Governance Section
ONE RANK, ONE PENSION KEJRIWAL’S PROMISES BEATING THE HEAT
VIEWS ON NEWS EX-SERVICEMEN PINNING HOPES ON MODI 38
WILL THE FREEBIES WORK? 36
AHMEDABAD SHOWS THE WAY 42
www.viewsonnewsonline.com
JUNE 22, 2015
News for Sale
M di h Media houses make a killing by enticing gullible readers through advertorials 10
INDIA TODAY TV: Will just a cosmetic makeover work wonders? 14
HEALTH JOURNALISM: Screaming headlines mislead readers 28
MOBILE REPORTING: Citizens with smartphones are the new reporters 21
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EDITOR’S NOTE
JUNK FOOD FOR THE PRESS THE MAGGI NOODLES controversy is making big
lighting the dangers of additives in our food, the indi-
news. It should. In fact, the story should have made
rect ingestion of pesticides by humans who eat meat
the kind of headlines it is now making, years ago. Food
or vegetables chemically treated. The dangers of
additives and their impact on people’s health have
monosodium glutamate (MSG), of nitrites, artificial
been a massive, continuing story in the West as well
sweeteners, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, trans
as wherever there is a free press with a conscience
fats and so on. These matters are now taught in high
that reflects the larger public good rather than the
schools across the world and nutritional counseling
financial interests of any corporate multinational.
of parents and teachers is considered to be a sacred
Maggi is not the only culprit. But it has to be high-
governmental function.
lighted to focus on the widespread health havoc
Food labeling is as essential for human health as
caused by junk food—Indian or international. Equally
vaccinations and proper personal hygiene. Concerned
culpable is the Indian press which usually shies away
NGOs, funded by philanthropists and government
from stories on health and environment on the ground
agencies, proselytize with missionary zeal against the
that these are “boring” or “bleeding heart” social is-
dangers of ingesting junk and fast food and spew sta-
sues fit only to be written for stodgy magazines and
tistics about the links of metabolic diseases and can-
journals read by bespectacled old people in armchairs
cers to bad eating habits.
at Delhi’s India International Center.
India has now become the diabetic capital of the
Ultimately, because ed-
world. Its young population is more prone to heart dis-
itors and journalists ignore
ease and arteriosclerosis than ever before. And more
such stories and issues,
and more scientific evidence is linking this to inflam-
the public pays a heavy
matory eating lifestyles, free radicals, trans fats and
price for this assault on
additives present in abundance in just about every
their right to know and to
food packet on the market. The organic food
make informed choices
movement in the West is a popular reaction against
based on accurate informa-
the debilitating effect of artificial food and the intake
tion and knowledge. That is
of empty calories.
supposed to be, at least in
In India, the press has paid scant attention to these
my opinion, the role of the
issues except for a columnist here and there. The
press. When the press ig-
Maggi noodles controversy will, hopefully, ignite
nores this duty, it is tanta-
greater—and continuing—focus on the larger health
mount to dereliction. As is
hazard instead of just the film stars who get bamboo-
the case here.
zled into endorsing food products: the epidemic of
For years and years, the
junk food.
Western media—and let us give praise where praise belongs—has been high-
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 3
VOLUME. VIII
ISSUE. 18
Editor Rajshri Rai Managing Editor Ramesh Menon Deputy Managing Editor Shobha John Senior Editor Vishwas Kumar Associate Editor Meha Mathur Deputy Editors Prabir Biswas Niti Singh Assistant Editor Somi Das Art Director Anthony Lawrence Senior Visualizer Amitava Sen Graphic Designer Lalit Khitoliya Photographer Anil Shakya News Coordinator/Photo Researcher Kh Manglembi Devi Production Pawan Kumar
C O N LEDE
The Age Of Planted News 10 Enticing gullible readers through advertorials has become a trend, observes ABHAY VAIDYA
Chief Editorial Advisor Inderjit Badhwar CFO Anand Raj Singh VP (HR & General Administration) Lokesh C Sharma Circulation Manager RS Tiwari For advertising & subscription queries sales@viewsonnewsonline.com
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4 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
14
What’s In A Name?
As Headlines Today gets a makeover with a new name, it needs to be seen if it bites the TRP bait and follows the rat race, writes SABIHA FARHAT. Also AKASH BANERJEE says that in its new avatar, India Today TV will have to do more clutter-breaking stories to beat competition
NEW MEDIA
Breaking News Via Citizen Journalists 21 Smartphones have enabled people to tell their stories to the world and has given a boost to citizen journalism, says AISHWARYA RAMESH
T E N T S SPECIAL STORY
41
Queen Of Performance
Smriti Irani deftly avoided questions pertaining to her degrees at Aaj Tak’s show in Delhi University, proving her prowess in stage management, writes MEHA MATHUR
ENVIRONMENT
INTERVIEW
“I've Been Offered Bribes By Producers”
Mumbai Mirror’s film critic, Rahul Desai, talks to SOMI DAS about the controversy surrounding the revised ratings of the smash-hit Tanu Weds Manu Returns
24
28
34
Governance OPINION
Delivery Problems AAP may have bitten off more than it can chew by promising free Wi-Fi, observes ROSHNI SETH
DINESH C SHARMA analyzes the problem of misleading headlines
EDITORS’ PICK
New Tax Mantra: Fear Is The Key
Writers On A Warpath
The Gujarat government’s appointment of a president for the Sahitya Academy has riled writers, says KAUSHIK JOSHI
HEADLINES & DEADLINES
The Headline Of All Maladies
Too Hot To Handle
SPECIAL REPORT
32
There is a clear message being sent out by the tax authorities: that tax evasion (like smoking) is at your own risk, writes ANIL PADMANABHAN
PERSPECTIVE
The Long Wait
36 38
SHIVANI SHARMA DASMAHAPATRA reports on ex-servicemen now waiting for the Modi govt to deliver on the delayed promise of OROP
42
India’s first heat-wave action plan by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation shows the way forward, reports MIHIR R BHATT
SPOTLIGHT
That Shrinking Space
46
AJITH PILLAI says the government seems to be indifferent to primary education; and the space is open for private players
R E G U L A R S Edit................................................03 Media-go-round............................06 As The World Turns.......................07 Quotes..........................................08 Vox Populi.....................................20 Web Crawler..................................26 Anchor Review..............................31 Grapevine.....................................50 Cover Design: Anthony Lawrence
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 5
EDIA-GO-ROUND
Print has a future:
Kuldeep Nayar VETERAN JOURNALIST AND author Kuldeep Nayar said in a recent interview to a newspaper that the future of print media might have been overshadowed temporarily by social media but it is here to stay. Speaking to Hindustan Times he said: “No doubt people are taking to social media and television, but I think that print has a future, because these (TV, online) are fleeting and people make up their mind after reading the printed word. They rely more on newspapers.” Critiquing the current state of affairs in media, Nayar also said that media is increasingly becoming parochial in nature. Hitting out at certain hyper nationalistic channels, Nayar said that media sometimes unnecessarily plays up news of Pakistani flags hoisted in the Valley.
Vidya Balan on Filmfare cover as Chaplin ACTRESS VIDYA BALAN, known to experiment with her roles, will be seen on the cover of Filmfare’s latest issue. However, it’s not a usual glam doll cover. Balan would be imitating Charlie Chaplin on the cover to pay tribute to the legendary comic and actor. It is unusual to see actresses in such de-glam avatars on magazine covers. Filmfare’s editor Jitesh Pillai tweeted: “Guess who!!! Check out the latest latest. @filmfare. On stands soon:):)”. The idea was conceptualized by Balan herself and Filmfare helped her to execute it. Along with Chaplin, she would also pay tribute to other legendry actors, including Kishore Kumar, Guru Dutt and Raj Kapoor.
EC to inspect
messages of political parties
6 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
THE ELECTION COMMISSION has decided to censor and certify all the bulk text and voice messages unleashed by political parties as part of their election campaign. These campaigning tools are often exploited by political parties in a way that amounts to violation of the model code of conduct. In its order, the EC has sought pre-approval by district and statelevel media certification and monitoring committees before dissemination of such messages.“This decision has been taken with the intention of preventing objectionable contents from reaching electors,” said the EC order.
DD in autonomy crisis DOORDARSHAN’S AUTONOMY CRISIS continues with the Government’s decision to appoint Information Service Officer Veena Jain as Director-General of Doordarshan News.The move is being seen as an attempt by the Government to control and regulate news on the public service broadcaster. She will hold charge as officer on special duty in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry for new and social media. Due to the dual nature of her appointment, Jain would be reporting to the I&B ministry. Her appointment comes after reports of DD’s dwindling viewership and revenues.
S THE WORLD TURNS
Caitlyn Jenner breaks record THE OFFICIAL TWITTER handle of Olympic gold medal winner in decathlon and reality star Caitlyn Jenner,formerly known as Bruce Jenner, step-dad of Kim Kardashian, become the fastest to reach a million followers. According to Kristen Ott, spokesperson of the Guinness World Records, Jenner’s verified Twitter account @Caitlyn_Jenner clocked one million followers in just four hours and three minutes, surpassing President Barack Obama’s Twitter account, launched just two
NYT journo leaves
polluted Delhi THE NEW YORK TIMES correspondent Gardiner Harris left Delhi after completing a three-year assignment due to the poor quality of air. He was apparently worried about his children’s health. As a parting shot, he wrote an article that reflected his harrowing experience: “We gradually learned that
Delhi’s true menace came from its air, water, food and flies. These perils sicken, disable and kill millions in India annually, making for one of the worst public health disasters in the world.” He added: “Delhi, we discovered, is quietly suffering from a dire pediatric respiratory crisis, with a recent study showing that nearly half of the city’s 4.4 million school children have irreversible lung damage from the poisonous air.”
Newspaper readership dips by 25 percent globally ACCORDING TO A report by ZenithOptimedia, a leading global media service network, the average time spent on reading newspapers fell more than
weeks ago. She garnered attention after posting her very first tweet—a cover photo of her in the June issue of Vanity Fair—followed by a second tweet that said: “I’m so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world of Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know me.” Jenner has long been in public spotlight for her much publicized gender re-assignment surgery. The Vanity Fair cover talks at length about her gender transition.
25 percent, from 2010 to 2014. The only exception is UK, where the fall was just 3 percent. The average time spent was 16.3 minutes per reader in a day last year across the world, a fall from 21.9 minutes a day in 2010. The report also predicts that by 2017, the global average will be just 14.1 minutes a day, a steep fall of 35 percent from 2010 levels. The loss of newspapers is a gain for news websites due to rise in computers and mobile internet. The internet is big winner of change in consumer media consumption.
