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Greetings!
This Newsletter from the GujaratGlobal brings to you the latest happening in the media particularly in Gujarat, whats hot and whats not , who's in and who's out , you want it and you get it here !This newsletter is about people who craft voice and image of others. It is about the real newsmakers.
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Editor.....Blog for health
 This
is not a promotion slogan, but growing conclusion of research on effect of
writing on health. The May issue of Scientific American has an article on
blogging and health.
Certainly
great news for my friend Yashwant of Bhadash who openly asks people to vent
their grievances on blog. Its punch line says that if there is something in your
mind throw it out, you will feel light.
Personally,
I believe that blogging is the biggest democratic tool people have. In just Rs
10 ten (cyber café charge for at least half an hour) you are the publisher. No
doubt, like any other facility, it has also its own quota of misuse. For that ,
such a great leveliser should not be abandoned.
This
issue has a story giving idea of the Scientific American article. My friend
Brajesh Singh of Star News literally gave me a pleasant surprise when he sent me
a mail from Kathmandu. This issue has
an impression piece of Brajesh about Nepali politicians, media and sex
workers.
The
second and last article of Harshvardhan Trivedi about French media critique
Halimi.
And
the regular stuff. And don't forget to have a look at India's unique state centric website www.gujaratglobal.com and my blog www.zerocolumn.blogspot.com
Have A Happy Reading.
With love Yogesh Sharma
Gujarat Global | |
Archive...
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Now you can find all our earlier issues here.
Archive Gallery..
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Blog for Health
This is about an article in
Scientific American May 2008 issue which discusses blogging from mental health
point of view.
According to Jessica Wapner
"Scientists (and writers) have long known about the therapeutic benefits of
writing about personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. But besides serving
as a stress-coping mechanism, expressive writing produces many physiological
benefits. Research shows that it improves memory and sleep, boosts immune cell
activity and reduces viral load in AIDS patients, and even speeds healing after
surgery."
That may be all most journalists,
bloggers, and other writers need to hear. However, scientists want to discover
what's happening in our neurological systems while we blog, and as blogging
becomes a common activity.
Blogging may make us feel better
because it acts as a substitute or placebo for real satisfaction. Or, according
to one neuroscientist cited by Wapner, our limbic (primitive) brain may have an
innate need to communicate -- akin to our drives for food or sex. Thus, as we
blog, our bodies may release the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine.
So far, brain scans have not
determined show exactly brain is doing while blogging. That's because these
scans are hard to replicate and analyze systematically. One neuroanatomist is
investigating whether blogging improves sleep, which in turn can improve
health.
Lore from the blogosphere includes
stories of bloggers who didn't sleep and had breakdowns or worse at the keyboard
--"better sleep" explanation may seem far-fetched to avid practitioners.
Whatever the mechanism, some hospitals are developing programs that include
blogging in their pre- and post-operative care and other healthcare.
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Media Masala
Anmol
Priye Gujarati of E TV Gujarati
On may 31st
Modi E TV Gujarati is going to felicitate CM Narendra Modi as Anmol Priye Gujarati it is difficult to
understand what balance E TV wants to strike with adjectives Anmol ( priceless) and Priye.
Though there
were 10 names the name of Modi had made it clear that the crown will go to him.
Still one has to believe that it is the SMS poll result that is resulting into the felicitation.
Does any one need any poll for this one.
The
channel which is having tough competition from TV 9 has a looming threat from
Voice of India also popularly known as Triveni Channel. Channel had run a SMS
campaign in Gujarat to poll no 1 Anmol Priye Gujarati. Is it to present E
TV as Anmol Priye Gujarati channel ??
Bhopal new battleground of
Hindi newspapers
Soorma Bhopalis are faced with a
new challenge. Its media challenge. Last month the Madhya Pradesh capital saw
Nav Dunia hitting the stands. A new avtaar of Nai Dunia. Today, Rajathan Patrika
is to flood the market. It is also under a new label. Patrika and not Rajasthan
patrika.
The two newspapers from
established groups are a tough challenge to both Dainik Bhaskar and people of
Bhopal who have a variety of choice.
