Routine yet untold

I had vowed of maintaining a tempo by writing at least two posts a week when I started blogging for the first time. The procrastinator within me however did not let my mind and hands work to increase the post count here. However, last week’s developments’ concerning jailed actor Sanjay Dutt and the media coverage on the issue did not allow me to be just meek and follow the reading docile way.

I was winced and equally peeved the way one leading Marathi daily here carried on it’s page-1, the editor’s piece of note disapproving the “hyped news coverage” on Dutt’s conviction and his post incarceration developments. The note credit-lined ‘Editor’ said “The paper does not approve the ongoing hype created by some media on actor Dutt’s conviction and therefore take it’s own story inside on Page 5”.

Through its cleverly worded note, the editor had successfully steered readers on page 5 for Dutt’s story about the bollywood star shifted to Yerwada, the story otherwise would have been easy to miss by readers of Pune who lack no skill to throw tantrums early morning after reading newspapers. A profound attempt was also made, at the same time, to seek pious stand.

Same morning’s conversation with my colleague was hot with the handy issue we had with us to discuss. Abuses were hurled (mostly from my side) in exchange of words like ‘moral and ethics’ (conspicuously from his side). My point was the newspaper is unnecessarily trying to gain high moral ground when it has no business to comment on others’. Interestingly the other English daily owned by same group had similar story on page 1 with no moral note attached to it. “This is just a hypocrite attitude”, I shouted with much of vigor. The reason for me being over vocal was my own story had gone as lead on page 1.

The incident of’course not unique in nature and does not at all has power to trigger bigger debate on morality issue in media. Yet, during the next few hours the issue keeps coming to my mind putting my own views in quandary. The dichotomy within my own thoughts began haunting me. I remember, during the days of my journalism course, I always used to be aggressive when things like morality-immorality became the issues of our discussion in the class.

Being always critical of profiteering approach adopted by certain media I used to vent my ire against them pounding heavy abuses. In the course of time, I became journalist (by profession) nevertheless with more transformed views. “The readers’ choice is paramount and journalist has to provide what readers’ choice is”, the preaching came to rescue my thoughts. Finally after lot of brainstorming I decided to give up this Sisyphean task and opted for a concoction of my thoughts with chorus whenever required. A relief was cited anon. But in the process, I forgot that I too have adopted escapist route thus riding a boat of other hypocrites.

Between you and me only...