Venus Williams fined for ignoring media
AMERICAN TENNIS STAR Venus Williams has been fined $3,000 by the French Open authorities for skipping a mandatory post-match press conference after her loss to Sloane Stephens. It’s the second such fine slapped on Venus in her entire career. In 2010, she and sister Serena were fined $4,000 each at the Wimbledon for ignoring a press conference after a defeat in the doubles. Since 1990, 17 fines have been issued at the Grand Slams and Roland Garros has a history of fining players the most. Both Andre Agassi (in 2000) and Marat Safin (2001) earned fines of $10,000 at this event. VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 7
U O T E S
I have distanced myself from any such roles after becoming a part of the Indian film fraternity. I feel it would be improper to haunt me with the past when I am trying to move ahead in life. —— Sunny Leone, porn star-turned Bollywood actress, on an obscenity case against her
Ashok Malik, senior journalist For some columnists, all that's changed in one year is they've gone from saying people won't vote for Modi to people have lost faith in Modi
Chetan Bhagat, author Maggi Noodles is now facing the biggest and fastest PR disaster in the social media age. Cooked in less than 2 minutes this time.
Shakeel Ahmed, Congress leader Mr Modi's govt is of both SuitBoot&Suit Case. He wears Suit-Boot and people like Mr Adani carry his Sarkar in their Suit Cases.
Some of the greatest minds in history have been left out because they were women. —— Melinda Gates, co- founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in The Times of India
Shekhar Gupta, editorial advisor, India Today Who ever imagined Delhi will need to import police officers from Bihar to fight corruption here. So ridiculous, even by Kaliyug standards!
If con is opposite of pro, then Congress is opposite of Progress — Prime Mimister Narendra Modi, in an interview to PTI
Pakistani flags have been waved (in Kashmir) and, Inshallah (God willing), will be waved in future as well as Pakistan is our neighbor and a well wisher. — Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Chairman, Hardline Hurriyat Conference
8 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
I will organize an extraordinary congress for replacement for me as president. I will not stand. I am now free from the constraints of an election. — Sepp Blatter after resigning as FIFA president
Shobha De, columnist I don't get it. So, should movie stars ask for a chemical analysis of products they pose for? Be it paints, noodles, shampoos, detergents, colas?
P Chidambaram, ex- finance minister Delighted that Chief Economic Adviser acknowledged that poverty reduction fastest during UPA 2005 to 2012
VIEWS ON NEWS
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feud: TOI-HTle over
Batt ship reader es figur
30
IGN: CAMPA TV’s ND ion obsess b na Ar with 26
Lede
Paid News
THE AGE OF
With The Times of India taking the lead in enticing gullible readers through advertorials, the need of the hour is to have a Paid News Index similar to Transparency International’s Corruption Index BY ABHAY VAIDYA
S
OMETIME in mid-2000, a senior national marketing executive of The Times Of India explained the “surround sound” strategy of the paper to its Pune journalists. They were told how TOI had evolved as a complete paper for its readers through the main edition and its supplements. While the main edition focused on news and analysis, the city-specific supplements such as Pune Times, Education Times, Property Times, Sunday Review (now Times Life) and so on covered entertainment and lifestyle, education and property matters. The executive said the idea was to flood the reader with interesting features for every member of the family. Readers would thus not have the time or the need to reach out for any other paper. This was a brilliant strategy and it became a trendsetter, and today, almost every other paper has a variety of supplements.
Amitava Sen
10 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
ADVERTORIAL FLOOD The tragedy with the TOI supplements is that each of them—barring Times Life—announces it-
PLANTED NEWS self as an “advertorial” or an “industry promotional feature”. While Education Times calls itself “advertorial, education promotional feature”, Times Property is an “advertorial, property promotional feature” and the city-specific Pune Times, which lands daily with the TOI, describes itself below the masthead as an “advertorial, entertainment industry promotional feature”. Research shows that this line started appearing in early 2000, after paid news content in TOI became very obvious and it became an embarrassment for the newspaper not to carry it. The tragedy is that what began as a “surround sound” service to readers, is now in fact advertorial and promotional literature, meant to entice readers to purchase products and services. A discerning TOI reader may genuinely assume that the restaurant reviews and features on films and film stars, articles on hospitals, specialty clinics (Chellaram Diabetes Institute is a fixture in Pune Times) and doctors, features on educational institutes and their professional courses and property-related articles appearing in the TOI supplements are all paid-for by business establishments to promote their narrow interests. DUBIOUS SURVEY? In effect, TOI today has “surrounded” its readers with paid news. When I read TOI’s lead story, giving a 77.5 percent “distinction” rating to the Narendra Modi government on its first anniver-
sary, I was not sure whether I was reading news, advertorial or paid news. The top brass at TOI may feel satisfied that they have done their duty by declaring their supplements as “advertorials”. However, the declaration—in light font—merges well with the masthead and the dateline and a survey would most likely show that most readers are blind to it. They are also unlikely to be fully conversant with the complexities of paid news and the harm it could do to them. As was in the case of an 85-year-old man, who happily showed his son a feature in Pune Times on laser eye treatment, complete with address and telephone numbers, in the hope that finally his rapidly deteriorating vision could be stemmed. He did not realize that what he was reading was “paid news” and the claims could be dubious. CAUTIONARY BOX In contrast to TOI are the examples of newspapers such as The Indian Express and Mint which prominently carry a box on the front page,
TOI has surrounded its readers with paid news. As responsible citizens of a large, under-developed democratic nation battling a variety of challenges, the paid news culture is a huge menace.
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 11
Lede
Paid News
Powerful vested interests, with money at their command, are manipulating the information flow, manufacturing news and influencing readers through paid news.
STARK REALITY Former TOI editor, Darryl D’ Monte says today’s editors don’t have to be journalists
clearly identifying advertorials and cautioning readers that they need to be taken as advertisements only. Here’s the wording of one such “Note to Readers” box that appears on the front page of Mint from time to time: “The Media Marketing Initiative on Page 27 is the equivalent of a paid-for advertisement and no Mint journalists were involved in creating it. Readers would do well to treat it as an advertisement.” The Indian Express calls its advertorials as a RED Initiative (Read. Engage. Deliver) and the page-1 box clarifies: “This page is an initiative of the marketing solutions team of The Indian Express Group and contains content paid for by advertisers. This page should be read as advertisement.” This is the kind of professionalism that readers and subscribers ought to be demanding from newspapers such as TOI. As responsible citizens of a large, under-developed democratic nation that is battling challenges ranging from insurgency to unemployment and malnutrition, we ought to be aware of the havoc the paid Anil Shakya
12 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
news culture can cause in our society. Powerful vested interests, with money at their command, are manipulating the information flow, manufacturing news and influencing readers and news television viewers through paid news. When a highly respected market leader like The Times initiates paid news practices, it sets a trend for others to emulate and follow. This has now virtually become a norm in the industry with ethical media practices being the exception. We are all aware that the rot has spread deep and wide. Advertising agencies and their account executives now routinely bypass the editorial department in news organizations and hand over their press notes to the marketing department. Those in the good books of the marketing departments are assured coverage. BLANKING OUT CRITICISM Implicit in such arrangements is the assurance that builders, top educational institutes and other heavy advertisers would be protected against negative publicity, even if a journalist came up with a strong expose in public interest. The Zee TV–Jindal paid news/ blackmail/ reverse sting controversy cannot be missed out in any discussion on the subject. Therefore, when a former TOI editor like Darryl D’Monte says in a Views On News interview that “today, editors (in India) don’t have to be journalists,” he is speaking of a reality that is as stark as daylight. In Pune, a one-year-old monthly city magazine offered an attractive “Assistant Editor” designation to a features writer while explaining that the prospective staffer would be required to generate revenue through paid news. “The promoter said we charge Rs 3 lakh for cover stories featuring various business heads and their families,” the journalist recalled. In many newspapers, press notes are carried or rejected in proportion to the advertising revenue generated by the respective business entities or establishments.
A large number of principled journalists and editors in the country, journalism associations, high courts and the Supreme Court, the Press Council and the Election Commission and various public institutions including the Securities and Exchange Board of India have expressed concern over the culture of paid news in India. However, barring some reports and warnings, nothing substantial has emerged as deterrence against paid news. PAID NEWS INDEX The time has now come for media-watchers like Views On News to publish an annual “India Paid News Index” on the lines of Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index which gives a corruption rating to nations around the world. The “Paid News Index” should be fool-proof, based on sound research and methodology and cover the top 100 news organizations in print, TV and the online medium. A questionnaire should be issued to respondents for clarity on the prevalence or absence of paid news practices and organizations declining to participate in the survey should be so identified. At the same time, the prevalence or absence of their “paid news” mechanism should be reported to the public. The annual report should also carry an accompanying study detailing the “innovative” paid news practices in various organizations along with decisions, orders or strictures passed by var-
ious public institutions on the subject. The report should also highlight “best practices” of ethical journalism in various organizations. It is the citizenry at large—and not just journalists—who need to be worried about the paid news culture. Responsible citizens need to come together to help restore ethics in Indian journalism. As such, the “Paid News Index” may be financed through crowdsourcing, with a complete transparency of the accounts, to signify the democratic spirit of the initiative. This is, indeed, a pressing need of the times.
WHERE IS REAL NEWS? It has become a trend among newspapers to carry paid news in the style of its main content
—Abhay Vaidya has written extensively on paid news. He is a former Washington correspondent and an Assistant Resident Editor of The Times of India and Resident Editor, DNA. VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 13
Focus
India Today TV
CAPITALIZING ON THE BRANDNAME Aroon Purie, Group Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, India Today
W
RIDING ON A NAME As Headlines Today gets a makeover with a new name, it needs to be seen if it bites the TRP bait or works towards stories that matter BY SABIHA FARHAT
HAT’S in a name? Everything! Names are the brands we can trust. They say a lot about the buyer too. Be it products, services or ideologies, brands offer a promise. India Today news magazine will turn 40 this year. Over the years, this news magazine has diversified into India’ s leading media house, with 37 magazines, four television channels, seven radio stations, publishing houses, a newspaper, a music label, online and e-commerce platforms and one of India’s best schools. This recall value of 40 years now stands firmly behind the 12-year-old Headlines Today that has been rechristened India Today. A brand new logo, red and blue color scheme, direct promos and a defining tag line—“news that makes sense”, were all put together to complete the makeover. The new look of the channel has a headline at the top, bottom and on the left of the news presenter. As Headlines Today ceased to exist, India Today TV was launched on May 23, 2015. Amidst the congratulations that followed, was also a tweet from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, congratulating Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie on the remarkable 40-year journey. The PM also conveyed his best wishes for the newly launched India Today news channel.
