Governance
Anchor Review
A MATTER OF DEGREES
TAKE IDIOCY OUT OF THE IDIOT BOX
By Bikram Vohra 50
40
VIEWS ON NEWS By Ajith Pillai
www.viewsonnewsonline.com
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JANUARY 22, 2016
FACEBOOK FREE BASICS
How Free Is It?
Chris Daniels, V-P, Internet.org, on how the project will make the world more connected 12 An open letter to Mark Zuckerberg on why his plan is flawed 16
ABHAY VAIDYA Indian mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terror coverage 20
MANTOSH MA SHARMA SH Th The Republican Re Trump Card Tr 28
RAKESH DIXIT Ad windfall for MP websites 22
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EDITOR’S NOTE
NO KNEE-JERK, PLEASE THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACK on the Pathankot military installation within days of Prime Minister Modi’s surprise stop-over in Lahore for a private confab with his counterpart Mian Nawaz Sharif is old wine in old bottles. In fact, many analysts wondered why it didn’t occur earlier. It is typical of a set pattern in which the moment the two nuclear-armed belligerent neighbors begin talking turkey, some poacher comes in with a blunderbuss and spoils the shoot. And it is high time that saner heads in both countries awakened to the reality that if peace and economic prosperity are to prevail in the sub-continent torn asunder in 1947 by some of the most heinous, bloody ethnic cleansing the world has ever witnessed, the leaders of both nations must stand taller and firmer and be more resolute in taking the peace process forward, no matter what the provocation. The world is aware that the peace route has suffered largely because Pakistan has perfected the hug-and-dagger routine. A handshake and then, a bombing. There is also little doubt in the minds of influential Pakistani thoughters like the irrepressible Hassan Nisar and Air Marshal Asghar Khan that Pakistan was responsible for four full-bodied attacks on India—all unsuccessful— in 1947-1948, in 1965, in 1972 and then, later, Kargil.
4 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
President Zia-ul-Haq, an ardent militant Islamist, has made hate-India-bleed-India an instrument of state policy—a paradigm that found much sympathy with the Army and the ISI, who later supported as well as encouraged non-state actors such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Jamaat-ul-Dawa. Their problem with India was not military hostility or border issues but one of ideology and identity. While India resolved its seemingly insuperable multiethnic-multi-lingual-multi-religious differences within a liberal constitution and framed secularism as a practical and modern credo of nationhood, Pakistan failed to form an all-inclusive character. The basis for its very existence—the Two-Nation Theory— posited that Pakistan was the natural home of all Indian Muslims and therefore, an India with its humongous Muslim population—was anathema to this ideal. The whole idea that Muslims could live a secure life in India—a secular India—undermined the entire vision of the Pakistani state. F course, things have changed in Pakistan, and its judiciary has decreed that its basic constitution cannot be changed. Dictators like Zia are no longer mourned. Pervez Musharraf has more critics in Pakistan than probably in India. The Kargil disaster proved conclusively to the Pakistan army that even limited battlefield engagements with India have no future. Forget any military solution to Kashmir. And a foolish low-yield nuclear showdown is a no-brainer, because Pakistan would self-annihilate. So what remains are low-intensity attacks carried out by fanatics as in Mumbai, Jammu and Pathankot. Who they are planned by is anybody’s
O
Analysts are not surprised that Modi’s Lahore visit was followed by the attack on Pathankot Airforce Base, to derail dialogue. guess. Possibly rogue, bigoted ISI agents, jehadi revanchists, Islamic anarchists. I purposely omit the Pakistani state simply because it makes absolutely no sense for Sharif, his government or civil society, who are increasingly the worst victims of new forms of terror, as was witnessed by the massacre of children in Peshawar. Also, the world has moved on. Osama bin Laden was tracked down and shot in cold blood by Americans within Pakistan. There is a new anti-terror front building up, which includes India, Russia, China, NATO and the US. Modi and Sharif are engaged in back-channel diplomacy to work out a modus vivendi so they can partner in the world war against terrorism as well as become stakeholders in each other’s economies by freeing up new overland trade routes running through Afghanistan and Iran. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has applauded this effort. So has the world. Why would Sharif’s government want to sabotage this initiative, especially by annoying India with a state-supported terror strike and risk sabotaging the SAARC meet in 2016? Why the “composite dialogue” has been renamed “comprehensive bilateral dialogue” is a matter for a separate discussion. But let it not be forgotten that back-channel diplomacy has produced results such as the Lahore-Delhi bus service, Indo-Pak trade, a new visa regime, prisoner
exchanges and the ceasefire dialogue since 2003 on the Line of Control. Suffice it to say that while India should take a serious review of the intelligence breakdown that led to the Pathankot attack, it would be in nobody’s interest to stop the Modi-Sharif dialogue. That would again weaken the Pakistani civilian state and play into the hands of the Pakistan army. And nobody has stated this better than BJP’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Congress party spokesmen: A viable and stable and economically prosperous Pakistan is in India’s interest.
VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 5
VOLUME. IX
ISSUE. 08
Editor Rajshri Rai Managing Editor Ramesh Menon Deputy Managing Editor Shobha John Executive Editor Ajith Pillai Associate Editors Meha Mathur, Sucheta Dasgupta Deputy Editor Prabir Biswas Art Director Anthony Lawrence Deputy Art Editor Amitava Sen Graphic Designer Lalit Khitoliya Photographer Anil Shakya News Coordinator/Photo Researcher Kh Manglembi Devi Production Pawan Kumar Head Convergence Initiatives Prasoon Parijat Convergence Manager Mohul Ghosh Technical Executive (Social Media) Sonu Kumar Sharma Technical Executive Anubhav Tyagi
C O N
Chief Editorial Advisor Inderjit Badhwar CFO Anand Raj Singh VP (HR & General Administration) Lokesh C Sharma Circulation Manager RS Tiwari
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Published by Prof Baldev Raj Gupta on behalf of EN Communications Pvt Ltd and printed at Amar Ujala Publications Ltd., C-21&22, Sector-59, Noida. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation in any language in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Requests for permission should be directed to EN Communications Pvt Ltd . Opinions of writers in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by EN Communications Pvt Ltd . The Publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material or for material lost or damaged in transit. All correspondence should be addressed to EN Communications Pvt Ltd . OWNED BY E. N. COMMUNICATIONS PVT. LTD. NOIDA HEAD OFFICE: A -9, Sector-68, Gautam Buddh Nagar, NOIDA (U.P.) - 201309 Phone: +9 1-0120-2471400-6127900 ; Fax: + 91- 0120-2471411 e-mail: editor@viewsonnewsonline.com, website: www.viewsonnewsonline.com MUMBAI : Arshie Complex, B-3 & B4, Yari Road, Versova, Andheri, Mumbai-400058 RANCHI : House No. 130/C, Vidyalaya Marg, Ashoknagar, Ranchi-834002. LUCKNOW : First floor, 21/32, A, West View, Tilak Marg, Hazratganj, Lucknow-226001. ALLAHABAD : Leader Press, 9-A, Edmonston Road, Civil Lines, Allahabad-211 001.