The new names Nav Dunia and
Patrika are a mystery for people. Probably they want to make a new beginning on
a new pitch. Certainly a great idea to try to beat Bhaskar in its name game.
When Bhaskar launched Gujarati edition in Ahmedabad, Dainik Bhaskar appeared as
Divya Bhaskar.
It really needed some divya hand
to beat the monopoly of Gujarat Samachar.
Even though Bhaskar is completing
five years in Gujarat and has been
instrumental in bringing lots of change in Gujarati media right from salaries of
Gujarati journalists to content variety and presentation, the fact remains
Gujarat Samachar remains at the top.
Lets see, how patrika and Nav
Dunia and Patrika wrestle with Bhaskar to gain control of Soorma Bhopali. |
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About A Book
Mrityunjay Bose Principal
Correspondent Maharashtra Herald, Mumbai has suggested that journalists must
read Indlish by Jyoti Sanyal
(Viva Books). The book is about writing simple English.
Its author is
late Jyoti Sanyal who worked for 30
years with 'The Statesman' (Kolkata) and then became Dean of Asian College of
Journalism, Bangalore. He had
also compiled The Statesman
Style Book, one of most authentic stylebooks for news rooms.
He also devoted quite some time for
www.clearenglish.in
The 394 page book is priced Rs
295.
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Nepalese politicians media and sex workers
This is a piece Brajesh Singh of Star News has penned specially for friends of
media newsletter. Here he talks about politicians, media and sex workers in
Nepal. He clarifies that this is his
impression piece and what he is writing about awareness of sex workers is not
his first hand experience! He is in Nepal to cover the historic transition of Nepal from a monarchy to democracy
Nepalese politicians are
very-very-very irresponsible as far as the deadline is concerned.
Even a historic occasion like oath taking of constituent assembly
members or even declaration of republic in very first meeting of
the assembly, the whole process was delayed by
several hours.
In
the first case i.e. the oath taking on may 27, they delayed it by
four hours, and in second case the declaration of the republic they
delayed this sacrosanct occasion by 10 hours. This created tension,
anger and havoc on the road as well as agony for the simple
Nepalese people. Just like our famous phrase freedom at midnight,
they created the term republic at midnight.
As far as
the Nepalese journalist fraternity is concerned, they are in hundreds. Like in many events in India, at any important occasions
they just create the media mob.
Everyone representing some
nami/anami organisation.
General perception about local journalists
is that you can get any type of coverageby just offering few
pieces of sekuwas (roasted mutton) and a bottle of liquor. You can
easily find sekua corners/shops in any part of the
city just like
Nepali cbds. (Note:Brajesh has used CBD term
which is very popular term in Gujarat. It just means that journalists behave like gangs
of Chaddi Baniyan Dhari thieves. Its quite common in Gujarat. Earlier Harshvardhan Trivedi had used this term
in his article in the Newsletter)
Kathmandu post and the Himalayan post, these are the two
major English language newspapers in the country. Both are
broadsheet and normally contain 12 pages. Coverage of the
Nepal affairs in these newspapers
is less, basically these are kathmandu centric. Language is simple
and readable.
TV channels are more than ten. There is
a tendency among Nepali video journalists to wear colorful jackets
mentioning their organisation name. Even when they do live, without
considering the light or location.They can even take an interview
in the night without using the light.I saw it last night at the
constituent assembly building.
There is a reporters club too.
But to my utter surprise it is
privately held and managed. Its
owner is a PR savvy small time journalist but very successful in
orgainising big name pc's and attracting most of the journalists.
Yesterday I just got his call, inviting me for comrade Prakash (a
senior Nepali maoist leader) PC at 2pm. His name is Rishi Dhamala and his
no is +977 9851034950.
Coming to the main event which has
brought me here, people of Nepal celebrated the
republic declaration jubilantly on Wednesday night. Even govt has
announced a three day holiday. They have given the king 15 days
notice to vacate the Narayanhiti palace. The King
will be treated
as commoner now. The palace will be converted into amuseum. May
28th will be celebrated as Nepal Republic Day every year.