MODI COMMEMORATIVE Interestingly, the first story to run on the channel was an evaluation of one year of governance by 14 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
“India Today is a credible brand with heritage. I would like to believe that rechristening should make for a positive difference to the credibility and the legacy.” —Partho Dasgupta, CEO, Broadcast Audience Research Council PM Narendra Modi and his ministers, as undertaken in a national opinion poll by Cicero. The story was anchored by the regular faces of Headlines Today but to add credibility, a panel of journalists such as Raj Chengappa were brought in. It was a bright idea to maximise on brand loyalties— 40 years of India Today, 30 years of an award-winning journalist, 12 years of Headlines Today, all combined to launch the first look of India Today news channel. But if this was an exercise in credibility, it ended as soon as the program ended. The evaluation of the Modi government was followed by a pro-Modi animation clip, a relief package. He was seen singing and dancing to the remix of Shammi Kapoor’s signature song, “yahoo….” but the modified lyrics revealed a predisposition to project him as a hardworking PM. He was dancing to, “yahoo… .chahe koi mujhe NRI kahe, ham kaam ke toofanon mein ghire hain, ham kaam karein (even if they call me an NRI, I continue to do my work)”, while Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Arvind Kejriwal were seen scheming, squirming and feeling jealous! Just minutes before, in the panel discussion, a point of contention was Modi’s frequent trips abroad. Was the output editor trying to defend these tours? CONTENT HOLDS SWAY While it is too early to question the credibility of the channel, viewers will look for neutrality that is expected of a brand like India Today. Partho Dasgupta, CEO, Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), told VON: “The satellite news market is
very fragmented. Brands play a very big role as does the editorial content. India Today is a credible brand with heritage. A lot of research and analysis go into such calculated and informed decisionmaking process. I would like to believe that rechristening should make for a positive difference to the credibility and the legacy.” Content is the key. Shammi Pant, an engineer at HCL, agrees: “Hopefully they will bring some real journalism and have the courage to stand up to the government. Do you think they will take up issues like Article 377 and take up the cause of LGBT community?” Mridu Garg, a yoga teacher in Gurgaon, adds: “The problem with news channels is that they decide how much importance to give to a story at the cost of neglecting others. They barely touch upon issues that affect us on a daily basis. They debate ISIS! Maybe I would like to see more on reforms in our education system.” India has almost 400 news channels, with Hindi and regional channels enjoying an edge by catering to linguistic boundaries, cultural nuances and local politics. India Today’s space gets restricted to an English news viewer who is seeking national and local news. The news channel’s launch coincided with Week 21 of “opportunity to see” (OTS) data collated by Chrome Data, Analytics and Media; it observed that the English news genre had a growth of 1.1 per cent. Times Now led the chart with 75.7 percent OTS. And therein lies the catch: Will India Today TV bite the TRP bait and follow the rat race? Because if it does, it may end up as one amongst many!
WHAT GEN NEXT WANTS India Today TV can help in reviving the magazine and in building new brand loyalty by connecting with the younger generation, who are unaware of it. Though the brand has survived and faced tough competition, the contest has got tougher with many new brands providing more than mere topical news. The younger generation hooked to the Internet is more familiar with Kafila, Scroll and Open. VON spoke to a few young people; their quotes follow: Ana, 23: “News channels are hardly educating.” Nipun Matreja, 24: “I know of India Today but I would rather read Time, Business Week and Frontline, where I can find some analysis.” Neil D’Souza, 20, and Danish Shastri, 18: “We have not heard of India Today. We have seen Outlook and Tehelka. The TV channels are not thought-provoking or educating. Despite so much news, we (as a society) are ignorant. Look at Scotland, where 80 percent people have voted in favor of gay rights. Can our news channels help in building a more open society?”
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 15
Focus India Today TV Akash Banerjee
IT’S STILL A CIRCUS In its new avatar India Today TV will have to do more clutter-breaking stories to beat the competition
E
VER since it was launched more than a decade ago, as India’s first English news channel, Headlines Today has been plagued with leadership and operational issues. Despite the first mover advantage (Prannoy Roy had just parted ways with Star and NDTV 24X7 was a couple of months away), the sister channel of Aaj Tak somehow never got close to the famed success of its
16 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
Hindi sibling. In the early years, the channel tried to be a “young and good looking” channel (that gave preference to models to read the news). This format of a “headlines only” channel was designed to be visually pleasing to the eye and intellectually non-taxing on the mind. On paper, the model looked fine, “sharp news for sharp people”—antithetical to the in-depth and detailed reportage that NDTV was known for. Yet the attempt backfired
miserably and scarred the reputation of the channel as being “kiddy and non-serious”. In 2008, another attempt was made to position the channel as “refreshingly different” with a young Rahul Kanwal at the helm. Despite the youngest editor-in-chief of the country driving the newsroom, a plethora of new shows and a high voltage campaign, the channel still stayed at the bottom of the ratings. Over the last year, Headlines Today has done a Kejriwal, by completely abandoning its young/ fresh pitch and going in for a mature feel with some of the big names in the business hosting the channel’s prime time telecasts. This approach too has tasted limited success at best. LACKLUSTER PERFORMANCE In the background of this not-so-stellar performance and despite the lack of advertising revenue, the Puries have bet their family silver on the struggling channel. India Today after all is the flagship of Aroon Purie—a solid brand, built personally over four decades. Naming Headlines Today as India Today Television is a big gamble and shows just how much Purie wants his English news TV business to succeed. The ethos of India Today is—journalism of credibility—and there is little debate that Purie remains one the most respected and credible media barons in the country. In fact he wants to make India Today Television, “the gold standard” when it comes to electronic news, just like the magazine is in print. No wonder then that the management roped in Amitabh Bachchan to become the voice of the channel; one, however, wonders if IT Television will hit gold by insisting that reporters use golden colored microphones while doing their stories—that’s perhaps a bit too much of an overkill. NEW LOOK In fact, the focus of this change to India Today Tel-
evision lies in how the channel visually manifests itself. To be fair, Headlines Today spent a decade plus trying to get the look /graphics /color scheme right, India Today TV tops that from day one. The channel finally gets a slick international feel, with a screen that is buzzing with information and color combinations that are not jarring to the eyes. Gone are the days when Headlines Today was trying to replicate a “clean, BBC-style look”. India Today Television instead is attempting something far more ambitious; the new look aims to take away the linearity of TV (i.e. putting out one thing at the time) and instead putting four information streams on one screen (making the screen a sort of fact factory). Sample this: There is the new “roller deck” on the side of the screen that dishes out digital content, Twitter updates, temperature, international headlines and so on. The “top band” that gives you a calendar of events the channel is tracking, quotable quotes of famous personalities and the next show you can
BLAME GAME The ad campaign mocks others for making “news into a circus”– with a promise to bring news back
To be fair, Headlines Today spent a decade plus trying to get the look /graphics /colors right; India Today TV tops that from day one. The channel finally gets a slick international feel.
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Focus India Today TV Akash Banerjee
When India Today deploys tried/tested/ failed campaign strategies—you begin to have doubts about the genuineness of the change being promised.
MISSING THE MARK Despite Rahul Kanwal— the youngest editor-in-chief of the country driving a newsroom—a plethora of new shows and a high voltage campaign, the channel still stayed at the bottom of the ratings
see on India Today Television. A “tabbed ticker” keeps displaying other news under various tabbed headers (just like your Internet browser) or Breaking News when the occasion demands it. Then finally, there is the “primary screen” that is showing you the video content/ the stories and the anchor. Clearly the inspiration of the screen is digital and the focus is on delivering more information— the danger however is too much of it. Take Times Now for instance, the channel puts out more information per inch of TV than anyone else, but virtually all the information is linear (i.e. talking/commenting/editorializing about the visuals playing on the screen). This enables Times Now to be played on mute and yet deliver the entire news experience. Something that is done very well by
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News X now as well. Conversely India Today Television will force you to watch three different textual news streams (that would be unrelated to each other) and listen to what is happening on the parent (video) screen as well. One honestly doesn’t know how viewers will react to that much of unrelated information. MEAT MISSING Editors at India Today should be careful about errors going on air. When you broadcast so much of live data, there are bound to be slipups. The new look screen requires fast and adept hands to manage the multiple tickers—something that has been a bane for the channel for years. The channel may be new, but the people who are driving it remain the same. Now move beyond the “new look” of the channel (and Big B’s voice)…what has the management really done to infuse the four decades of India Today’s legacy into Headlines Today? How have the editors brought forward the fact that a publication that has seen India being made in the past will now report (on television too), its future being scripted? How many shows/promos have been launched to showcase the credibility and the “gold standard journalism’” of the new channel? Sadly none. Besides a ticker scroll, not a single show on India Today Television to differentiate itself from the Headlines Today it left behind. No new format to exploit the vast archive of photographs and stories that India Today magazine has. Instead the channel has done a re-run of what the erstwhile Headlines Today did in 2008 when it launched a ‘Blah Blah’ campaign—mocking the gyaan and debates of 9 o’clock news (something the channel itself does with aplomb now).
SWIFT TURNAROUND Over the last year, Headlines Today abandoned its young/ fresh pitch and went it for a mature feel with seasoned anchors like Rajdeep Sardesai (left) and Karan Thapar (below)
The 2015 version of the ‘Blah Blah News’ has India Today TV mocking others for making “news into a circus”– with a promise to bring news back. Not only on television, even outdoor hoardings finger point at the failings of ‘other’ news channels. This sort of ‘you-are-bad-so-I-am-good’ advertising was practiced by cola brands eons ago. Sadly news still seems to catch up or advertising agencies are dishing out expired stuff to the Puries. The extensive and expensive campaign fails to explain how India Today will be different besides the skin changes—it doesn’t help when you have the same anchors, same sets, same reporters and the same programming lineup. Therefore when India Today deploys such a tried/tested/failed campaign strategies—you begin to have doubts about the genuineness of the change being promised. A brand change itself doesn’t guarantee success and TV Today management should know that. Their bid to rebrand their failed talk radio station Meow 104.8 into Oye FM failed …with the frequency now in the process of being sold off. On the content front, there has been no clutter breaking story in the first week of the launch— that would embellish the reputation of the channel as one doing solid journalism. What we got to see
was the usual YouTube journalism that’s become so commonplace now…the latest being the viral video of a Sikh boy who had his revenge on a British boy who was bulling him. India Today TV pickup up the online video—slapped an “exclusive” band over it and—showed just how a bully was beaten down by his tormentor. If this is the change and credibility being harped upon, then the circus sadly is far from over. Akash Banerjee is a broadcast executive and author of ‘Tales from Shining and Sinking India’ – how new channels deliver the big breaking stories. VIEWS ON NEWS
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V
OX POPULI
Role of JOURNALISTS
Has social media eroded the role of a journalist? Most respondents felt that for an objective news picture, reliable news sources will always hold sway
Am I a journalist if I tweet about an important event? Do I become a journalist if I write a political blog? Well, most of the time when people tweet about an important event, they give their opinion more than the real facts. Even if the digital age creates challenges to traditional journalism, it is more about how a journalist uses these new devices. The advent of digital technology has given journalists new tools, speed and efficiency. Those journalists, who adapt themselves to the digital age, will be seen at the right place and at the right time.
The advent of mobile phones and instant YouTube uploads have given impetus to the role of a journalist rather than diminished it. It is true that now we have citizen journalists and bystanders who are able to send their mobile video content to major news channels for broadcasting. At the same time we have a new breed of professional journalists who broadcast “quality” stories in real time in difficult situations because they shoot and edit on-the-spot through mobile phones. Apart from instant circulation of news or information, we need expert journalists who can analyze situations beyond the surface and give the viewer layered aspects of the “big news” which cannot be left to citizen journalists.