6 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
LEDE
Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Indian Agenda
12
The social media network has repackaged its pet project Internet.Org as the Free Basics campaign. In a chat with KUNAL SHAH, product vice-president CHRIS DANIELS answers queries on this controversial drive
SOCIAL MEDIA
The Lie about Free Basics 16 In an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg, SUNIL SAXENA asks the Facebook CEO a few hard questions on the scheme and informs readers about how it will change forever the future of the internet
T E N T S
FOCUS
Feeding off Terror 20 The responsibility and restraint exercised by the French media in covering the Paris attacks served to highlight the sensational and predictable way Indians report terrorism. ABHAY VAIDYA
CONTROVERSY
Caught in Its Own Web
OPINION
Trump’s Card
Why is this divisive and obnoxious Republican candidate for American presidentship able to get the ears of the middle class? MANTOSH SHARMA
This was evident during the Bihar polls and it is only some politicians who are to blame for the intolerance issue, the Dalai Lama tells MURALI KRISHNAN
Siddharth Dube’s memoir documenting India’s LGBT movement gives the fight for decriminalization of gays and sex workers a leg-up. SUCHETA DASGUPTA
Too Much Noise, 40 Too Little News
ADVERTISING
Much Ado 32 about Commas
R E G U L A R S
“Most Hindus Are 26 for Harmony”
Manifesto
ANCHOR REVIEW
It’s okay to break rules but one must first master them. What does the copywriter’s egregious grammar say about the brand he promotes? KRISH WARRIER
INTERVIEW
36
28 Freedom
22
Launch a website and reap a harvest from government ads seems to be the new mantra for MP journalists. RAKESH DIXIT
BOOK REVIEW
A wish list for 2016 from the lay television viewer calls for less drama, fewer debates and more reportage. AJITH PILLAI
Governance
A Matter of Degrees
50
It’s elitist and impractical to make education a criterion for contesting polls in Haryana. BIKRAM VOHRA
Edit..................................................04 Grapevine.......................................08 Quotes...........................10 Media-Go-Round...........................11 As the World Turns.........................25 Web-Crawler....................................35 Editor’s Pick.....................................44 Design Review................................46 Breaking News...............................48 Vonderful English............................54 Cover design: Anthony Lawrence
VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 7
Grapevine
Diplomatic Dare?
P
rime Minister Narendra Modi’s impromptu visit to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, on his return from Kabul, surprised not just Indians but even US President Barack Obama and the American press. The New York Times front-paged the development with a photograph of the two leaders
holding hands with the heading—“Indian Premier goes to Pakistan in Diplomatic Act”. While some observers called it a diplomatic dare, others said that it was at the behest of big brother, the US. Still others suggested that the next meeting should be in the presence of the respective mothers of the two leaders…only then would Indo-Pak issues be resolved.
RaGa Faces The Music
T
he internationally popular magazine The Economist has come out with a scathing critique of Rahulbaba, with comments on his “stumbling performances in his rare media interviews” that are “painful” to watch, and his “gaffe-prone speeches in parliament”. This, when the poor little rich boy, on his own admission, has been hol-
PM’s New Year Resolution
I
t is reliably learnt that the prime minister’s new year resolution is to spend more time in India. Ever since coming to power, the PM has found it difficult to remain in his own country for long. It reminds one of the 1960s song, “Aaj mere zameen per nahin hain kadam (Today, my feet are not on the ground)”. 8 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
He has broken the record of the highest-travelled PM in a year. He has plenty of reasons to remain turf-bound now—from governance issues, the budget and the state elections, to the falling pollution levels in Delhi. So shall we say “Thanks” but “No thanks, Kejri” for keeping Modi grounded.
idaying in Europe for a much-needed break. The blame for the Congress’ eclipsed stature is being heaped on his shoulders. He has also been pulled up for his inaccessibility and his habit of scrolling on the phone while his party men speak to him. RaGa could do well with a New Year resolution to pull up his socks!
United Cause Of BJP MPs
T
he Lok Sabha is seeing great unity amongst the BJP MPs of Bihar, much to the dismay of Union finance minister Arun Jaitley. While Kirti Azad looked more like an AAP activist, bringing fresh allegations against Jaitley and providing ammunition to Kejriwal, BJP stalwart-forever sidelined Shatrughan Sinha used the opportunity to pat Azad’s back. “Kirti Azad—hero of the day.
Humble appeal to friends. Avoid Knee Jerk reaction/coercive action against friend who is fighting against corruption,” Sinha tweeted. While Azad has been suspended from the party, Shatru’s pinpricks are being tolerated. Meanwhile, BJP MP and Union minister Babul Supriyo, sang at a Trinamool program in Asansol. Is anything cooking out there too?
Monkey Business In Bareilly Bazar
B
areilly Bazar is famous for its jhumkas and visits of highprofile politicos like Rahul Gandhi. This time, however, it was a simian that took centrestage, or rather the wheels of a parked bus. It switched on the engine and took off in second gear. This happened while the
driver was taking a nap— thankfully inside the bus. Rudely woken up, he managed to chase the monkey away, but not before it had hit two vehicles and scared the wits out of a rudely jolted crowd. Meanwhile, the monkey business is being enquired into.
Dream Run For The Dream Girl
Bharat Chalo
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aharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has allotted a 2,000 sq m plot in the prime Andheri area of Mumbai to BJP MP Hema Malini for her dance school. This has given lot of fodder for the opposition’s canons. After all, in a landstarved city like Mumbai, a large plot of land in a coveted area is likely to draw a lot of attention especially when more important demands are also in the queue. But then,
having your party in power after a long time also bears its own fruits. And this time, the Dream Girl’s dreams come true!
hile a section of politicians are trying to pack off various kinds of people to Pakistan, it seems Pakistan has been more successful in its efforts to send its citizens to India. The most recent case is that of singer Adnan Sami. The home ministry cleared Sami’s application for citizenship. Now he can sing and dance his way all over the country, without causing a riot.
—Compiled by Roshni Seth Illustrations: UdayShankar VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 9
U O T E S
I feel the dividing line between news and opinion has weakened. —I&B Minister Arun Jaitley on the release of the annual “Press In India” report
Barkha Dutt, TV journalist Dear outragers, read history& law. J&K state flag IS constitutional . By the way J&K has its own constitution too. your next aandolan eh?
Sagarika Ghose, TV journalist
He has discovered that women go to the bathroom, and it’s been very upsetting to him. This is a guy who wants to be president of the United States. He must have a very unusual relationship with women. —US Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders berating Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on his remarks on Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton after she went to the restroom during the US presidential debate, in The Washington Post
The RSS still believes that one day these parts, which have for historical reasons separated only 60 years ago, will again, through popular goodwill, come together and Akhand Bharat will be created. — BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, echoing RSS viewpoint that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh could re-unite to form Akhand Bharat, Al Jazeera TV
I have always believed that there is no such thing as coincidence and I have always believed in destiny. I was born on 15th August, studied Gandhi and landed up in Mumbai. —Singer Adnan Sami, on his getting Indian citizenship, in Delhi Times
10 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
Even in the face of #Pathankot attack, GOI musn't lose nerve, must keep commitment to Pak talks. Don't let terrorists set the agenda!
Rishi Kapoor, actor, to Twinkle Khanna Happy Birthday dear one! You were in your mums tummy when I was serenading her in Bobby"Aksar koi Ladka" In 1973 . lol
Omar Abdullah, ex-J&K CM That was quick. Here's the first major challenge to the PM Modi's bold Pakistan gambit. #PathankotAttack
Shekhar Kapur, flimmaker Lessons of Life: Music is the highest form of pure intuitive Maths. Where Science meets Art. And together meet spirituality. Or God.
Subramanian Swamy, BJP leader When I filed the NH (National Herald) case the CRT (Congress Tweeple) morons tweeted that it was my vendetta.
EDIA-GO-ROUND
Congress fires editor
T
he Congress’ Mumbai unit has fired one of the editors of the party mouthpiece, Congress Darshan, which published a series of unsigned articles critical of its chief Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, on December 28, the outfit’s foundation day. Congress Darshan is edited by Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam. Though the city unit promptly sacked con-
tent editor Sudhir Joshi, Nirupam took “full responsibility”. Former Maharashtra minister Naseem Khan has demanded Nirupam’s resignation over the issue. One of the articles had criticized Nehru for his “inept“ handling of the Kashmir problem, adding that India would not have faced so many problems had the first PM listened to Sardar Patel. Another feature called Sonia Gandhi’s father a member of Italian fascist forces that fought against the Russian army. Another lampooned her for becoming the Congress chief in 1997, within 62 days of joining the party.