Now see
the newspaper headlines on this historic occasion
Discredited
dynasty confined to history - The Himalayan Timesand front page
edit as - a hope is born.
Vive La Republique- The Kathmandu Post -Mast headline-
and
a front page edit captioned as Republic at last! Even the newspaper
has carried a readable anchor slugged as Rise and fall of the Shah
dynasty. The information about sex workers is not my first hand info! it
is given by a UN friend. They are trying hard to educate them and
getting fruitful result. This city of Pashupati nath
also accommodates almost 40 thousand sex workers. Some journalist
friends
informed me about the better AIDS awareness in the country
in comparison to India.
By the way a csw charges anything
between 300 Nepali rs to 5000 Nepali rupees. Even hijadas are
wearing mini skirts and tight t-shirts to get business at the
roadside in the night! Thamel area is known for music bars which
provide you Indian filmi music, half/full naked dancers and
bad/junk food at a cost of rs 500 to 700 per person.
Its again in
Nepalese rs only. The only relief is that one hundred Indian rupees means 160
Nepalese rupees.
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Media Fraternity
Mayurika Anil joins GMDC as PRO
The CV of Mayurika is enought to give
her the PR assignment . She has worked as receptionist, in hotel industry and in
print and electronic medium. What more one needs from the PRO who has to tackle
people from media and to handle other PR and advertising jobs. Before joining
Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation this Monday, she was with WASMO, an
initiative of Water Supplies Department of Gujarat government. Her job was
editorial.
She has joined GMDC as its earlier PRO Meenakshi took VRS to become a full time social activist.
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Mediaman Serge Halimi on media
-Already under fire for its
obsessive treatment of President Clinton's alleged sexual improprieties,
American journalism has recently been shaken by a number of scandals which cast
doubt on the professionalism of some of the country's major news media: CNN,
NBC, Time, the Boston Globe, etc. Invented stories, plagiarism and testimonies
obtained under pressure come high on the list. However, what is more
fundamentally at issue is the whole money-making ethos of news journalism
nowadays. A journalism which succeeds because it is easier and more profitable,
which entertains rather than informs, and which chooses to ignore the
international dimension of news.
-Ten years after Francis
Fukuyama speculated about "the end of history", American journalists are
becoming increasingly alarmed at the possibility of an "end of news". It appears
that consumers of the world's news are being turned off by an overdose of
excessively superficial coverage of a world which offers them only powerlessness
and frustration. They are giving up news. It is not the case that the world's
press is collapsing on every hand, but in more than two thirds of the world's
countries it is definitely in decline (1). Subscriptions are not being renewed
and young people's interest in the news has fallen to disastrously low
levels.
-The reasons for this
disaffection are multiple, but we could begin with the sickly and abstracted
state of a journalism which is going fast downhill "as mainstream press and TV
News outlets purvey more 'lifestyle' stories, trivia, scandal, celebrity gossip,
sensational crime, sex in high places and tabloidism at the expense of serious
news in a cynical effort to maximize readership and viewership ; as editors
collude ever more willingly with marketers, promotion experts and advertisers,
thus ceding a portion of their sacred editorial trust ; as editors shrink from
tough coverage of major advertisers lest they jeopardize ad revenue (2)."
-It was bound to come in the
end. We have seen a continuous process of redefining what news is, directing it
towards what entertains and what is profitable. It is assumed that when things
are profitable, it is because the news that is provided is what interests
people. It means explaining to those who worry about the decline in press
standards that "the world has changed", and then to preach "the end of
politics". It means then to be surprised that the resulting demise of politics
encourages readers and voters alike to lose interest - and to reject well-argued
protests and warnings about this state of affairs with weasel words and
high-sounding phrases. And through all this, people's belief in the value of
journalism - already fragile - becomes ever more tenuous.
-Surfing from one medium to
another (perhaps as a prelude to abandoning them altogether?) has become even
easier now that the dividing line between the various news media is becoming
increasingly blurred. A world-class daily such as the New York
Times has no hesitation in taking the populist path - needless to say,
embellished with lashings of "sociological" analysis on sporting events, the
confessions of stars and celebrities, and scandals of note - all with a view to
providing some important "insight" into society.