Mobile phones, YouTube and social media uploads are leading to lots of “crowd sourced news-bits” and putting pressure on journalists and media houses to act faster. However, it is not possible to replace good journalism.A journalist does the job professionally, looks at all angles and removes biases. Stories are verified. Also, journalists are masters in the art of reporting in an interesting and succinct manner. The journalist’s role has increased actually. A journalist needs to ensure that reports stand out over such “media noise”, especially social media noise.
—Sameena Siddiqui, student, Visual Studies, JNU
Jagat Jit Singh, Management Consultant
—Yevgeniya Zubaryeva, digital marketing student
The Internet provides a large platform for expression. For instance, blogging website Tumblr has over 217 million blogs. Often, this expression is considered journalism. Nowadays, opinions are formed on the basis of tweets, Facebook posts and YouTube videos. This needs to be looked at with caution since a professional journalist’s opinion is considered to have objectivity, while a casual statement on Twitter is laced with personal bias. A journalist’s role is not diminishing but is becoming more significant now in guiding informed opinion. —Bahaar Abbas, student, The Sri Ram School, Gurgaon 20 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
New Media Mobile Reporting
INSTANT FAME Caught in the Nepal quake, blogger Jonathan Khoo turned reporter to give live coverage for TV channels
BREAKING NEWS VIA CITIZEN JOURNALISTS
W
E saw the first smartphone in 1993. The iPhone that came in 2007 revolutionized the concept of a phone and has now transformed to ease everyday issues. Steve Jobs said the iPhone was five years ahead of any other mobile phone, and he was right. Thus, flip phones, grainy VGA cameras, exceedingly loud polyphonic ringtones and calls that cost a great deal, rapidly became a thing of the past. It has also helped journalism. The wide penetration of smartphones has triggered citizen journalism. Plainly, citizen journalism is when a news consumer takes the initiative
Smartphones have enabled people to tell their stories to the world and has given rise to citizen journalism BY AISHWARYA RAMESH
to tell a story. This could be a local civic grievance or a harrowing tale of suffering that is not allowed to be told. Citizen journalism has been making a huge splash in third world countries, owing to the fact that the local media, mostly controlled by the government, is not allowed to tell the stories of people suffering at the hands of their dictators or their governments. TELLING UNTOLD STORIES Take for instance, the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Social media enabled people to share information and posts about the uprising in Egypt, though the state-run media was tightlipped about it. Bloggers and activists used soVIEWS ON NEWS
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New Media Mobile Reporting
cial media to voice their grievances. In fact, blogosphere was extensively used to post news and pictures of demonstrations and protests that were not covered by the mainstream media at all. The world was thus watching the fall of Mubarak. However, lesser known is the revolution Twitter fueled in Iran in 2009 and 2010. The users of Twitter and other such social media took to spreading information to let the world know what was going on in Iran at a time when even mainstream media, such as CNN, refused to cover it. The motive was to publicize ongoing protests and to bring the world’s attention to the violence and crime committed by the regime. More recently, Al Jazeera changed the way the
SHARING NEWS (Above) UK TV presenter Brian Conley specializes in training citizen journalists to use their smartphones to tell stories; (right) Nepal earthquake victims used mobile phones and social media to spread the word
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riots at Baltimore, US, got covered. A social media team reported constantly and the images and videos it sent were uploaded on to the offficial website. A smartphone is an effective audio and visual recording device. Common people, who may not otherwise understand how a complex equipment works, now have access to something just as powerful and convenient too. A citizen journalist is, therefore, all set to go with the help of his mobile phone while the same tool can be put to deft use by a journalist. TELL YOUR STORIES UK television presenter Brian Conley has traveled and reported from the Western Balkans, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Egypt and Burundy. He specializes in training citizen journalists to use their smartphones to tell stories. “Usually we focus on teaching people visual journalism and storytelling. We’ve been building an app called ‘storymakers’ for the past three years
now. We focus mostly on storytelling and not on things like how to frame a shot and how to hold the camera steady,” he says. “Last year, we had a workshop in Afghanistan where we focused on teaching the fundamentals of radio reporting with a mobile phone,” he says. Due to low levels of smartphone penetration there, cellphone features such as SMS, voice calls, MMS and so on, are still extensively used to tell stories. NEPAL QUAKE When the recent earthquake devastated Nepal recently, travel blogger and writer Jonathan Khoo’s first instinct was to document what was unfolding in front of him. In his blog, Wanderlusty, he writes about how he felt shy in front of the camera, but took on two citizen journalism assignments. His hotel had collapsed, and all the guests were forced to wait in the parking lot. “I was milling about in that intersection, not sure what to do next, and then I did that video report for CNN-IBN because otherwise, I’d just be sitting in a dirty parking lot. I figured I might as well do something constructive,” he says, in an email correspondence. CNN-IBN carried some of the footage he shot along with the information he recorded. “In the beginning, there were lots of problems with cellphones—calls were repeatedly dropped or the quality wasn't very good,” he says, talking about the technical difficulties he faced. “The hardest part was getting a good cell or a Wi-Fi signal. I had two SIM cards. However, Nepal Telecom’s data service didn’t work at all, and Ncell didn’t have service in the area I was, perhaps
Al Jazeera changed the way the riots at Baltimore, US, got covered. A social media team reported constantly and the images and videos were being uploaded on to their website. due to the poweror breakdown or some equipment damage,” he says. There was one Wi-Fi spot in a hostel nearby, powered by a generator that was working well, which was how he uploaded the videos to CNNIBN via WhatsApp. In fact, WhatsApp is so widely used that people find it invaluable in situations like this. “I can’t imagine what it would be like without social media. Not only was I able to share the fact that I was safe with loved ones and social media friends (via normal posts/tweets but also the Facebook “Safety Check” feature), it also enabled the citizen journalist in me to bloom,” he recounts. Sure, it’s a handy tool, not just for nifty journalists but all those waiting to tell their stories to the world.
SOCIAL MEDIA HELP The Baltimore riots were covered for Al Jazeera by a team with mobile phones
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Interview Rahul Desai
“I'VE BEEN OFFERED BRIBES BY PRODUCERS” In a first-of-its-kind move, Mumbai Mirror from the Times Group of publications, decided to upgrade the ratings given to a film by its critic due to “audience feedback”. The critic, RAHUL DESAI, had been reviewing for the publication for one-and-a-half years, without any interference. Trouble began when he gave this year’s smash hit, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, two-and-ahalf stars and criticized it. The paper revised its ratings in its May 26 edition, saying: "Our reviewer Rahul Desai had given this week's main fare Tanu Weds Manu Returns two-and-a-half stars. Following reader feedback and research which differed significantly from him, this newspaper is upgrading the rating of the film to threeand-a-half stars. On May 28, Desai quit, saying: “It is only appropriate that I resign as Mirror film critic on the day a new Salman trailer hits the web. It's not always wise to adapt to changing systems and broken trust.” SOMI DAS speaks to Desai on the state of film journalism and whether critics sometimes double up as PRs of stars. 24 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
Were you informed before your review of Tanu Weds Manu Returns was revised? Vague hints were dropped about the possibility of a rating revision (usually done online, not in print) the day the review came out. It was too outlandish to even consider, and I heard nothing of it till Monday when I was as surprised to see the ‘correction’. It was done against my consent. What did Mumbai Mirror mean by saying the ratings were revised because research differed with it? ‘Research’ and ‘feedback’ are not the real reasons. Perhaps, it was pressure from above. There's no right or wrong in film reviews. Reviews in the minority tend to be questioned and scrutinized, but not changed entirely citing such reasons. I see no reviews 'downgraded' after research, only upgradations. That tells a story. What do you mean by pressure from above? I meant external factors like marketing/advertising/corporate pressure, a part of most mainstream publications. Sometimes, there is too much interference and I don't see why reviewers should bow to such pressure. Many mainstream reviewers struggle to find a balancing act in between. Does this move by Mumbai Mirror set a bad precedent? Yes, it sets a very bad precedent for film reviewers. Every one of us has faced pressure to 'alter' ratings at some point in our career, but mostly before the review is printed. Not after. It doesn't make sense. If this becomes the norm — and it might due to whatever silent reason ranging from economics, power and external pressure, critic ratings could be eventually replaced by viewer ratings. Unfortunately, some publications might look at this incident and find it entirely credible to overrule their critics. Have you faced such a reaction to your reviews before? No. Mirror gave me a free hand till that day.
Many readers casually talk about ‘paid reviews’. Worryingly, this attitude is prevalent. This cynicism is probably because some reviewers blur the lines between journalism and public relations.
What is the general opinion about film journalism in newspapers and television today? That is hard to generalize. I wish there were more specialist reviewers. Film writing and criticism in a country can only be as good and as bad as the cinema made there. Lately, the standard is rising -- thanks to a larger variety of films being accepted. Journalists tend to automatically cover different kinds of cinema without restrictions. Film journalism on websites and in print is of a higher standard than TV and entertainment journalism. There is also an increasing feeling among viewers and readers that film critics and film journalists are an extension of a star’s PR machinery as many hobnob with them. Some film critics who double up as entertainment journalists are known to hobnob with stars. I don't know any of them personally though. Many readers casually talk about ‘paid reviews’ and joke about how 'this critic must not have been paid in time'. Worryingly, this attitude is prevalent, and many serious reviewers are blamed for this despite their spotless reputation. This cynicism is probably because of those few reviewers or trade gurus who blur the lines between journalism and public relations. I've been offered bribes by producers more than once. And I've rudely declined. The fact that they make these offers could mean that another critic or trade analyst has accepted it readily. (Another common misinterpretation about film critics is that they should be able to predict the money a film makes.) This practice exists, but nobody openly speaks about it. It’s unfortunate because I closely know critics who are honest and take their jobs seriously. Because of a few rotten apples, the reputation of others gets maligned. VIEWS ON NEWS
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Web Crawler Zoya Rasul
Countering Feminism A COMMON argument given to counter feminist or gender equality campaigns is that not all men are bad. This oh-so-ingenious explanation has been turned into a placard campaign by Mintified, an Indian media company. #BlameOneNotAll, as the campaign is called, shows women holding placards with a message of trust for their friends, colleagues, uncles, professors, drivers (basically the men in their lives). “When my parents are not around, my uncle doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable,” reads one of them. It is being dubbed as the Indian answer to #NotAllMen —a campaign that went from being totally frustrating to laughable in 2014.
Kejri vs Center HE MAKES news or news makes him is a tricky question. What’s certain is that Arvind Kejriwal manages to grab the limelight as he takes on his political adversaries. The latest on his hit-list is Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung. The altercation that was simmering for quite some time, blew up on the issue of appoinment of chief secretary. It turned into a Kejriwal vs Center battle as the CM minced no words in terming Jung’s actions as being on the behest
of the Center. Heated words were exchanged on Twitter. The tussle, which has now reached the courts, coincided with the completion of 100 days of the Aam Aadmi Party government, making #100DaysofMufflerman among the top nationwide trends. The Delhi CM is also in the midst of another controversy, that is #ArvindSnoopgate trended by Times Now. The channel claims it has laid hands on a cabinet note that reveals that the CM has ordered high-end snooping devices for his anti-corruption bureau.