Chhattisgarh DMDK chief spits on journos to free jailed scribes D C hhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has promised to release two journalists arrested earlier in 2015 on charges of supporting the Maoist rebels, The Hoot reports. In an interview, activist and Bhumkaal Samaachar editor Kamal Shukla said that the protests organized over the past two months have borne fruit and resulted in the CM accepting their demand. Reporters Somaru Nag and Santosh Yadav were arrested in Darbha in July and September, respectively. Singh has promised “to work to find a route for their speedy release”. He has also accepted the formation of the Patrakaar Suraksha Kanoon Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, a body working towards a law to protect journalists.
MDK chief Vijayakanth allegedly misbehaved with a group of scribes when asked if the ruling AIADMK would capture power in the next assembly elections. Responding negatively to the question, Vijayakanth allegedly spat at the reporters, saying they do not have the
guts to ask Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa the same question. Later, journalists were attacked by Vijayakanth’s supporters when they were protesting near his house in Chennai. The Chennai Press Club has demanded an open apology from the leader.
Benegal to head Censor Board panel T he Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has set up a committee to be headed by filmmaker Shyam Benegal, to clearly define the functioning of the Censor Board. According to a report in The Times of India, filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra,
adman Piyush Pandey, film critic Bhawana Somaya, and National Film Development Council MD Nina Lath Gupta are among other committee members. The committee will also try to contain controversies surrounding the Censor Board.
PCI takes suo motu action T he Press Council of India has taken suo motu action in an incident relating to Yumnam Rupachandra, editor-in-chief of a cable TV news network in Manipur, The Tribune has reported. The action follows reports of death threats received by Rupachandra from a
militant organization for not broadcasting a press note issued by it. PCI chairman Justice CK Prasad has said that a decree imposed by force on journalists with respect to publication or non-publication of news by state or non-state players amounts to invasion of the newsroom.
Chief Minister Raman Singh
–Compiled by Ankur Mehta VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 11
Interview/Chris Daniels FB’s Free Basics
“Facebook’s interest served by getting people to full internet” Ever since Facebook launched its Internet.org project in India on February 10, 2015, there has been intense debate about its intentions and objectives. Under Internet.org, Facebook has collaborated with Reliance Communication to offer free access to a few websites which are part of their campaign. Such was the heat generated that Facebook had to rename this project Free Basics in order to project a “neutral” outlook of their plans. While advocates of Net Neutrality state that Free Basics will curb freedom of the web and is against the principles of Net Neutrality, Facebook stresses that its motive is to connect one billion Indians who are still without internet. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has published a paper on discriminatory access to the internet propagated by Facebook and some telecom players (Airtel too launched its Airtel Zero program which is allegedly against Net Neutrality) and asked Indians to respond to this on or before December 30. In the face of growing resistance, Facebook initiated an open dialogue on this topic, where CHRIS DANIELS, vice-president, product, Internet.Org, speaks to KUNAL SHAH, founder of FreeCharge.in in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session. MOHUL GHOSH, convergence manager (social media) at APN News channel helped set up this session, where more than 600 comments were generated within a span of oneand-a-half hours. Excerpts of questions posted by Reddit users: 12 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
Free internet access is provided by companies such as Gigato, Jana.com and Mozilla. They earn advertising revenue and in exchange for viewing ads/apps/sponsored products, users get access to the entire internet. Why can’t Facebook adopt a similar net neutral model? We’re open to many models for connecting people to the internet and all the ones mentioned above may be valid ways to bring more people online. The difference with Free Basics is that we want to offer a program that gives people permanent access to a set of free basic services—services which are there for them when they were ready to come online—rather than something that is promotional or where they might use their MB allotment, and then the services aren’t there when they
“We are doing this because our mission is to make the world more open and connected. If we wanted to make more money, we’d invest in more ad technology in lucrative advertising markets. We’re not making money on this.” need them. Free Basics is a program that has proven to work to bring people online to the entire internet. The rate of people coming online to networks that have launched Free Basics increases by 50 percent after launching the program, and globally, 50 percent of people who come online for the first time are paying for the entire internet after just 30 days. Facebook says that Free Basic benefits are clear in terms of 65 mn new jobs. It also says that it’s not going to earn any revenue from Free Basics. As a shareholder of Facebook, why are you doing charity? I would rather have Mr Zuckerberg do it with his personal wealth. If it’s not a charity, what are the benefits to the company? We are doing this because our mission is to make the world more open and connected. If we wanted to make more money, we’d invest in more ad technology in lucrative advertising markets. We’re not making money on this, but if our efforts contribute to getting everyone online, we will fulfill our mission as a company. The mission is what drives people at Facebook. In the long term, it’s true that more people online is better for Facebook, but it will be good for the whole internet ecosystem and for society too. Why is it, then, that Free Basics is of-
fered to those users who already have data packs or active data connections? If they're already online, how is this bringing them online? We didn’t want to offer Free Basics to just segments of users. We want everyone to have access to it, and if someone has run out of their data pack (or money to buy more data), they'd still have access to some basic services. The good news is that if a lot of people are using Free Basics when they were previously paying for internet access, operators would turn the program off because they’d lose revenue. This isn’t happening. To your second question—you’re
A WALLED GARDEN The Free Basics newspaper ad promises “basic” web access to working class Indians but its critics have said it will deprive them of an open internet and all its benefits
VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 13
Interview/Chris Daniels FB’s Free Basics
“The only way we can make money is if people convert to full paid internet because then we show them ads in the full version of FB. And getting people online is the purpose of the initiative.”
Anil Shakya
UNCERTAIN FUTURE The fact remains that only Free Basics-approved websites will be accessible for free
right the program isn’t bringing people online who are already online. Are you willing to give an undertaking that you will NEVER make money on Free Basics? Or never use the data gathered from Free Basics users for monetization? How do we know this isn’t a massive bait and switch—that you’ll acquire enough users now, and then start monetizing it later? As AIB mentioned in their video, lots of services start free, and then companies start monetizing them later once they have enough users. The only way we can make money is if people convert to full paid internet because then we show them ads in the full version of FB. And
14 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
getting people online is the purpose of the initiative. People always say we have economic interest. Most businesses do. Our economic interest is best served by getting people to the full internet in this case. The reality is that globally 50 percent of people move off Free Basics to full net in 30 days—and most of the rest churn off. As a practical matter, while we haven’t explored it yet, I think operators would have a strong argument to turn the program off if we started showing ads to users in Facebook before they were charging them for data. As regards data, there are a lot of questions about what data we collect and exactly how we will use it. Back in October, we released a privacy policy for Free Basics that specifies exactly what data we collect and how we use it. We're not using this data for monetization. Check out the policy here: https://www.facebook.com/legal/internet.org_fbsterms How do you justify outrageous claims made using only a sample of 3,000 people—that nine out of 10 net neutrality supporters support Free Basics? If you wanted a survey population of net neutrality supporters, you could have easily chosen India. Wonder what the numbers would be then. The poll was conducted door-to-door by a third party where Free Basics was explained in detail and both sides of the argument were discussed with the participants. As far as we know, this is the first poll conducted in this manner where people were clearly explained both sides of the argument. You can read about it at: http://www.prnewswire.co.in/news-releases/survey-suggests-widespread-support-for-free-basicsacross-india-563227551.html. (The full AMA can be read at https://www.reddit.com/r/india/comments/3ya52q/vp_internetorg/)
Social Media FB’s Free Basics