-TV news programmes on the
national networks are often not much better than the succession of murders,
weather bulletins and sport which are the staple of news broadcasting on local
TV. In the words of one journalist, "the national 'news' will give us only
rumours of sex scandals, footage of debris and corpses and grief-stricken kin,
lots of corporate hype, live shots of suicide and murder and - aside from the
biennial electoral horse race and the occasional barrage of pro-war propaganda -
nothing on the world of politics here and abroad. (6)"
-Needless to say, the people
responsible for the downgrading of journalism seize on such statistics like
drowning men clutching at straws. They argue that they are giving the "public"
what they want. However such a defence - not dissimilar to the self-justifying
logic of the drug dealer - runs counter to the pedagogic role of journalists,
which is, in theory, to arouse public interest in areas where it did not exist
before. A former president of NBC News, Reuven Frank, offers an opinion that is
almost touching when you compare it with the mercenary intentions of today's
purveyors of news: "News is something people don't know they are interested in
until they hear about it. The job of a journalist is to take what's important
and make it interesting."
-In December 1997 the national
daily US Today, which often sets the tone on local-interest
stories, dedicated its cover story to the acquisition of a new dog by the
president of the world's leading superpower. An entire page of the newspaper was
given over to the animal, analysing its place in the life of President Clinton
and giving a list of the previous canine occupants of the White House.
The commentator William Pfaff
concludes from this baleful picture that: "The nation's takeover by
entertainment has changed the press as well as television news broadcasting,
which now has become an agent of the new ruling power. With honourable
exceptions, American newspapers, magazines and television are today mainly
concerned with stories and gossip about stars, including athletes and public
figures who fall into the category of celebrity; with backstage film and
television reports, and with promotional material on films and television
programmes. The quarrels of sports stars with coaches or team owners, and of
entertainers or actors with directors and producers, are treated as major news
(24)." When Bill Clinton leaves the White House, it is tempting to imagine him
going on to become head of Stephen Spielberg's film studios, "Dreamworks".
( This is the second part of the article by Harshwardhan on Halimi's famous article "Journalism Du Racolage" )
Harshvardhanis with the UNI Ahmedabad. He has worked in UK for four years and for sometime in France.
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What Friends say
My heartiest Congratulations to you Sir for
attaining over 1,700 subcribers for Media Newsletter (MN). Yes, I totally agree
with your opinion that in reality MN is reaching to more eyes than what
subcriber lists suggest.
I appreciate your efforts for highlighting the
activities of journos who arranged notebooks for children of journalist
faternity. I also agree with my colleague Journalist, Harvardhan Trivedi, that
it was better activities compared to some who are just collecting fees from the
press faternity.
I like your idea to re-produce good stories in MN
to bring them to the notice of journalists who have missed them earlier for one
or another reason. These efforts will definitely help in gaining recognisation
for journalists who are producing good stories. With you success for your
efforts and I am confident that like MN it will also find many
takers.
With Love and Regards,
Mahendra Parmar,
UNI, Ahmedabad.
Thanx Yogeshbhai. You are consistent, unlike other
periodicals, and still maintain quality. Your 'foreword' itself is so
well-worded and binding that one is lured to play with curser and go through the
whole content. The hidden qualities of journalists should be brought to
limelight like you did about Sh Kirit Raval, Kamlesh Trivedi, or Sh Harshvardhan
Trivedi etc or about PR persons like Ms Minakshi Joshi or Mr Singh. 'Story de
de..' piece, though true and goes against journalists, speaks of pressure under
which they have to perform. At the same time, one would tend to agree with Mr S
Nanavati when he says 'turning and twisting facts by media to make a story'.
Journalists must refrain from resorting to such things. You/GMC/Newsletter
deserve compliments as you all provide a paradigm change from our monotonous
routine. Pl keep it up. All the best. Regards,
Nitin Bhatt
Reliance
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Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.
-
Albert Einstein
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With Love,
Yogesh Sharma
GujaratGobal.com
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