Vir Das turns student advisor NO MATTER how much one trivializes the importance of Class X and Class XII board results, students still believe it to be the main factor that determines their trajectory in life. The wisdom, that marks don’t really get you the peaks you desire, dawns only after people have had a fair share of life’s bitter-sweet experiences. Comedian and actor Vir Das has tried to impress upon this widom through his latest video. On your marks, screw your marks… GO! packs in his message to all sweaty-palmed students. In a three-minute 26 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
Our desi version got some serious bashing. Huffington Post initially called it “powerful” but later posted criticism; The Independent called it a campaign that has “failed spectacularly”. Social media users also saw little logic in patronizing men for not being rapists. One of the tweets read: “@rredstocking –Ladies, it's so important for us to remember to regularly thank the men in our lives who have yet to rape us.” People where so pissed off that they came up with some really intelligent analogies. Read this one: “By not all men logic, Russian Roulette is a perfectly safe game to play. Sure, one of the chambers has a bullet in it… but not all chambers.”
video, the actor puts across quite amusingly the messagae that there’s more to life than the marksheet. He draws a list of life-affirming experiences. “You are going to meet someone,” he says, “or be waiting for someone until you discover that the person you were waiting for wasn’t the person you were looking at, or the person you ever thought you’d meet. You will beg and borrow and steal, so that eventually you can risk and rent and lose, so that maybe you can own and invest and grow... What do all of these things have in common? Not one of them requires a marksheet.” The video has been watched over 2,75,000 times on YouTube.
Modi’s hubris OFTEN TWITTER turns into a boxing ring in which the prime minister’s supporters are pitted against AAPtards, Sickulars or Congis (as they are called in social media lingo). With the Narendra Modi government completing a year in office, sparks were due to fly. The PM’s three-nation tour to China, South Korea and Mongolia, was set to propel India internationally, at least in the eyes of fellow Indians. But there was an anti-climax—while addressing NRIs in Shanghai, the PM said: “Earlier, you felt ashamed of being born Indian. Now you
Challenge to RaGa THE INDIAN Institutes of Technology make headlines for innovative ideas or whopping job packages. This time the reason was unusual and rather sad. IIT Madras was trending across social media for derecognizing one of its student bodies, the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, allegedly for anti-Modi government comments. Politicians, journalists, students and others took to Twitter to comment on the institution’s move to “stifle” freedom of speech and expression.
feel proud to represent the country. Indians abroad had all hoped for a change in government last year.” The backlash followed almost fast. #ModiInsultsIndia trended at the top for hours by users who thought the PM’s remarks were inappropriate. But the bout wasn’t over with that. Almost magically, the trend was replaced with #ModiIndiasPride. As anniversary celebrations unfolded, every news channel launched their own hashtag to start a conversation around it. Twitter also saw many dramatic trends to mark the day— #JumlaDiwas, #ModiMurdersDemocracy, and of course, the official one — #SaalEkShuruaatAnek!
Many believed that Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Irani was behind the move.What ensued was a tweet-battle between Rahul Gandhi and her, as the former also pitched in and tweeted in favor of the banned student group. In her characteristic style, Irani challenged Rahul Gandhi to an open debate. Accusing him of protesting outside her residence, she tweeted to RaGa: “Next time fight ur battles ur self don't hide behind NSUI. N by d way I'm b returning to Amethi soon. See you there.” The controversy doesn’t seem to be dying out any time soon.
A Beautiful Mind, No More! JOHN NASH, 84, the famous American mathematician and his wife, Alicia Nash, died in a road accident in New Jersey on May 24.Tributes, recalling his greatness, swarmed social media. Academicians, politicians, filmmakers—all mourned the loss of Nash, who among other things, is known for overcoming schizophrenia that ailed him for 11 years. Nash is known as the brain behind the Game theory and inspiration for the Oscar-winning movie, A Beautiful Mind. Game theory and its solution-
concept called Nash Equilibrium won him the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994. He also won the Abel Prize in Mathematics (there’s no Nobel in Mathematics) five days before his death. Many anecdotes from his life were shared on social media. He had finished a majority of his ground-breaking work before he was 30; his letter of recommendation for graduate school comprised a single sentence: “This man is a genius”; his Ph.D dissertation on noncooperative game was just 28-pages long. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted:“An intellectual powerhouse with a long-lasting contribution to mathematics, John Nash will be remembered forever. RIP Alicia & John Nash.” VIEWS ON NEWS
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Headlines & Deadlines Sensationalism
THE HEADLINE OF In an attempt to grab eyeballs, health stories are carrying wrong headlines, thereby altering public perceptions and influencing policy-making BY DINESH C SHARMA
J
OURNALISTS are known to look out for headline-grabbing content, because if there’s anything new in a copy, it automatically grabs headline space. Experienced editors tell young reporters to write their copy in a way that makes it easy to write a catchy headline. If a headline is not smart or newsy, the chance of a story being read reduces substantially. However, the competition to grab eyeballs triggers the need to sensationalize headlines. Many times, even news sources, in their desire to grab
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strategic media space, sensationalize content. But sensational headlines may have serious and even dangerous consequences; this is specially so regarding health stories and scientific and medical breakthroughs. It is important to bear in mind that medical stories not only inform people about the latest developments but also help shape their perceptions about diseases and lifestyle, and influence policy-making. CANCER STORY At the start of this year, a breakthrough story on
ALL MALADIES cancer was splashed in newspapers all over the world, given the huge interest in the life-threatening disease. The case, however, goes to show the dangers in sensationalizing health news. The story, based on a research paper published in the reputed journal, Science, claimed that “most cancers occur due to bad luck”. The study was conducted by a group of researchers from different schools of the John Hopkins University (JHU). All top news outlets carried the story with nearly identical headlines. Listed below are some headlines from Indian newspapers: “Most cases of cancers caused by bad luck” (The Times of India) “Most cancers caused by bad luck, not faulty genes or lifestyle: Study” (The Times of India) “Two-thirds of cancer cases due to bad luck” (The
HEADED FOR TROUBLE The “bad luck” headlines as seen in a cross-section of the media
Indian Express) “Forget about habits like smoking, even biological bad luck might lead to cancer” (Hindustan Times) “Most cancers rooted in bad luck” (The Telegraph) A big debate has been going on for decades on what causes cancer. Two causes—environmental factors (exposure to certain heavy metals, industrial toxins and so on) and hereditary factors—are wellknown. The third cause, that is, mutations that occur during normal stem cell divisions, too is wellknown but nobody has been able to gauge the exact impact of it. In the JHU study, scientists found evidence of the significant role mutations play in causing cancer. Researchers chose to call this “bad luck” because mutations in stem cell divisions are not influenced by environmental or hereditary factors.
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Headlines & Deadlines Sensationalism
Sensational headlines can have serious and even dangerous consequences; this is specially so regarding health stories, scientific and medical breakthroughs. GRITTY FIGHTER Cancer survivor, cricketer Yuvraj Singh
The word “bad luck” was used both in the JHU press release as well as in the research paper. This led to excessive focus on the “bad luck” angle. Most news headlines gave the impression that cancer is the result of bad luck and not genetics or environmental factors. However, this is not what the researchers said. CONTRARY VIEWPOINT The World Health Organization’s cancer research arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), issued a statement disagreeing with the study. Science, too, was flooded with responses from scientists and had to carry a clarification along with replies by JHU researchers. As IARC Director Dr Christopher Wild explained: “We already knew that for an individual to develop a certain cancer, there is an element of chance, yet this has little to say about the level of cancer risk in a population. Concluding that ‘bad luck’ is the major cause of cancer would be misleading and may detract from efforts to identify the causes of the disease and effectively prevent it.” However, the IARC press release and the subsequent discussions in Science did not get front page space. Only a few newspapers did follow-up stories. Here are the headlines of some of the follow-up stories: “Experts pan tying cancer to bad luck” (The Telegraph) “Not bad luck, pollutants and lifestyle cause most cancers” (The Times of India) “Is cancer just bad luck?” (Business Standard) These stories discussed the viewpoint of IARC, the opinion of Indian oncologists and the limitations of the original research study. However, the damage that the “bad luck” headlines did in terms of public
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perception of the disease may not be undone with just a handful of stories. A few weeks later, I spoke at a cancer awareness program in Delhi, along with cancer survivors and experts. The audience comprised educated people. And yet, the first question asked was: “Why do you think we should focus on prevention and early detection of cancers, when cancer is caused due to bad luck?” The research paper should have been explained properly, especially what it meant by “bad luck”. A note of caution should have been inserted along with the story. As a rule, a quote should be taken from an independent expert while writing on contentious issues. The follow-up stories did this, but they were not given good display. One should not blindly go by claims made by scientists in press releases. It is always better to access original research papers. Press releases based on research papers tend to sensationalize or provide interpretations which may not be there in the papers at all. As for news consumers, it is advisable not to form opinions based on a single story. Remember, science is always evolving and there is more than one viewpoint to any study. (The writer is an author and his latest book is Know Your Heart: Hidden Links Between Your Body and the Politics of the State.)
Anchor Review Neelesh Misra
A breath of FRESH AIR
With Ramrajya, Neelesh Misra gives news channel viewers the option to watch something more meaningful than primetime debates BY SOMI DAS
A
BP’s special program, Ramrajya, hosted by radio’s famous voice Neelesh Misra is challenging concept content of TV programs. The first episode of the series made us take notice of it not only because of Misra’s stardom and his story-telling skills but also because something like this hasn’t been seen on news channels before. The show raises the STYLE AND SUBSTANCE Good content and Neelesh Misra’s golden voice makes Ramrajya a winner
bar for television programming by going outside the boundaries of the country is search of Ramrajya— the perfect country. The first episode saw a correspondent travel to Cuba, a country that is lagging behind India on many parameters. So how does it defeat India in becoming an example of Ramrajya? By way of its world-class health facilities. Despite being a developing nation, Cuba has been able to excel in the field of healthcare and provide top-notch facilities to its citizens. As Neelesh Misra puts it, Cuba has left behind many economically-advanced nations across the world in the field of healthcare because of the simple motto:“Prevention is better than cure”. Misra’s famous story-telling qualities add to the narrative. Also, the documentary-style narration, repetition of facts and figures mixed with a human touch helps in making the episode based on a subject like healthcare, interesting. The show gave us perspective on what makes Cuba self-sufficient in this sector and better than India with the use of comparative data presented in simple graphics. While India’s child mortality rate is as high as 41 per 1,000, Cuba’s is a mere five per 1,000, even better than the US’. Misra also informs us that Cuba spends a whopping 8.6 percent of its GDP on healthcare while India spends just 3.8 percent. Similarly, patient-to-doctor ratio in Cuba is an impressive 10,000:66 while in India it is 10,000:7. Life expectancy in Cuba is 78 years, while in India it is 66 years. Listening to all these details in Misra’s typical baritone makes you wonder why India, given its greater economic achievements vis-à-vis Cuba, continues to lag behind in healthcare. The show seems promising and Misra’s presence adds heft and glamor. The only problem is the visual quality. Although, the narrative is impeccable, the visuals need to be more vivid. If the show can enhance is visual quality, it would achieve the level of an Al Jazeera or a BBC documentary.