Not a noble idea, Mr Zuckerberg In an open letter to the website’s co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook fan SUNIL SAXENA asks some pertinent questions about its Free Basics project which will restrict internet and the freedom to communicate Dear Mr Zuckerberg, I have long been an admirer of Facebook. It has connected millions of Indians and given endless hours of joy to me, my family and friends. The website is a social lifeline for hundreds of thousands of young Indian men and women. They can’t imagine a life without Facebook. One reason for this is that you have never tried to discriminate. Anyone can become a member of Facebook and use its features. Plus, it is a free forum for members to create, share and upload personal information. You have scrupulously avoided charging any fee and you need to be congratulated for that. However, I have been considerably dismayed by your Free Basics project. I have watched your television commercial and scrutinized your full page ads carefully. But I am not convinced. Here are some questions that bother me deeply: 1. How is Free Basics different from Internet.org? You first tried to introduce the idea of free access to a select number of internet services in India early in 2015 under the brand name Internet.org. However, you were forced to abandon it when millions of Indians protested. They did not want walled gardens, and access to a few sites in the name of free internet. It was an assault on the very concept of internet and the sacred principle of net neutrality. Now, you are back with the same idea but under a new name: Free Basics. I am at a loss to understand how it changes things. You are still trying to provide limited internet to “unconnected Indians”. Free data services are limited to only those select sites that are part of your Free Basics project. What about the large universe that is the internet? That will still re16 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
main beyond the reach of these “unconnected” Indians aspiring for “digital equality”. Won’t they feel cheated? And what happens to net neutrality? It goes for a toss once again. 2. Why was Free Basics project announced days before the visit of the Indian prime minister to your US headquarters? It may be sheer coincidence but the rechristened Free Basics project was announced days before our prime minister, Mr Narendra Modi, was scheduled to visit the Facebook headquarters in the US in September this year. Was it mere coincidence? Or was it to influence the thinking of our prime minister and gain his support? 3. Why were Facebook users asked to send a message to TRAI expressing their support for Free Basics in India within days of TRAI inviting feedback on differential pricing for data transfer? On December 9, 2015, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a notification seeking feedback on discriminatory pricing being adopted by telecom operators. The stakeholders were asked to submit their response before December 30 so that the regulator could frame a policy and ensure a level playing field. There could be no better democratic way of framing policies on a matter which affects millions of Indians. However, within a week, Facebook users were served a notification that said: “Act Now to Save Free Basics in India Free Basics is a first step to connecting 1 billion Indians to the opportunities online—and achieving digital equality in India. But without your support, it could be banned in a matter of weeks. Send a message to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and tell them you support Free Basics in India.” Why were you afraid? Why do you think TRAI would ban Free Basics in India? Did such a strategy not amount to influencing the TRAI decision? Was it fair? Your full-page advertisement in Indian newspapers states that 3.2 million Indians have petitioned TRAI in support of Free Basics. I wonder how many of these Facebook users would have understood the merits or demerits of your arguments. It is interesting to note the way you tried to rally them to your side with a highly emotional call to action: “Unless
DISINGENUOUS APPEAL
A screenshot of the request made by Facebook to its members
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January 22, 2016 17
Social Media FB’s Free Basics
It may be sheer coincidence but the rechristened Free Basics project was announced days before our PM, Mr Narendra Modi, was scheduled to visit the FB headquarters in the US.
you take action now, India could lose access to free basic internet services, delaying progress towards digital equality for all Indians. Tell the TRAI you support Free Basics and digital equality in India.” I have no data as to how many Facebook users were sent this notification. I certainly received one. I was also notified as to which friends of mine had signed the online petition. But India has 130 million Facebook users. Your team should analyze why less than two percent of this number has voted in your favor. Is that in itself not a verdict against Free Basics? 4. Your ad says that Free Basics is open to any carrier. Any mobile operator can join you in connecting India. Why are operators not joining you? If this is such a good idea then why are telecom operators shying away? Why don’t they jump on to the bandwagon? Is it because the idea is discriminatory? Does it violate the principle of net neutrality? Internet has prospered because of free and equal access. With the exception of a few undemocratic governments in some parts of the world, nations have allowed full and complete access to the internet. It is this freedom to communicate and access information freely that has made the internet one of the most cherished of innovations. Why restrict it now and that too in the name of connecting the unconnected?
Anil Shakya
PEER PRESSURE AT PLAY
A notification served by Facebook giving names of friends who submitted the Free Basics petition to TRAI (Top) A user catches up on news via Facebook
18 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
5. In your ad, you state that Free Basics is not a walled garden. It says that in India 40 percent of people who come online through Free Basics are paying for data and accessing the full internet within the first 30 days. How are they going to pay the data transfer charges in future? It is not clear which “unconnected” Indian you are talking about. Is it this 40 percent “unconnected” Indians who were fence-sitters, who saw an opportunity in Free Basics to browse the “limited internet” for free and then decided to pay full data charges because they liked it so much? How will these “newly connected” Indians foot the data charges in future? The cost of data transfer in India is high. You have to pay large sums depending upon how much data you consume. Even the reasonably well-off feel the pinch. So, how long will these 40 percent “Free Basics connected Indians” stay on the internet? Does it not make you feel that Free Basics has limited value? And what about the remaining
List of Free Services on Free Basics Facebook Facebook Messenger Jagran Josh Astrology Hungama AP Speaks Malaria No More Facts for Life (Unicef) Social Blood BabyCenter & MAMA Reuters Market Life
Aaj Tak AccuWeather Amar Ujala BBC News IBN Live Daily Bhaskar Dictionary.com Jagran Maalai Malar Maharashtra Times Translator
wikiHow Wikipedia Basics of Internet BabaJob Bing Search OLX ESPN Search Nike Foundation (Girl Effect) UN Women (iLearn)
India has 130 million Facebook users. Your team should analyze why less than two percent of this number has voted in your favor. Is that in itself not a verdict against Free Basics?
Anil Shakya
SEVERELY LIMITED HAVES, UNLIMITED HAVE-NOTS Many web users are unaware that, in the guise of being pro-poor, Free Basics actually deprives them of the power and freedom of open internet
60 percent? 6. You say that any developer or publisher can have their content on Free Basics. Then why are they not doing so? I visited the website of Reliance Communications, the lone Indian telecom operator who signed up with you to provide Free Basics and I scanned the websites that are part of the Free Basics package that this operator is offering. These are very few, and hardly likely to achieve your goal—of giving people access to vital services like communication, healthcare, education, job listings and farming information for free. You need many hundreds and thousands of internet players to join hands. Why are you not using the social media clout of Facebook to get large internet players to become a part of Free Basics? Are they reluctant to join? Or you want this initiative to be limited to Facebook? At times, I feel, Free Basics is certainly not in keeping with the goal and visions of internet founders and flame-bearers. It surely has noble goals but the path that it has chosen is not so noble. 7. Your ad says that we do not charge anyone anything for Free Basics. It also states that Facebook does not pay for the data consumed in Free Basics. How good or noble is this strategy? Free Basics is aimed at bringing digital equality. It is being done “to connect India”. I thank you for such noble vision, Mr Zuckerberg. India needs more such visionaries on its side. But instead of pushing operators to provide “limited internet” for free, why don’t you fund “full internet” for a limited period to the unconnected? I have no clue as to how much Facebook would have spent on promoting Free Basics. But it surely would be a handsome amount. The same money would have provided free data to hundreds and thousands of unconnected Indians. Your big advantage is technology. You can deploy location-based technology to ensure that unconnected Indians living in villages benefit. By doing so, you would have earned the gratitude of millions of Indians, and achieved your goal. Even now it is not too late. Please give it a thought, Mr Zuckerberg. Yours sincerely, Sunil Saxena (Facebook fan and ardent champion of free internet) VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 19
Focus Media Terrorism Coverage
Back off! While the Indian media was grappling with the facts of the Pathankot operation, its regular coverage of terrorism leaves a lot to be desired BY ABHAY VAIDYA
NON-INTRUSIVE REPORTING Rescue personnel outside a Paris restaurant following a terror attack in November
T
HE Indian media could take a leaf out of the book of the French. The exemplary restraint and responsibility of the French media while covering the November 2015 Paris terror attack by IS that killed 130 people came in for much praise from media watchers. While covering the tragedy effectively, the media did not show blood and gore, did not invade the privacy of victims and their families, projected a picture of a united and resilient France and cooperated with the government.
