Compellingly watchable and listenable

While attention grabbing content is the backbone of a TV show or a movie, the presentation and the presenter(s) are of equal significance, as none of us would invest our time to watch a dispirited-looking presenter or a monotonous show that lacks innovativeness and uniqueness in the way it’s being presented. But movies and TV shows no more a daily luxury for me, given the pace at which I work each day. However, I always cherry-pick a few TV programs and make sure to watch them whenever possible. With that said, I must also admit that my checklist is devoid of any soap operas, as I strongly believe in investing time wisely, no matter whether it’s a second or an hour.

News channels and science fiction programs dominated my list of favorite TV shows until I started watching CNBC-TV18. Though this might sound like yet another cliché, I have to say that CNBC-TV18 is truly a business channel with a difference, as I have never seen them broadcasting tailored shows that are solely focused on intricate businesses and markets stories. Instead of serving an elite set of viewers who can decipher the hard to comprehend nuances of finance and markets, they have diverse sets of programs that are both entertaining and informative. Watching CNBC-TV 18 also helped me debunk yet another myth that I’ve had been carrying with me ever since my college days, when I was a devoted and curious student of Journalism. I had always believed that strong abrasiveness is a ‘must-have’ for a journalist of reputable stature. The quintessential visual media journalists whom I revered so far were always found yelling their hearts out on camera, several times, during most of the shows, for an array of reasons. But Shereen Bhan of CNBC-TV18 repeatedly gave me the strong and judicious message that a professional journalist needn’t be abrasive all the time to validate a point or a perspective.



The caustic and irksome on-screen narrators whom I hate to listen to:

From the bygone days of one news channel and a handful of shows, our visual media has grown by leaps and bounds, with the arrival of numerous channels that broadcast endless number of news programs and other related shows, right from dawn to dusk. News stories, political or non-political, always invoke a sense of unplumbed curiosity in me, the reason why I always make it a point to watch one of the news broadcasts telecasted each day. However, news programs are no more the meticulous coverage of top news stories of the day. Nowadays, they do not follow the sequential news broadcasting pattern, one after the other depending on their gravity and depth.

These days, news rooms are less about broadcasting day-to-day happenings and more about abrasive and ludicrous panel discussions that are monopolized by several groups of self-professed intellectuals who carry tremendously inflated misconceptions on their knowledge of the current world and its happenings. The intense interactions, dry wits, distasteful comments, and outlandish altercations take no time to become fiery arguments, violent war of words, and name calling, for several unworthy and unimportant reasons that we can count on. Both the invited guests and the anchors brazenly shout their heads off during the entire sessions, in front of the cameras, and leave no stones unturned to desperately prove themselves right and others wrong, often forgetting the very reason why they entered into the discussion. Thus most of the discussions on political, social, and economic reasons soon pave way for irrational outbursts and unstoppable overflow of intense narcissisms that are intolerable to the core.

A breath of fresh air:

After watching Shereen Bhan for a year, on various shows, I have come to the realization that abrasiveness doesn’t augment one's journalistic expertise, but only intensifies and exhibits the vulnerability of a media person, who has to be technically unbiased and unaffected, even amid the most crucial situations. While many of you might contradict me with a strong argument that CNBC-TV 18 is a business channel that faces the least of tensed debates on political and social issues, I beg to differ, as I have seen her being a part of several discussions that cover such topics as well. I have also had several chances to see her facing the not-so-evident fury of several political functionaries, who have repeatedly taken digs at Shereen Bhan very openly on various programs, for some of her clear-cut questions that they would not want to answer to. Yet, she maintains her commendably calm and composed nature throughout the shows and keeps surprising me frequently. Doesn’t she get angry on being mocked frequently? I don’t know! I have continuously tried to imagine myself in her place, and have constantly thought of my possible reaction on taking such potshots. Let me tell you in no uncertain words – My emotions would have overpowered my practicality, and I would have become downright annoyed several times.

A refreshingly positive face makes every news show and every program worth watching and listening to. It makes you want to listen to the anchor and decipher what’s being talked about. On the other hand, having an abrasive and non-smiling face on the TV is a huge dissatisfaction, and I would hardly bother to listen or watch what’s being aired, no matter how crucial the news program or the show is.

Women, are we safe in our own country?