The first episode saw a reporter travel to Cuba, a country that is lagging behind India on many parameters. So how does it defeat India in becoming an example of Ramrajya? By way of its world-class health facilities.
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June 22, 2015 31
Editors’ Pick Anil Padmanabhan
New tax mantra: FEAR IS THE KEY
VON brings in each issue, the best written commentary on any subject. The following write-up, published in Mint, has been picked by our team of editors and reproduced for our readers as the best in the fortnight.
There is a clear message being sent out by the tax authorities: tax evasion (like smoking) is at your own risk
R
ECENTLY, the income-tax department put out a new tax returns form, which makes life for tax evaders, potentially, that much tougher. Coming as it does in the backdrop of new legislation that targets black money held abroad, there is a clear message being sent out by the tax authorities: tax evasion (like smoking) is at your own risk. Among other things, it requires a person filing incometax returns to disclose their passport number, all active bank accounts and their Aadhaar number—the last is not mandatory, for now. Its earlier effort in April had to be hastily retracted after a severe backlash against clauses requiring disclosure of all foreign trips along with the expenses incurred abroad and the cash balances in each of the bank accounts. On the face of it, the new form looks like a climbdown,
32 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
but is it? Potentially, the tax authorities have the desired personal specs, if not the details, which can be easily accessed in the event of a scrutiny. Three things jump out immediately. First, this is another important step towards creating a rules-based regime (and, hopefully, the beginning of the end of an era where it was the done thing to ridicule those honestly abiding by the law—like paying taxes or waiting at red lights). Second, it is reflective of the systemic effort undertaken over the last decade and more to create an audit trail for the taxman to trace in the event of any infraction. They have done so by creating a tax information system that is slowly and steadily connecting all the dots generated by financial transactions. Third, the authorities have to begin educating the tax sleuths in the use of such an information network. Given
the history of misuse, this is actually an imperative and not a choice. In any society, there are rules. Either driven by your sense of civic duty, you voluntarily abide by these rules or do so under the fear of recrimination for any violations. It is not that in India there was no rule for paying taxes owed to the government. It was just that the threat of a crackdown was not credible as the authorities rarely had access to a tax information system that was comprehensive and reliable. So what transpired was a best of the worst. People preferred to evade taxes, even as the administration, vested with immense discretionary powers, unleashed endless harassment. In many ways, they fed off each other, resulting in a punitive system in which there was no incentive to pay taxes. The genesis of the present transformation began with the tax reforms, incrementally at first, initiated relatively recently. The big makeover came about after an expert group headed by former finance secretary Vijay Kelkar turned in its reform blueprint for direct taxes. The report argued for a win-win situation for taxpayers as well as the tax administration; it proposed to do this by creating a transparent, trust-based system defined by clear rules that eschews discretion. This was the birth of the tax information network. “We have sought to replace the present “exemption raj” with a tax system that is outcome-oriented rather than input aligned—wherein higher productivity of income taxpayers and increased profitability of businesses is encouraged. This is the case with the most dynamic countries among the emerging markets,” the report argued. These changes have, over the years, created a tax information network—where even the direct and indirect tax wings of the government share information. It has worked, but partially. The entire exercise was to broaden and deepen the pool of taxpayers in the country as the economy transformed—remember, India was about a $400 billion economy at the turn of the millennium and
is now measured at $1.98 trillion. Yet, the number of taxpayers in the country has hardly grown; at present, it is estimated at 4.8 crore—less than 3 percent of the country’s population. In comparison, in the US, nearly half the population pays taxes. This brings us back to our story of the tax administration’s new mantra. They have started setting up intersecting audit trails, creating a convenient tax GPS that can be easily tracked. Progressively, they are making tax evasion tougher. Here is a list (by no means exhaustive): —A 360-degree profiling of taxpayers by matching their direct and indirect tax payments, —Tracking credit card payments, cash deposits in banks, purchase of tax-saving instruments using PAN, —Seeding of Aadhaar with the PAN database to weed out duplicate PANs, —Buyer of an immovable property exceeding a value of `50 lakh has to deduct tax deducted at source, or TDS, at 1 percent, and —Making PAN mandatory for all transactions of sale and purchase over `1 lakh. There is every reason to believe that this trend will only accelerate. And this is not something specific to the National Democratic Alliance—all previous regimes have been equally committed, but may have dithered on the pace of change. Implicitly, therefore, there is consensus. The only note of caution for the authorities is that there is only a fine line between compliance and enforcement—after all, the honest have every right to not live in fear.
SYSTEMIC CHANGE The new tax return forms will compel people to disclose all their sources of income
—The writer is deputy managing editor of Mint VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 33
Special Report Gujarat Sahitya Academy
WRITERS ON A WARPATH
The Gujarat government’s decision to appoint a president for this academy has riled writers who protest that the move violates its constitution BY KAUSHIK JOSHI
L
ITTERATEURS in Gujarat are up in arms against the state government’s decision to appoint Bhagyesh Jha, a retired bureaucrat, as president of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy in March 2015. The order, they argue, robs the academy of its autonomy and goes against the spirit of
34 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
its constitution, which was drafted in 1993. The writers are now on a warpath and have started a protest movement, Swayatta Sahitya Academy Andolan, and wear black ribbons at all literary events. A state-wide signature campaign seeking restoration of autonomy is fiercely raging on. Interestingly, the state government founded the academy in 1982 and it was under its control initially; the education secretary and minister were its president by turns. The watershed moment came towards the end of 1985 when the academy decided to honor late Umashankar Joshi, an eminent poet and Jnanpith awardee. To its surprise, Joshi turned down the offer saying it had no democratic credentials. In a letter dated January 23, 1986, he wrote: “The academy should not remain part of a government department, and should be democratic in character.” Joshi’s letter set the ball rolling for an autonomy campaign. Seven years later, leading Gujarati writers Manubhai Pancholi and Yashwant Shukla drafted the constitution for an autonomous academy and the same was approved by the Gujarat government in its resolution on April 3, 1993. The resolution applied to four academies, including Gujarati, Hindi, Sindhi and Urdu. It was like a breath of fresh air. Finally, there was
no government intervention. As per the newly drafted constitution, the president of the academy was chosen democratically by Samanya Sabha, a body comprising 41 members, including Gujarati scholars, members chosen by representatives of literary bodies, writers, representatives from various universities of Gujarat and five state government members. “Darshak”, alias Manubhai Pancholi, became the first president of the autonomous academy in 1993. Another writer, Bholabhai Patel, became the second president in 1998. It seemed easy sailing for some time. However, in the 2002 elections, things went sour. Although the writers’ community and universities elected their members, the government did not appoint its five members. In a surprise move, the academy was brought under the wings of the government yet again and it ran it with the Registrar (Mahamatra) as its administrative head. There was no democratically elected president as per the constitution guidelines. For the last 13 years, the academy is being run on the whims of the government. The appointment of Jha delivered the last blow. EXPECTATIONS FOILED Prakash Shah, journalist and editor of Nirikshak, a political and social fortnightly, says: “Arts were once
patronized by the rulers. But that was the legacy of feudalism and monarchy. We expect autonomous institutions from a liberal democracy. Gujarat is flaunted as a model state. Is this what we expect from it?” Dhiru Parikh, president, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad, is more emphatic. He says: “I advocate rejection of all awards and honors offered by the academy in toto until it is clothed with autonomy.” The resentment, however, is not directed against Jha personally. Several writers say that they would have objected even if the appointee was a literary figure. Jha, however, has a different take on the issue. He says: “I have been appointed as the president as a retired officer. This does not mean a government official has been appointed.” Nonetheless, the agitation has gathered steam. Ramesh Dave, who was assigned by the academy to compile the works of noted Gujarati author “Darshak”, resigned in protest. On its part, the government has amended the constitution of the academy by a resolution on April 7, 2015, under which the president shall be appointed by the government. While it is intriguing why the writers’ fraternity did not voice any protest during the last 13 years, it seems now the fight is in earnest.
GROWING CRISIS (From left) Prakash Shah, the editor of Nirikshak (standing right) being felicitated by Raghuvir Chowdhary, a leading Gujarati writer; Prakash Shah (extreme right) making a point during a discussion at the academy; renowned Gujarati author, the late Umashankar Joshi; Bhagyesh Jha, the newly appointed president of the academy
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 35
Governance Opinion Free Wi-Fi
A SPOT OF
AAP may have bitten off more than it can chew by promising the freebie BY ROSHNI SETH
F TROUBLE
REEBIES dominate elections as rival parties woo voters. Everything on your wishlist—a plot of land, a house, a TV set, mixer-grinder, fan or a laptop—might be available for free during poll time. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) added a new item to the list—free Wi-Fi. AAP’s decisive win shows that it was able to read the voters’ minds and promised what they wanted. It also implies that Wi-Fi is now a basic necessity like water and electricity. From a grandma to a school kid, everybody is hooked onto Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, Google and so on and misses the facilities once outside the coverage zone. The politics of freebies may win elections but free bijli and paani have crippled many an economy; it is still not available to many citizens. On the other hand, without any government intervention, the telecom networks are now ubiquitous—their tariffs are de-regulated and the rates are market-driven. People in Delhi have the option to buy high speed mobile Internet from at least seven wireless operators and one or more operators are expected to launch their 4G service this year. Against this background, is it rational to fiddle with a well-functioning telecom market like Delhi, and propose free Wi-Fi? Is the voter going to be a beneficiary in the long run or has sound policy-making taken a backseat to vote-bank politics? PROBLEMS AFOOT In embarking on its pet project, the AAP government has, it seems, bitten off more than it can chew. If the AAP government finally provides free Wi-Fi, it will be loaded with a number of conditions. Anil Shastri, parliamentary secretary to IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, has been hinting that Wi-Fi will be made available only to send e-mails and for web browsing. It will
36 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
Rajeev Tyagi
be free but with a usage restriction of 50 MB a day. There will not be a blanket cover and it may be available only in 1,000 hotspots. What this means is that free Wi-Fi will not be available in our homes, offices and schools, which is what people want. The objective of having free Wi-Fi is to provide Internet services as a utility rather than have individuals pay private firms for it. As Wi-Fi will not be available in homes and offices, people will have to subscribe to Internet services. This means people in Delhi would continue to pay for Internet and will be able to access free Wi-Fi only if they happen to be in one of the hotspots. As the free Wi-Fi project will entail significant costs, the Delhi government will have to extend special concessions like that of Right of Way and other such benefits to whichever Internet service provider it opts for. The favorable treatment and the backing of the government would make the firm formidable, and rivals may find the competition too much to overcome. The wireless telecom technology, as we have seen in the last 20 years, has liberalized the telecom market and opened up competition. This has helped in lowering prices and brought telecom services to the masses. In this market, it would be illogical to play the old game of favorite. POTENTIAL LOOPHOLES There is the danger that telecom companies might choose to offer limited or no service in certain areas
As the free Wi-Fi project will entail significant costs, the Delhi government will have to extend special concessions like that of free Right of Way and other such benefits. where free Wi-Fi eliminates the potential customerbase. The private sector has plans to upgrade the network and provide latest 3G/4G services but this may take a hit if the government gets aggressive on its WiFi plans. If the usage of Wi-Fi becomes heavier, it may require additional investment by service providers to maintain quality of service. This issue could be compounded if private providers choose not to make additional investment for market advancements. The AAP government may be dismissive of counter-arguments. Even I love the concept of free Wi-Fi but if investments in the telecom sector dry out, then the Internet that has allowed most innovations, may turn into a utility, providing only the basic bearer service. The government should concentrate on reducing regulatory and other financial barriers to entry, while private sector providers should focus on how to expand Wi-Fi and ultra-high-speed broadband service. It would be prudent to extend Right of Way to all companies so as to encourage more telecom infrastructure investment in Delhi.