20 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
The Indian media often covers terror attacks in a predictable manner: After exhaustive and often grisly and gory coverage from the scene of the crime, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the typical attack on the government and the police force for their alleged incompetence and intelligence failure. As for the privacy of grieving families, forget it. Often junior reporters are seen thrusting microphones into the faces of victims and their families with video cameramen rushing in for close-ups. (However, in the recent terror attack at Pathankot air base, the media was unable to get much information on this crucial operation and
was seen grappling with facts as evident from numerous tweets. Thankfully, no crucial information was leaked out.) When the Indian Airlines flight 814 was hijacked to Kandahar in December 1999, the intense coverage by Indian TV channels showing the trauma of the families of the hostages put enormous pressure on the Vajpayee government to negotiate with the hijackers for the release of three top terrorists. Recall the live coverage of the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai in 2008 by Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab and others that lasted four days and had round-the-clock coverage on Indian TV. This coverage was in fact, monitored by the terrorists' handlers in Pakistan, who then used it to instruct them over satellite phone. STOP BEING PUSHY In a paper on “Media Coverage of Acts of Terrorism: Troubling Episodes and Suggested Guidelines”, political scientist and scholar on media ethics, Raphael Cohen-Almagor (University of Haifa), has cited a study on victims' attitudes towards media coverage of terrorism. This study listed pushiness, failure to respect families’ privacy, sensationalism and being more interested in tears and grief than in the substance of the story as examples of unprofessional conduct. The scholar noted that the media, in its craving for exhaustive coverage of terror acts, ended up serving “as a platform and loudspeaker for the terrorists, magnifying the impact of their horrifying brutality”. Often, scant respect is shown for the victims and their families and editors and reporters often “confused quantity with quality, thinking that more pictures would compensate for a lack of quality information and new insights”. Cohen-Almagor advised against live coverage of terror attacks for the fear of endangering lives. “This is especially true when attempts are carried out to free hostages. Live media coverage showing special security forces preparing to enter the building where
hostages are held might risk the entire operation and put the hostages in jeopardy. The terrorists might be attentive to media coverage and hear and even see the rescue operation while in progress. Their reaction might be deadly,” he said. His observations are chillingly similar to what happened during the Mumbai terror attacks. He has suggested that only senior and experienced reporters should be allowed into areas where a terror attack has occurred. “Junior and inexperienced reporters should undergo a learning process during which they fathom the complexities involved. Adequate training should be a necessary precondition,” he advised. He also called for a set of guidelines for the media when covering terrorism. It is important to hold the media accountable for the consequences of their coverage, he said.
FEARMONGERS! The coverage of 26/11 (above) as well as the Kandahar hijack ironically furthered the terrorist agenda
VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 21
Controversy Media Scam
A WebW of Favors
Launch a website and reap a harvest from government ads seems to be the new mantra for MP journalists. By doing so, they have become PR agents and are undermining the profession BY RAKESH DIXIT IN BHOPAL
STATE PATRONAGE? The Madhya Pradesh government paid `93 crore as advertisements to over 600 websites in the last three years
22 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
EB journalism might be viewed as the future of media business. But in Madhya Pradesh, it smacks of a scandal. For some time now, media watchers in the state have been speculating about the quantum of largesse the Shivraj Singh government has doled out to “loyal” journalists to run websites. The state’s public relations (PR) department has doggedly denied information about the number of sites and the money paid to them through advertisements. Right to Information applications by journalists to ferret out information in this regard have proved futile. Eventually, a question raised by Congress MLA Bala Bachchan in the state assembly on December 8 forced the government to put out the facts. These were shocking even by the egregious standard of media appeasement in Madhya Pradesh. The government’s reply was contained in over 50 pages. `93-CR LARGESSE The minister for PR informed the assembly that his department paid `93 crore as advertisements to over 600 websites in the last three years. Besides, it gave over `50 crore as grants to more than 100 NGOs being run either by journalists or their spouses/relatives or BJP sympathizers in the same period. Employees of the PR department also have NGOs registered in their relatives’ names. These NGOs are supposed to popularize government schemes and policies through various communication forms such as music, drama and the visual media. Beneficiaries can be divided into four categories—out-of-job scribes and retired publicity department officers without any other known sources of income, in-job journalists with many sources of income, relatives of journalists and PR department employees, journalists having more
than one website with same address and BJP/RSS sympathizers having no journalism experience at all. Surprisingly, a majority of the registered websites are non-functional and violate the requisite norms of displaying the names of the domain administrator and owner on the websites. Of the functional ones, nearly 80 percent have not updated their contents for several months to years. Only government advertisements in them are regularly updated. Original content is conspicuously absent in 90 percent of these websites. They only upload government press notes from the PR department’s website, MPinfo.org. Some of the functional websites include MPpost.com, socialmedia.com, whispersinthecorridors.com, Bhopalpost.com and Bichchu.com. UNREGULATED SECTOR Those familiar with “web racketeering” say no rules or regulations apply in releasing advertisements to websites. The PR department does have an advertisement policy for newspapers/magazines and electronic channels. But websites get advertisements on the whims and fancies of the department’s top brass and their political masters. The department’s annual report indicates that the only criterion for advertisements to websites is that they should upload the state government’s press releases for viewing on priority. On the quantum of advertisement money to websites, the disparity is glaring. One famous website on bureaucracy has cornered advertisements worth `18 lakh in the last three years. However, the average amount given to websites in the last three years is between `8 lakh and `10 lakh. This varies according to the website owner’s ability to peddle his influence with the government. In the wake of a row over arbitrary distribu-
A majority of the registered websites are non-functional. Of the functional ones, nearly 80 percent have not updated content for years. Only government advertisements in them are regularly updated. tion of advertisements, PR commissioner Anupam Rajan is now toying with the idea of framing a policy on advertisement to websites. The government of India’s advertisement policy is being examined in this regard. A minimum number of hits on the websites is likely to be considered essential for approving advertisements. However, the department’s officers say the commissioner is well meaning but helpless before a nexus in the department that draws its power from the chief minister’s patronage. The real boss who calls the shots is principal secretary SK Mishra, who is the most trusted confidante of Chouhan. Mamta Yadav, a web journalist, says wellknown journalists have managed to gobble up VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 23
Controversy Media Scam
NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
Bhopal Post and MP Post are among the few functional media websites
several crores in the name of advertisements to websites run by them, their spouses or relatives. “On the other hand, genuine web journalists like me barely get `10,000 to `15,000 a month as government advertisement,” she said. Her portal, Malhar Media, is an honorable exception in the huge maze of bogus portals and websites. FLEECING GOVERNMENT Freelance journalist Shurie Niazi, who has been trying to expose this racket for a long time, says launching a website is the easiest way to fleece the PR department. Niazi tried hard to glean information about websites through RTI but his attempts were thwarted. He said that websites require very low investment. It barely takes a few thousands of rupees to set up a portal or a website. Yearly maintenance costs only a few thousands. Moreover, the website owner is not expected to do much of content uploading /downloading to claim advertisements. One person can be engaged to administer several websites. And this is precisely what several web journalists have done. Web and portal journalism was not in vogue till 2010. Only a few journalists had websites and they were reasonably upright. Veteran journalist
24 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
Dr Suresh Mehrotra is one of them. His website whispersinthecorridor.com attracted a sizeable number of government advertisements, both from the state and the public sector. Aping him, many more out-ofjob journalists in the state launched websites. The state government duly obliged them with regular advertisements that on an average ranged from `15,000 to `25,000 per month. Seeing the easy income senior journalists earned through websites, racketeers in the media were lured to do the same. Websites proliferated as unscrupulous scribes launched websites. When the Vyapam scam began to singe Chouhan’s image, a sizeable number of journalists were quick to exploit the chief minister’s sense of insecurity. Setting up websites was one of them. KINGPINS OF RACKET Sources say that three persons are alleged to be the main facilitators in the website rip-off. The triumvirate is tasked by the chief minister to manage the media. They ensure favours to journalists in the form of money or other benefits. Veteran journalists recall that the degeneration in the media’s integrity in Madhya Pradesh began from Arjun Singh’s tenure as chief minister in 1980. Successive CMs carried on the dubious practice of buying susceptible media with favors, including cash, government house allotments, gifting plots and allowing them to make money through transfers-postings, etc. But many allege that Chouhan has crossed all limits. His penchant for buying journalists has resulted in a serious crisis of credibility for the media in the state. Journalists have to stop accepting the CM’s largesse if the profession has to regain respectability.