An anniversary that shudders our mind, a memory that sends chills down the spine, its two years since Nirbhaya, the Delhi brave heart and India's brave fighter, left her mortal life after days of resilient battle against the horrific injuries that were inflicted on her. While namesake memorial meetings and candle light marches happen all around the capital city today, her tormented soul is yet to receive justice for heinous and bloodcurdling gang-rape that shook the entire nation. The huge street protests that followed the dreadful sexual assault did bring the nation to a standstill for many days, and forced authorities to initiate at least a few baby steps, hoping to making Delhi a more safer place for women. But sadly, nothing has changed since that fateful December 16th, and nor do I believe things would change until we introduce and implement stronger laws to protect women from being subjected to sexual crimes.


I often notice that men who get caught in sexual assault cases are absolutely remorseless, and relish every bit of their presence in front of public, as well as print and visual media. This fearlessness results from the unwavering confidence that keeps assuring them that they can easily get away with their lives, no matter how heinous their crimes are. Irrespective of having several fast track courts that assure speedy verdicts in such sensitive cases, no swift judgement has been taken in many of the cases, and no tough sentence have been given to any of the culprits .Ravagers continue to disregard the rules of law, keep pouncing on more women each day, yet  often get off scot-free. While most of the court case take more than 10 years to deliver the verdict, surmounting the pain and sadness of the wronged, crimes again women keen multiplying each day, making women in our country feel utterly helpless and trivial.

No matter whether it’s a city or a lesser fast-paced town, women across the country face sexual ordeals of one kind or the other each day. Catcalling, name calling, leers, shouting, brushing against the body, whistling, grouping, or touching inappropriately, and I can go on about the atrocious abuses that women are subjected to, even in broad day light. As I walk towards the hostel each day, from the bus stop, I can see at least a dozen of who stare at me, pass lewd comments, or try to walk past me while aiming at brushing against my body, during the less-than 10 minutes walk. Even offices turn out equally unsafe, when that stealthily smiling colleague stares at upper part of the body while asking a doubt, or that supposedly ‘decent’ male friend of tries to cunningly brush his hands against our body while climbing down the steps.

While these humiliating incidents are happening in the peak hours of the day, I shudder to think what women are facing during the post-evening hours when our roads have lesser amount of crowd. As the patriarchal community around us keep remarking on the dresses that lure men to committing sexual harassment, let me tell you this in no uncertain words - no matter whether a woman is full clad or barely dressed, no women have the luxury to walk through our streets without being harassed even once.

While Nirbhaya was the talk of the nation, I could hear many of my friends dissecting the incident based on several ‘what if’s that they believe could have averted that barbaric act. What if she had not traveled so late, what if she had refrained from boarding a bus with hardly a few men, what if she hadn't been accompanied by a male companion, and so on. Did her choices resulted in what happened to her on that fateful day? No, absolutely not! A woman's commuting choices are immaterial in a country that’s filled with men who carry the worst facet of overblown sense of masculinity.

For me, leery looks and lecherous comments have turned out to become day today happenings, but like many others, I never react to the taunts or speak back to the hooligan who passes lascivious comments at me. Call me a coward for not standing up for my freedom, and I would say that my safety is obviously my prime priority, however, fearing of a possibly dangerous outcome in the form of a vengeance-filled assault or a violent acid attack prevents me from giving a ferocious reply. Thus I keep calming my mind and walk past the ruffians who comment or stare at me in utmost inappropriate ways. There were even times when I had frustratingly wished for an opportunity to leave the country for ever and move to a safer place where I am not subjected to such harassment each day.

“I will insert a rod into your stomach if you report this,” As I read this terrifying threat that the Uber cab driver told the survivor who was brutally raped, I cannot help but think about the unfathomable amount of pain that Nirbhaya had to face on that fateful day.

With the current state of chaos that prevails in most of the cities and towns, I don’t think many women would come forward to report the harassment that she is being subjected to each day. This increases the brazen confidence of men to commit worst sexual barbarities each day. Nothing but strong laws, along with the timely and rightful implementation of them can change the current scary scenario of our country where no women, young or old find it safe, even in broad day light.  While I write this post, simultaneously watching news broadcasts that telecast the horrific experiences that women journalists underwent while filming about the unsafe circumstances that prevail in some of the top metros in the country, I still hope for a day when stronger and well-framed laws with zero loop holes are implemented, making men think twice before outraging the modesty of women whom they come across.

PS – While many countries around the world take adequate steps to publicize the list of sexual offenders in each city, thus increasing public awareness, both the society and media in our country and more than keener on knowing the victim, her kith and kin and the ways in which she was victimized. Sadism? Patriarchy? I am yet to decipher the right way of depicting this strange mind-set of people around me.