-to-be-taken), and men abandoning umm...(oops, I don't think there are any such ads). Mothers could boycott Pepsodent for showing them to be nagging their children all the while. The list could go on...

Just a thought. But if it really did happen, it'd just prove that the consumer, indeed, is king...I mean...queen.

2003-04-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

Embedded Journo Dies in Iraq

Michael Kelly, editor of the Atlantic was heading toward Baghdad with the 3rd Infantry Division, when the humvee he was in dove into a canal, killing him.

He was doing his job.

2003-04-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Moi as the Censor!

No, you didn't read wrong. Nor has this weblog been hacked by a one of the rare breed of Oscar-loving, woman hackers (see the previous post and note the byline).

This non-hacker, Suhani, is actually a new member of this blog. And also a first-time blogger. I deserve a pat on the back for convincing someone to blog!

Which brings me to the main point of this incoherent rambling. Since I created this blog and invited her to join, by default I become the administrator. And that means I have the right to edit/delete/do whatever else to her posts.

But my promise is that nothing will be censored or edited. This is a weblog, and not a dictatorial government-owned newpaper.

2003-04-05T06:17:00.000-08:00

Catherine's Chicago

After much of hype I finally introduced myself to the Academy Award Winner - Chicago. Just let me warn you that if you expect to become all teary eyed (cause Oscars main motto is that - Forrest Gump, Schindlerslist etc) then you are mistake - Because Chicago is all razzle and dazzle and glitz and glamour and kicking and moving and sizzling and killing.

One of the greatest assets of the movie is the way it has been edited. The dance sequences are fabulous and so amazingly choreographed that your eyes are glued to the screen. Especially "All that Jazz" (which is going to be my next dance number in an upcoming wedding of our family), Cell Block Tango and Latifah's Mama number are something to watch out for. Then there is the ever diminishing Rene who desperately needs a good diet, god she is soo skinny that sometimes you dont even know that she is there on the screen. Anyways she is the one who has put in a lot of hardwork considering that she did not have a background in theatre.

Richard Gere I was happy for him (because you see the last time i saw him, it was in Unfaithful and I had nothing but sympathy for him) here he is in control. But after watching the movie I am still pondering over the fact what made this movie Rock On at the Oscars. There was no significant and worthy message in this movie and if it was there at all it was - 'You can get away with murder.' Now that aint going to please the government of Texas would it, if this Movie took place in Texas instead of Chicago - Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Roxie Hart (Rene Zellweger) would already be sentenced death penalty. But I guess what the Oscars were trying to say by selecting this movie was "Hey we like Musicals too". Its after a long time that musical has won at the Oscars the last was 'Oliver'.

HIGHLIGHTS

a) Richard Gere in tap dance (Wowwww)
b) Queen Latifah and her Silicon Valley (could it be any bigger and is it really not fake)
c) Catherine's zeal, she steals the movie mann (Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, thumbs up)
d) Who says that gay directors cannot come up with good cinema ( You Go Go Rob Marshall))

If you can't be famous. Be Infamous. Chicago with its best picture nod at the Oscars will definitely be famous for a long time.

2003-04-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

Two Weeks' Break

After much delay, I saw Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock starrer Two Weeks Notice. I have never been a fan of Sandra Bullock's histrionic talents, but Hugh Grant's performance in Notting Hill (not to mention his looks) made me anticipate what the movie would be like.

Irrespective of the presumptions I had made, the movie just didn't click. Shoddy storyline (if you could call it one), nonsensical characterisation, strictly-okay performances, it just didn't seem like a good Hollywood movie. But it seemed like something I had seen before.

I pondered over it, trying to figure out why it seemed so familiar. And then it hit me. It was just like any other Indian potboiler. (Sigh!). Boy meets girl, they interact with each other for a while, something happens, they stop interacting, then one of them (usually the guy) goes to meet the other, and deep love is professed. They run, then kiss...oops, hug (remember it's a Hindi movie). End of movie.

I have seen at least a score of such Hindi movies, but they were too inconsequential to be remembered. Even the extremely crude and badly made Govinda-Sanjay Dutt movie Ek aur Ek Gyarah has such a sub-sub-sub-plot. But these movies should be taken note of now. Because after a long long time have I seen Hollywood copying apna Bollywood and Tollywood.

I guess this must be more than enough consolation for those who think Lagaan
deserved the Oscar last year.

Drink or Cell Phone?

The new Coke ad with Vivek Oberoi and Aishwarya Rai (what a coincidence- both in the middle of a controversy), providing tremendous publicity to cell phone companies, as well as cellular service providers. For the ad uses at least four cell phones, and just one bottle of Coke. Even the otherwise-underestimated public pay phone is more prominent than the drink itself.

In short- the ad beats way around the large bush, and doesn't make its point.

Just another indication of how star-obsessed everyone is- the MNCs, the ad-makers, the politicians, and the people of course.

Desi or Foreign?

The Country Manager of Discovery, Ogilvy and Mather India has written this article on the effect of globalisation on foreign brands, and how the MNCs are customising themselves to suit various international (especially Indian) markets, plus the core fact that "at heart he [an Indian] will remain an Indian."

2003-04-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

FAQs

Why this blog?

This can be answered in various ways. One person would say that the media is everywhere. Some would say, because they have nothing else to do. A few others would say because it interests them. Well, my reason is a combination of all these reasons,
and more. I find the media influencing almost every aspect of human life today.

Which car shall I buy? X, because my favourite sports star endorses it. Which outfit shall I buy- red or yellow? Red, because the fashion mag says it suits my skin tone the best, and is in fashion too. Which doctor shall I visit? Y, he has a column in the health section of the most famous newspaper in the country. Whom shall I vote for? Z, because the news channel I watch says the other candidate has a criminal record.

Whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not, the media has influenced people in every which way one can think of. As a media student, as well as an ordinary citizen, I find it extremely intriguing to understand how the media affects people and their
lives- overtly and covertly.

What will be the contents of this blog?

That's difficult to answer yet, because you never know what you feel like doing tomorrow. Of course almost all the contents will be related to the media- newspapers, magazines, websites, weblogs, movies, celebrities, sportspersons, advertisements...

There may be a few exceptions, but I don't know what they could be, or when they might turn up.

Why these stupid FAQs?

"Let us watch well our beginnings, and results will manage themselves."

-Alex Clark

That's open to personal interpretation.