S THE WORLD TURNS
Most dangerous places for journos
T
he annual report of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reveals that 110 journalists were killed globally in 2015, a majority of them in “countries at peace”. Out of these, 67 journalists were killed “in the line of duty”. In 43 cases the cause could not be ascertained. The report listed Iraq and Syria as the most dangerous places for journalists, with 11 and 10 deaths respectively. India is the third-most dan-
gourous country, with nine journalists killed here in 2015. In Bangladesh, four secular bloggers were killed. The report blamed armed groups such as the Islamic State for perpetrating atrocities against journalists. It mentioned that as of end2015, 54 journalists were being held hostage—26 of them in Syria. Also, 153 journalists were in prison—23 of them in China and 22 in Egypt.
More good news
please! P
Seeking Canadian
citizenship
ope Francis has called upon media to give more space to positive news and inspirational stories, during the traditional year-end thanks-giving service at St Peter’s Basilica. Expressing anguish at the fact that 2015 had been marred by violence and deaths, he said that there was need to counterbalance negative stories with coverage of stories giving hope. He added that gestures of goodness didn’t make for good news. The service was attended by about 10,000 people.
The Daily Telegraph fined
T
he Daily Telegraph has been fined £30,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) of the UK after the newspaper sent hundreds of thousands of emails on the day of the general election in May, urging readers to vote for the Conservatives, The Independent reported. The ICO found that the Telegraph Media Group broke direct marketing rules when it issued a letter from Chris Evans, Daily Telegraph editor, attached to the paper.
The letter stated the May 7 general election as the “most important since 1979.” He wrote: “The Daily Telegraph urges its readers to vote Conservative.” The ICO accepted that Evans’ letter was added to the usual mailing after a last-minute instruction from the editorial team. These circumstances, along with the small number of complaints (17), were factors when deciding the £30,000 fine, imposed on the Telegraph’s parent company.
M
ohamed Fahmy, a Canadian journalist who was released from a prison in Egypt, said he has asked the authorities in that country to restore the citizenship he renounced in the hope of regaining his freedom. Mohamed Fahmy said he initially refused to give up his Egyptian citizenship when it was suggested to him as a way of speeding up his release, The National Post reported. Fahmy, who now lives in Vancouver, said he is seeking to recover his dual citizenship as a “matter of principle”. –Compiled by Ankur Mehta VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 25
Interview Dalai Lama
“Religious Intolerance is not the Real Picture of India” For millions of devotees, the DALAI LAMA, 80, is the living embodiment of humanity and compassion. He believes that his middle-way is the best approach to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet and to bring about stability and co-existence between his people and the Chinese. He tells MURALI KRISHNAN, who met him in Punjab, that in a world wracked by violence, we need to pay more attention to non-violence and harmony in order to have a different beginning How do you view the increasing terror attacks in the world? Why are these increasing and what needs to be done? The 20th century was one of bloodshed where over 200 million died of violence. This has had an impact and spillover in this century. If we pay more attention to non-violence and harmony, then we can have a different beginning. Unless we make serious attempts, we will see an action replay in the 21st century. Everyone wants a peaceful life; the terrorists are short-sighted. Their emotions are out of control and that’s when these suicide bombings happen. Through prayer we will not solve this problem. I am a Buddhist, I practice prayer. But we have created this problem and are now asking God for help. It’s illogical. God will turn around and say solve it yourself because we created it. We need a systematic program of inculcating human values and oneness. If we make an attempt now, it could be a different world in this century. It is in everybody’s interest. So let’s create a peaceful atmosphere within our family and society and not expect help from God, Buddha or governments! 26 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
Your central message is of peace, compassion and religious tolerance, yet the world seems to be going in the opposite direction. Do you see intense fighting between the IS and those who do not believe in it? Not at all. I think of the over seven billion humans in the world, less than one per cent—just a few million—subscribe to this. There is no basis for killing. If you consider others as brothers and sisters and respect their rights, then there is no room to kill or indulge in violence. Furthermore, all the problems we are facing today are because we place too much emphasis on secondary level differences which include religious faiths, different countries and cultures within countries. We are one people. Various governments and world leaders are putting “money over morality”. In this scenario, are you worried, especially due to the ever-growing economic importance of China? Should they practice
more morality? That is the only way. Without moral principles, troubles will continue, if not increase. Moral issues are very important, even for religious people and politicians. You continue to believe that the middle path is the best approach to solve Tibet’s problems. Do you think it is a workable and viable formula? According to reality, that is the best way. Many of my friends, including Indian, American and European leaders, believe that is the best and realistic way. Inside Tibet, more politically minded people and Chinese intellectuals and students support our middle-way approach. When I met Chinese students and others, I tell them we are not seeking independence and that is past history. They understand our approach and they become close. Anyway, this does not apply just to the Tibetan problem. We are living in the 21st
century, problems must be solved through dialogue—not by force. Who will be the 15th Dalai Lama? I have no concern. As early as 2011, I officially announced that if the very institution of the Dalai Lama should continue, it is up to the Tibetan people. It has proudly and happily ended. If people feel that this institution is no longer relevant, then it should automatically cease. It is not important. I have no political responsibility and am now concerned about Tibet’s environment.
“We need a systematic program of inculcating human values and oneness. If we make an attempt now, it could be a different world. Let’s create a peaceful atmosphere within our family and society and not expect help from God, Buddha or governments.”
There is a big debate in India about religious intolerance by the political class. What are your thoughts? There are a few individuals and politicians with party interests who are responsible. It is not the real picture of India. The Bihar elections show that the majority of Hindus still believe in harmony. VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 27
Opinion
Mantosh Sharma in California
Will the Trump Card Work?
W
Billionaire Republican Donald Trump has upset many political equations in the US primaries with his disruptive energy and extreme views. Are American voters going to fall for his bait? BY MANTOSH SHARMA IN CALIFORNIA
HEN Barbara Walters, the well-known ABC journalist, asked Donald Trump point-blank “Are you a bigot?” he replied nonchalantly: “I am not because I’m a person who has common sense. I’m a smart person. I know how to run things. I know how to make America great again. This is about making America great.” There is lot of truth in his statement and it makes us wonder how astutely he stole the Republican Party narrative in the primaries. He is seen as tremendously attractive to a section of American society and is making his opponents adjust their positions on a continuous basis. He has made himself newsworthy enough to the point where the media cannot ignore him. His initial campaign momentum threatens the Democrats who seem to be comfortable about Hillary being the next US president.
DISGRUNTLED VOTERS So what were the political causes leading to his ascendency? His modus operandi makes him different, unpredictable and beyond ideology. In fact, it has the potential to disrupt the conservative ideological base. Plus, the mood of the electorate is anti-establishment. They see Washington as a circus of dealers and deal brokers. Voters are furious with party leaders and this could be due to the economy, globalization’s effect on jobs and fear regarding national security. 28 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
The crux of Donald Trump’s strategy is that the entire establishment, be it Republicans or Democrats, is one and that he is the savior who is different and has all the solutions. One of my favorite books, Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few by Robert Reich, explains the consequences of free market and laws driving inequality. This, in turn, shapes the national political narrative in both parties. While Bernie Sanders is using this to mobilize the extreme left among Democrats voters, Trump is doing the same among Republican voters. A recent report by Pew Research Center has said the middle class population has been halved in four decades. Economic inequality and simmering discontent has led to the rise of populist leaders such as Trump. Political leaders such as Dwight Eisenhower and Nelson Rockefeller also fought the conservative establishment and won. Many political observers and political historians such as Prof Richardson of Boston University suggest that “Trump is the logical extension of that”. Also, the fact that there are limited options for
the top three positions in the primaries has put a strain on the Republican establishment to back Trump. But he has not offered any promises or commitment. At the same time, he has positioned himself as the most vocal leader to address their grievances. In his book, The Art of the Deal, he said: “People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. It’s an innocent form of exaggeration—and a very effective form of promotion.” And that is exemplified by his own statements. Sample this. “The Mexican government ... they send the bad ones over.” It is left to factcheckers to analyze this while Trump moves on the next falsehood.