KEY FACILITY (Facing page) Arvind Kejriwal promised voters free Wi-Fi; (Above) The Internet is now a basic utility and no establishment can function without it
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 37
Governance Perspective
One Rank One Pension
F The long
WAIT
OR too long now, over 2.5 million armed forces veterans have awaited the implementation of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme that allows for uniform pension to personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement. The OROP scheme has been on an endless roller-coaster journey over the past three decades. Successive governments have either ignored the demand or pushed on the back burner. The OROP issue was raised first in Feb-
The OROP scheme has evaded the reach of armed forces veterans for decades. With the Supreme Court directing the center to implement it, hopes now rest on the Modi govt BY SHIVANI SHARMA DASMAHAPATRA
38 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
ruary 1982, when over 5,000 armed forces veterans marched to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s residence and presented a memorandum. The demand was accepted by her the following year. However, the civilian bureaucracy stalled it by omitting it from the minutes of the meeting. In 1984, the KP Singh Deo Committee recommended OROP. Later, in February 1987, then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi promised to grant the scheme. The successive VP Singh government also accepted the demand, but no formal orders were issued. The Congress government in 1991 accepted
all the recommendations of the high-level committee appointed to go into the demand of the ex-servicemen. The report was submitted to the government in December-end 1991. Years later, Prime Minister IK Gujral too accepted the demand, but his government fell before the scheme could be sanctioned. SC RULING In 2009, in the Union of India vs Maj Gen (retd) SPS Vains and others case, the Supreme Court ruled: “The division which classified pensioners into two classes was held to be artificial and arbitrary and not based on any rational principle and whatever principle, if there was any, had not only no nexus to the objects sought to be achieved by amending the Pension Rules, but was counter-productive and ran counter to the very object of the pension scheme. It was ultimately held that the classification did not satisfy the test of Article 14 of the Constitution….” Although the ruling was not directly on the OROP scheme, it laid down the principle of parity in service pensions. Interestingly, the fight for OROP found support from Member of Parliament Rajeev Chandrasekhar. In a rare gesture of solidarity in 2010, he declined to take a salary hike granted to parliamentarians. He wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stating that that he would not reconsider his decision until the government reexamines the issue. In fact, since 2006, Chandrasekhar has been the lone parliamentarian who has spearheaded the fight for OROP consistently in and outside parliament. Between 2009 and 2011, about 22,000 gallantry medals have been returned by ex-servicemen and war widows to the President to highlight their plight and in protest against the non-implementation of OROP. In August 2011, veterans collected 10,000 medals to return to then President Pratibha Patil; she refused to accept them. The pensioners submitted a
In August 2011, armed forces veterans collected 10,000 medals to return to then President Pratibha Patil; she refused to accept them though the pensioners insisted on handing them over to her.
CALL FOR EQUALITY (Facing page) Ex-servicemen gather in Delhi to press for implementation of their demands; (Left) MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar is the lone parliamentarian who spearheaded the fight for OROP
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 39
Governance Perspective
One Rank One Pension
SOOTHING GESTURES Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar has made statements on the OROP scheme clearing various levels
40 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
memorandum, containing 1.25 lakh signatures in blood, seeking implementation of OROP. Like many previous governments, UPA I and II ignored the matter until its fag end. Finance Minister P Chidambaram, while presenting the government’s interim budget for 2014-15, said: “Rs 500 crore will be transferred in 2014-15 for implementing the One Rank One Pension decision.” At the end of his tenure, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that his government agreed in principle to clear the OROP scheme. The announcement, made in an attempt to woo the large ex-servicemen community, came a little too late in the day.
POLL PROMISE Even in the BJP’s election manifesto in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, OROP found mention. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered renewed hope to armed forces veterans by announcing that his government would implement the scheme “as soon as possible”. The government, however, further debated on the definition and the modalities of OROP. In the months that followed, Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar made statements of the scheme having cleared one level after another with no definite announcement of its actual implementation. The OROP file has been shuttling between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance over the past few weeks now. On February 17, the Supreme Court while hearing the contempt petition filed by Maj Gen (retd) SPS Vains, directed the center to implement its six-year-old verdict on OROP for retired armed forces personnel, reminding the BJP government that it had promised to do so in the run-up to last year’s Lok Sabha elections. The bench comprising Justices TS Thakur and AK Goel warned the government of contempt if it failed to abide by its order within three months. The court told additional solicitor general Pinky Anand: “We make it clear that no further time will be granted for the purpose of implementation of the judgment.” Officials in the defence ministry say that calculations regarding OROP are being worked out and the scheme roll-out will be announced by Modi. The announcement was expected to coincide with the NDA government’s completion of a year in office on May 26. While the euphoria generated by Modi’s statements on OROP pre and post-election has died down, the armed forces veteran community is cautious. Statements of OROP having been “cleared”, “finalized”, “signed” have been heard too many times. They await the final government order of implementation now.
Governance
Special Story Smriti Ki Pariksha
Smriti Irani deftly avoided questions pertaining to her degrees at Aaj Tak’s show in Delhi University, proving her prowess in stage management BY MEHA MATHUR
Queen of MANEUVERING
I
T’S been a year of the Modi government, and the youngest cabinet minister, HRD Minister Smriti Irani, deserves an “A plus” on some counts. In a recent TV debate on Aaj Tak, held at Khalsa College in Delhi, she outmaneuvered her interviewers, Ashok Singhal and Anjana Om Kashyap. She deflected questions quite intelligently, helped by a supportive crowd from the college. No doubt, her stint as an actor has taught her how to play to the galleries. The question round began with her frequent visits to Amethi and her potshots at Rahul Gandhi, Congress vice-president. To this, her response was: Why is Amethi such a no-go zone? Does she need a visa to enter that territory? It was late into the discussion that the interviewers pointed out that perhaps this was a ploy to divert public attention from core education issues, especially the saffronization of education. But by then, she was completely in charge of the show. Singhal’s question to her regarding her credentials was quite clear: She has been at the center of controversial decisions, she lost the Lok Sabha elections, there
are doubts regarding her degrees, and whether she is a graduate or not. Given that, why did Modi give her such an important portfolio? “Kya khoobi lagi aap me (What qualities did Modi see in you)?” Seizing the occasion, she addressed the women in the audience, insinuating that this was a sexist question. Irani said: “Aap me yeh himmat ek aadmi se poochhne ki nahi hoti (You wouldn’t have dared pose this question to a man).” She added: “Aapka lehza galat tha.... Agar aapka ishara kuchh aur tha toh main uska khandan karti hoon (your tone was wrong. If you were hinting at something else, I deny it).” However, nobody could figure out what she was denying. Unlike Smriti Irani, Defense Minister Sushma Swaraj’s conference to mark the first anniversary in office was downplayed by Doordarshan, reportedly annoying her. Modi has entrusted Irani, seen as the queen of performance, with the job of preparing the one-year report card of her colleagues. This includes those of Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Manohar Parrikar.
Question: There are doubts about your degrees, you lost the Lok Sabha elections. Why did Modi give you an important portfolio like HRD? Kya khoobiyaan dikhi aap me? Answer: Your tone was wrong. If you were hinting at something else, I deny it outright.
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 41
Governance
Environment
Ahmedabad/ Heatwave Action Plan
N
O more heatwave deaths are needed for India to come up with a national strategy for heatwave preparedness. Over 2,000 citizens have lost their lives over the past few weeks as the country is ill-prepared to face the heatwave. Loss of health, livelihood and business is yet to be calculated. And this loss is avoidable. At temperatures about 40 degrees Celsius, a “heatwave” refers to a departure of between 4-5 degrees Celsius from the normal temperature, while a “severe heatwave” refers to a departure of more than 6 degrees Celsius. At these temperatures, chances of a heatstroke caused by overheating of the body are high.
FUTURE BLEAK This heatwave is not sudden. The India Meteorological Department has been making accurate and timely heatwave predictions in India over the past four years. The special report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on “Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation” had concluded that more heatwaves will occur, especially in cities. The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) by the Cen-
TOO HOT TO HANDLE India’s first heatwave action plan by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation shows ways to reduce the impact of this debilitating weather phenomenon. Can it be implemented on a national scale? BY MIHIR R BHATT
42 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
tral Himalayan Environment Association, in Dehradun, and by Jadavpur University in Kolkata in March 2015 had also indicated more and frequent heatwaves in India’s cities. In South Asian cities, temperatures are reaching high levels in summer and worsening due to climate change. In 2010, a heat spike in Ahmedabad caused 1,300 excess deaths, including those of “at-risk” groups such as outdoor workers, children, the elderly and slum dwellers. The nature and extent of the heatwave on the homeless, street vendors, beggars, traffic police, hawkers and auto mechanics in cities
is yet to be recorded. The health team of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) worked with the Indian Institute of Public Health and Natural Resources Defense Council teams for over three years to make India’s first and Asia’s rare heatwave action plan. It lays out action that citizens, public and private institutions and policy-makers can take to reduce the negative impact of heatwaves. The plan has been implemented over the years and has achieved success to a great degree. Last year, less number of citizens died due to the heatwave in Ahmedabad and even fewer suffered health issues. Drinking more water and standing under a shed are some of the key action plans. But do our cities offer such facilities to common citizens? The AMC has now institutionalized heatwave planning and put it in its annual plan and budget. Even Ahmedabad’s public health infrastructure is being improved in response to the Heatwave Action Plan’s recommendations. For example, ambulance services are now located strategically in places where many calls for help have been is-
THIRSTING FOR MORE (Above) Placing earthen pitchers and providing shade to escape extreme heat are part of Ahmedabad’s action plan
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 43
Governance
Environment
Ahmedabad/ Heatwave Action Plan
KEEP COOL Ahmedabad’s Heatwave Action Plan: Ambulances located strategically where calls for help have been issued Hospitals receive warnings when extreme temperatures are forecast; have extra ice packs on hand Drinking water stations set up throughout the city Citizens informed about risks of heat and preventive measures to take through WhatsApp, wall posters, etc Map high-risk areas, build temporary cooling spaces
BEATING THE HEAT In Ahmedabad, drinking water stations are part of the plan to deal with the heat wave
sued. Hospitals receive warnings when extreme temperatures are forecast and now have extra ice packs on hand. Drinking water stations and awarenessbuilding materials are distributed throughout Ahmedabad. UNIVERSAL APPLICABILITY The Heat Action Plan is a four-pronged strategy that almost any city in India can take up. The first involves a communications outreach which informs citizens about the risk of heat illness and preventive measures to take. This year, new media such as WhatsApp was used to disseminate information along with more traditional means such as wall posters and inter-personal communication. The second involves a warning system, with what action to take mapped out for various governmental agencies. Who will do what, when, and how is clear to key individuals and units of various important departments. The third step is training healthcare professionals —public and also some private—to better respond to heat illnesses. The fourth is adapting the physical plan of the city to better cope with heat: mapping high-risk areas, making potable water easily accessible and building temporary cooling spaces during periods of extreme heat.
GLOBAL STRATEGY Strategies to cope with excessive heat are the global norm. After the 2003 heat wave in France, which killed almost 15,000 people, the French government formulated a heat health watch warning system. Some studies estimate that during the 2006 heat wave, 4,400 deaths were avoided as a result of this system. In India, we do not have such nationwide studies. However, Ahmedabad has shown the path for other towns and cities of India. At a recent event in Delhi organized by UN Habitat, Cities Network Campaign and Climate and Development Knowledge Network titled “South Asia City Summit”, 40 mayors evoked showed interest in Ahmedabad’s heatwave plan. The session concluded that smart cities are heatwave-safe cities. Ahmedabad’s plan also evoked interest from Nagpur, where a Round Table was held in this regard. Other cities in Maharashtra also turned up to prepare for an Ahmedabad-like heatwave plan. At the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, the Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan was showcased as a finalist for the prestigious Munich RE Foundation RISK Award alongside 20 other “best proposals” out of 145 submissions from 62 countries. Cities across the world have protected citizens with a wide range of measures such as tree plantation for shade, enforcing building bye-laws to shade walls and windows and building structures for individuals on duty such as the traffic police or street cleaners. These measures are also being implemented in Indian cities but on a much smaller scale. A disaster is also a creative moment in the life of a nation. How does one turn the ongoing heatwave with its increasing loss of life into a national strategy for heatwave preparedness? This should be aimed at not only protecting citizens from the impact of heat but reducing the impact itself. —Mihir R Bhatt heads the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute
44 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
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Governance Spotlight
Primary Education
THAT SHRINKING
Photos: Anil Shakya
46 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
SPACE E
SUNSHINE AVENUE Primary education has a vast, untapped potential waiting to be explored by the private sector
As the center passes the education buck to states, these, in turn don’t see much value in this lackluster cause. Is this a signal for the private sector to step in? BY AJITH PILLAI
DUCATION, health and food have been key areas that the private sector has been eyeing ever since the opening up of the Indian economy in the 1990s. Inroads have been made in all three—private health care has been growing and business is expected to touch $195.7 billion by 2018. The growth can be attributed to reduced government exposure in the sector. In food processing, the market again is growing and this is evident in the range of products, including grains and pulses that line the shelves of our supermarkets. Higher education has also seen phenomenal growth, with the mushrooming of technical colleges and deemed universities. Private institutions have forayed into graduate and postgraduate studies in arts and sciences and desperate admission seekers are increasingly turning to them, since securing a seat in a government college has become near impossible for many. But despite such inroads, the private sector believes education still has a vast untapped potential. This lies in fulfilling the goals of education for all set by the state, which involves opening primary schools across the length and breadth of the country. Currently, this exercise, spelt out in the Right to Education Act (RTE) 2009, is being conducted primarily by the gov-
ernment. This is one sunshine area where the private players would love to get in. The first step towards their participation is to slow down government involvement through a financial squeeze, which will slowly render its programs and institutions ineffective. Once that is done, the rest follows rather easily. Studies by experts will point to the fact that the government program is failing miserably. Reports of schools without teachers and proper infrastructure will surface in the media. These will highlight the fact that the state has failed in its endeavor. Therefore a case will be built up for private-public-partnership—a tie-up in which the government will take the backseat and pay organiztions /companies for running schools on its behalf. The profits for the private player will be built into the funds allotted. EXAMPLE OF DRINKING WATER Consultants who advise and liaise for companies keen to get into education point to the success model followed in edging out government and municipal corporations in the drinking water sector. Once water in taps was proven to be not of potable quality, the industry moved in. Packaged water and home water purifier systems have become a multi-billion dollar industry and poised for further growth. What started as a business in the 1980s targeting upper class VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 47
Governance Spotlight
primary education
Abhiyan (RUSA, national higher education mission). Though there is no official word on this but sources have told a financial daily that the government wants to cut its funding in the SSA and Mid Day Meal Scheme from 65 percent to 50 percent. RUSA will see a funding cut from 75 percent to 40 percent. If implemented, the proposal would translate into additional spending on the part of state governments.
FLAWED LESSONS (Top) A ramshackle government school compound; (above) additional classrooms to accommodate students under Right to Education Act
segments has now become broad-based, enveloping even the lower middle class segment. Efforts are being made in the area of privatization of water supply, although there is a strong public resistance to any such move since it would push up prices for the user. According to Budget 2015-16, the NDA government has already trimmed its exposure to three flagship programs relating to child welfare and education, which received much focus during the previous UPA government. What the present dispensation now wishes to do is to further downsize the center’s fiscal participation and leave it to the states to pick up the tab. The reason being cited for such a move is that the states are getting a larger share of the central tax revenue pool from this fiscal. The three programs in which central participation has been cut are the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA, or education for all program), the Mid Day Meal Scheme and the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha
48 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
STATE GOVTS’ PRIORITIES The big question is, will the states part with their funds? The three schemes are well-intentioned and will have far-reaching impact, but state governments, many experts fear, may not prioritize them, since promoting primary education is not seen as a populist move which would translate into votes. The apprehension is that the three programs, which are riddled with problems, may slowly be discontinued and perhaps be reinvented using the PPP route. In fact, even when the UPA was in power the schemes were given step-motherly treatment, despite Sonia Gandhi’s keen interest in them. This was perhaps because the liberalizers in the government were not happy with the manner in which the RTE Act was being implemented. The RTE Forum, a network of 10,000 grassroots organizations working in 18 states, recently highlighted various areas of concern. It pointed out that less than 10 percent schools in India presently comply with all the norms and standards of the RTE Act, 2009. According to a statement issued by the forum: “We face a shortage of approximately 5 lakh teachers and an additional 6.6 lakh teachers need training. These statistics are particularly disappointing considering that March 31, 2015 marked the final deadline (related to teacher regularization and training) for the implementation of the Act. The concern is that the states continue to violate provisions of the RTE Act, recruiting contractual and untrained teachers with less pay. The status of teacher-training institutes is equally poor; and there is no clear road-map to improve the situation and quality of education.”
Slowing down government involvement through a financial squeeze will gradually render its programs ineffective. What’s worse, over one lakh schools have shut in several states, including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Odisha. If universalising education is the aim, then shutting down schools would not certainly help the cause. RESOURCE CRUNCH Says RTE Forum’s Ambarish Rai: “We met (Finance Minister) Arun Jaitley and communicated to him what the requirements were. The BJP manifesto too promised 6 percent of the GDP for education. The Right to Education Act has not been properly implemented because of resource crunch and now the deficit is further increased. The education cess that was meant to help fill the gaps has now become the main source of funds for education.” Last fiscal the education cess of 2 percent generated Rs 33,810 crore. Increasing the financial burden of the states seems inevitable in the light of this year’s budget cut allocations for the programs—SSA was allocated Rs 6,000 crore less than in the last fiscal. The Mid Day Meal Scheme has seen a cut of Rs 4,000 crore and RUSA’s allocation has been trimmed by Rs 1,000 crore. If states do not up their allocation, the
schemes, which are riddled with problems, may face closure. Many players see an opportunity in this. Several private schools have opened up in rural areas and parents prefer them to free education in government schools because of the difference in quality. If free education under the government scheme is provided by privately run schools then it would be an attractive proposition, in which profits would accrue to those who bag contracts. The downside is that there is no guarantee that the best suited companies will bag the contracts. Also, with costs escalating, the government may pass on the burden to parents. Thus, primary education may no longer be free. According to experts, there is the question of whether the private sector can sustain a mass education program effectively. If the government does hand over national welfare programs to state governments to micromanage, then the first step towards their disintegration will surely begin. There are times when reforms should also involve the government getting its act together. Wringing its hands and ensuring the closure of its schemes may not be the answer.
WHEN LEARNING IS A JOY (Left and above) Very few government schools make an effort to involve students in meaningful education
VIEWS ON NEWS
June 22, 2015 49
Governance
All That Matters Grapevine
Celebration Time for PM midst sizzling temperatures and tempers, the NDA kicked off the celebrations of its one year in power with a grand photo exhibition on May 25, inaugurated by Union Minister Arun Jaitley, at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat and other speeches blared from different corners of the exhibition hall, which also had colorful posters in Devana-
A PC’s
debut inally, a few days back, former finance minister P Chidambaram, joined the Twitter bandwagon to make “short but serious comments on contemporary issues.” One of his first tweets quoted Thirukkural 448, who said, “A king with no guardian or critic to rebuke him will be ruined even if he has no enemies.” This triggered a barrage of comments, pointedly asking who he was referring to or whether his reference was purely coincidental and had no bearing on the current situation. Chaidambram, it seems, has realized the virtues of shooting and scooting off. He chose not to reply to any of the comments. One wonders what and who brought him to this platform—a late riser indeed.
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gri script. The month-long exhibition is a joint effort of the government machinery (read I&B ministry) and party workers. At the inauguration, there were more partymen and bigwigs like Vijay Goel and Jagdish Mukhi than the usual bureaucracy. Jaitley said that 60 such photo exhibitions will be held across the country. Around 250 buses will travel into the interiors, carrying similar photo exhibitions.This is a grand show of the PM, considering that 90 percent of it is focused only on him.
Babus in yogic posture ureaucrats have another reason to get worked up on International Yoga Day on June 21. The Prime Minister, along with senior ministers like Rajnath Singh, plans to do yoga on Rajpath. All babus are expected to be in attendance despite it being a Sunday. Not only will they try to exercise on a baking hot Delhi summer day, they will also lose a precious holiday. This is becoming a regular feature now. On October 2 last year, it was the launch of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan; and December 25 was celebrated as Good Governance Day.
B
Tell-all book by Baijal
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he tell-all book, The Complete Story of Indian Reforms, by ex-TRAI chairman Pradip Baijal has been making waves. While people are wondering as to
PK Trending he government has announced the appointment of PK Sinha as the new cabinet secretary. It seems the government is in love with the initials “PK”.
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why he never confessed to all that he is now revealing, a strange fact has also come to light. As soon as a bureaucrat comes to know that you have a copy of the book, they want to borrow it. Is the book not out in the shops or are the mighty and the powerful avoiding buying it? Well such is the fate of most gossip columns…
Before Sinha’s appointment, powerful PK Mishra was appointed in the PMO. It is being claimed that Bollywood actor Aamir’s Khan’s PK has just set records in China. PK is definitely trending… —Compiled by Roshni Seth Illustrations: UdayShankar
50 VIEWS ON NEWS June 22, 2015
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