COUNTERPUNCH (Above) When Democrat Hillary Clinton drew attention to Trump’s extreme views on Muslims in the US, he was quick to remind the electorate of her defeat in the 2008 elections
TAKING ON OPPONENTS Another tactic is that he attacks his political opponents one by one. He hammers everyone who comes in direct conflict with him, be it Jeb VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 29
Opinion Mantosh Sharma in California
STERLING EXAMPLES? Dwight Eisenhower (below left) and Nelson Rockefeller too fought the conservative establishment and won
Bush, Carly Fiorina, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz or Hillary Clinton. He does this for two reasons. First, with a direct counterpunch, he makes sure that media attention is on him. He said: “You know, Jeb went after me and, if you know, Perry went after me and I went after him. Rand Paul for some reason, out of the blue, came after me and I went after him. And the other one I guess would be Lindsay Graham.” He also makes sure that with his hard hammering at a personal level, the shortcomings of his own persona and campaign which have been highlighted by adversaries are deflected. Recently when Hillary told the audience that Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims entering the US was a “discriminatory message” and the IS was using videos of Trump to recruit radicals, he used “schlonged” for her defeat by Obama in the 2008 pri-
Though Trump has been successful till now due to his extreme exaggerations, sooner or later he will have to come up with solutions to various problems. He could risk getting exposed.
mary. This created enough controversy and became a new talking point and deflected attention from Hillary’s views. A few days later, Trump said: “When I said that Hillary Clinton got ‘schlonged’ by Obama, it meant got beaten badly. The media knows this. Often used word in politics.” This clearly shows how he manipulates the media. NATIONAL SECURITY He also uses historical icons to justify his sectarian comments. He compared his controversial proposal for banning Muslims from entering the US to that of former US President Franklin D Roosevelt who limited the rights of Japanese in the US after the Pearl Harbor attack. By doing so, he assuages the feelings of many citizens who are fearful about national security following the attacks on Paris by terrorists. He says: “I’m the worst thing that ever happened to ISIS.” This statement resonates among many voters. What’s more, he makes other Republicans come out against him so that they seem to be in the same league as Democrats. And that is the crux of his strategy—the entire establishment, be it Republicans or Democrats, is one and I am the savior who is different and has all the solutions. Also, his repeated veiled threats to Republicans that he may run as an independent, has put the party in a fix. They cannot gang up openly to dislodge him from the primary race. POSSIBLE SPOILERS Despite all the momentum and high ranking in polls, a win in the primaries is not assured for Trump. The recent rise in polls of Ted Cruz in Iowa indicates that Evangelical support is not confirmed for Trump. Evangelical support is necessary to win a decisive base in the Republican Party and greatly influ-
30 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
IN TRUMP’S LINE OF FIRE (Clockwise from top left) Other Republican presidential candidates— Florida governor Jeb Bush, Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Ted Cruz and neurosurgeon Ben Carson
ences it. Therefore, every primary election of the Republican Party has some religious overtone. The last time, Mitt Romney had a hard time winning the primary because he was a Mormon Christian and Evangelicals preferred Rick Santorum. In this election, Bob Vander Plaats, the influential president of the Christian group, The Family Leader, and a kingmaker in the Iowa Evangelical group, is endorsing Ted Cruz. “Our goal is to unite conservatives around Ted Cruz,” he said. Though Trump has been successful till now due to his extreme exaggerations, sooner or later
he will have to come up with solutions to various problems. He could risk getting exposed and there could be the possibility of support gravitating towards Republicans Chris Christie or Marco Rubio. Fractured elections are not a good idea. Political observers are surprised that the middle class and disaffected voters are supporting this billionaire. In the last few months, he has built an enormous following. Still, there is fear that many conservatives may end up voting for Hillary due to Trump’s disruptive energy. Is the Grand Old Party going to see a big debacle? VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 31
Advertising Grammar
Commasutra and All That Advertising copy often has bad grammar and wrong punctuation. How much of this is intentional? What does it say about the brand itself? Quo vadis advertising? BY KRISH WARRIER
W CONTENT OR FORM? Victoria’s Secret (above) and MCGM (right) have played around with apostrophes and exclamations in their ads
32 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
RITING in a May 2014 issue of Adweek, Robert Klara, an editor there, had said: “Just in case you haven’t checked in a while, the English language continues a steady slide into the ditch—and it’s not just texting that’s to blame, it’s marketing. Whether online or on the packaging, brands seem to be forgetting the spelling and grammar we all supposedly learned in grade school.” He goes on to give two examples. In 2011, Old Navy had to return an entire shipment of sports team T-shirts when the “Lets Go!” lettering omitted the apostrophe before the “s.” You’d think people would have learnt their lesson. No. It was Victoria’s Secret’s turn then to land into an apostrophe catastrophe. The lingerie brand popped a needless apostrophe (“You’ve never seen Body’s like this!”) into its Secret Body campaign. Since the reference was to the brand Secret Body, was the apostrophe justifiable? The protagonists of advertising may find this a bitter pill to swallow. On the other hand, lan-
guage purists would certainly find this caviar for their souls. The sentence under the scanner is the tagline for a youth magazine—I think it was Yuva. I remember seeing a billboard inside Churchgate station in Mumbai some years back. It said: Let’s talk guys. STREET THEATRE Advertising is really street theatre. It talks the language of its target group. Copywriters make a livelihood out of turning things upside down (or inside out) for most part. Consider the well-worn phrase: “Nothing is impossible.” Some wiseacre turned it inside out and rewrote it as “Impossible is nothing”. And, believe it or not, it was the same tagline for an international brand of footwear. It was in 1974 that Adidas got associated with the slogan, “Impossible is Nothing”, though it was actually taken from a quote by Muhammad Ali. Similarly, the phrase “Very, Very Tasty” was turned upside down as “Tasty. Very, Very” for a popular confectionery brand. Imagine getting paid megabucks for doing something as simple as this! It was Philip Dusenberry who said: “I have always believed that writing advertisements is the second most profitable form of writing. The first, of course, is ransom notes.” Coming back to the sentence under scrutiny: “Let’s talk guys.” While most of us can imagine what the writer meant—guys, let’s talk—it certainly communicates, let’s talk about guys. The reason for this meaning is the absence of the comma after “Let’s talk”. But then, in this SMS age,
what’s there in a comma? For all purposes, it may as well be in a coma. U gt me, guys? Take a look at this bus shelter (facing page, bottom). No wonder, Mumbai is what Mumbai is. Leave it to MCGM to botch it up. The exclamation mark at the end of “Help!” suggests that if MCGM were to be entrusted with the task of keeping Mumbai clean, the project would be a disaster. Of course, what the person who okayed this meant was: “Help MCGM to keep Mumbai clean”. Maybe the best thing to do would be to divest MCGM of this responsibility. ALYQUE’S APLOMB In the 80s, ad agency Lintas soaped up some lather with a print advert for Delite biscuit from Britannia. The headline said: “Unpeel a Delite”. The visual depicted a Delite biscuit emerging out of an orange. Which prompted the grammarwallas to ask: Shouldn’t the right word have been “peel” rather than “unpeel”? I think the savvy ad guru, Alyque Padamsee, who was heading the agency at that time, wriggled out of it with his usual aplomb. And the whole thing died a natural death. Now, take a look at the retail chain, Shoppers Stop. I distinctly remember when the firm opened its store on SV Road at Andheri, Mumbai. The signage read (Shoppers’ Stop). But today, it’s Shoppers Stop. The apostrophe has been dispensed with. The reasons could be innumerable—from numerology to design considerations. In 2014, supermarket behemoth Tesco was forced to change the packaging on its cartons
FOR THE KOOL ONES Apple and iPod ads deliberately distort grammar
Advertising brands seem to be forgetting the spelling and grammar we all supposedly learned in grade school. While the protagonists of advertising may find this a bitter pill to swallow, language purists would find this caviar for their souls.
VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 33
Advertising Grammar
Advertising is really street theatre. It talks the language of its target group. Copywriters make a livelihood out of turning things upside down (or inside out) for most part.
PLAYING WITH WORDS Some wiseacre turned around a phrase so that Adidas could connect to its target audience
of orange juice after a schoolboy spotted a grammatical error. While having breakfast, Albert Gifford discovered that his carton of juice proclaimed that it was made with the “most tastiest” oranges. (Would “much better” qualify as tautological stammer—don’t most of us use it in our daily conversations?). The 15-year-old from Shepton Mallet, Somerset, wrote to the supermarket chain to complain, suggesting they change the wording to “tastiest” or “most tasty”. When he did not receive a reply from Tesco, the teenager wrote a letter to the Daily Mail, which got printed. The following day Albert received a reply from Tesco promising to correct the packaging. APPLE’S COMMERCIAL One of the communication pieces which set the cat among the grammar pigeons was the “Think Different” campaign of Apple way back in 1997. The campaign was the creation of the Los Angeles office of the advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day. Were you to look at the transcript of the Apple commercial or watch it on YouTube, you’d discover that the ad focuses on “rebels, misfits, and troublemakers”,
34 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
and uses the line: “They’re not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo.” Apple was always anti-establishmentarian and a rebel, while competitors were the seemingly stuffy, IBM and Microsoft. Which raises the question: Can a television commercial also change how the public perceives traditional grammar? It would be safe to assume that Apple knowingly used a statement that readers/listeners might consider ungrammatical but that the company didn’t mind, because it is rebelling against the status quo. Further proof in favor of this line of thinking is that although the slogan is “Think different”, Apple’s commercial does use the line “The ones who see things differently”. If Apple believed that “think different” and “think differently” were interchangeable, the ad might have stated: “The ones who see things different.” Steve Jobs, a rebel himself, seems to prefer the damn-the-grammar approach (he also pushed the envelope in 2008 by calling a new iPod the “funnest iPod ever”. By the way, is funnest a word? Of course, many consumers or prospects will forgive or not even notice an error, especially if it’s something minor. However, it’s a fact that errors —especially if they’re not clearly intentional like using a common abbreviation or acronym— can damage your company’s credibility in ways that may not be immediately obvious to you as a marketer. So what’s the bottom line? I do like to split my infinitives, or for that matter, use “me” in lieu of “I” while identifying myself. All I am saying is that writers could do with a little bit of grammar, punctuation, etc. But for that, you have to learn the rules first before breaking them.
Web Crawler What Went Viral
“Vadra has only one car”
B
usinessman and Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra raised many an eyebrow when he criticized the Delhi government’s move to exempt a few people from its odd-even private vehicle rule, enforced from January 1, reports Scroll. Vadra had posted a status update on Facebook slamming the government for its “hypocrisy” in allowing the waiver for a select group of people and insisting everyone “must adhere (to the rule) and
not be VIPs”. However, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said it was ironic that a man who accepted privileges was now commenting on exceptions. Similarly, many on social media poked fun at Vadra’s remarks. “Robert Vadra protests special treatment for VIPs. Is that a state of mind, or Are U serious, Are U serious, Are U serious!” went a tweet. “Robert vadra spoke againts #OddEvenFormula . I think he has only one car. poor chap (sic),” went another.
should be reunited to form Al Jazeera anchor Bangladesh Hackers Akhand Bharat. Hasan was viciously trolled on social media, Scroll reported. Al Jazeera had faces troll attack posted “foil” ISIS Hasan’s interview with Madhav under the title “Is Modi’s India flirting with fascism?” attack which seemed to have sent the right-wing troll
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav
T
here has been an uproar over BJP general secretary Ram Madhav’s remarks in Al Jazeera’s show Head to Head hosted by Mehdi Hasan, conveying that India, Pakistan and
Cops beat youth, video goes viral
A
video showing a senior police inspector thrashing a youth and abusing his female friend in Maharashtra’s Ulhasnagar has gone viral on social media, TOI reported. Residents of Prabhag Nagar in Ulhasnagar complained at Hill Line police station that couples had been frequenting their locality and indulging in obscene acts. Senior inspector Mohan Waghmare along with a police constable visited the spot and found a young couple seated in an empty
army over the edge. “Over the past 48 hours, Hindu nationalist trolls have tried to smear me as a closet Islamist, a Pakistani and an ISIS supporter. Sheesh,” tweeted Hasan. “I guess the interview must really have hurt. Why focus on what their guy said when they can just attack the host, right? Classic evasion,” another tweet said. “The past 48 hours of abuse have taught me that EDL’s, Likud's and Trump’s supporters have got a lot to learn from the Hindutva crowd online,” Hasan remarked.
autorickshaw parked in the locality. Waghmare asked the couple to step out of the vehicle. After asking a couple of questions, Waghmare started beating up the young man. However, it is not clear as to who shot the video or circulated it on social media.
A
group of online activists, called Anonymous, has claimed to have foiled an ISIS terror attack in Italy, reports The Independent. Online activists affiliated with Anonymous stopped an attack and are working to stop others, it reported. “Operation ISIS” has largely focused on finding and shutting down social media accounts and websites belonging to people who are thought to sympathize with or be part of ISIS. “In this month we are working in silence,” a now-deleted tweet posted on Christmas read. “We have already foiled one attack...we hope to block others,” the group has tweeted.
—Compiled by Sucheta Dasgupta VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 35
Book Review No One Else
Anil Shakya
Sexual Outlaws Siddharth Dube’s memoir gives a boost to the battle undertaken by gays and sex workers and reveals much about India’s LGBT movement and its fight against AIDS BY SUCHETA DASGUPTA
W
A WALK FOR FREEDOM
Participants at the 2015 Delhi queer pride parade. Since 2007, it has been an annual affair in the capital
HEN this writer was 12, she came home from school one day with a copy of the magazine, Sportsworld, since discontinued, which carried news of her favorite tennis player Martina Navratilova having a lesbian partner. Queried as to what was the meaning of the strange word, her mom said: “Hush! Never utter it again.” Sometimes, even parents contradict them-
36 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
selves. People change. And so, it wasn’t surprising that after filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh passed away, mom was heard saying how his struggles stemming from his alternate sexuality inspired and informed his work. That was in 2013, 28 years after the Navratilova episode. SECTION 377 On November 28, 2015, finance minister Arun Jaitley called upon the Supreme Court to revisit its decision to uphold Section 377 of the Indian Penal
Code. Though his remark was made in a personal capacity, it marked a radical shift in attitude on the subject by the ruling party whose supporters have been propounding yoga as a “cure” for homosexuality. It would be interesting indeed to trace this trajectory of change and document the forces, people and processes that brought it about. In No One Else, journalist, activist and commentator Siddharth Dube takes on this important task. His is a commissioned memoir, an intimate account of growing up as a homosexual in India of the 1970s, about the emotional conflict, shame and anxieties as well as the abuse and assault heaped on him at first by his peers. But it’s equally a history of the gay, lesbian, transgender and sex workers’ rights movement in India, its setbacks and victories, its stake-holders and its heroes and villains, who, significantly enough, included both straight and gay people. It is also an insider report on the global fight against HIV, where poor policy, conservative politics and pecuniary imperatives continue to sabotage it to this day. It took Dube seven years to write this hardback. Dube stands for gender fluidity and identifies as a “feminine man”. No right-minded person can have any quarrel with that. However, his idea of feminine and masculine is old-fashioned and may not be universally accepted. For instance, a radical feminist may identify as a feminine woman and be regarded as one by those who share her ethos even if she is considered masculine by her detractors. That said, Dube provides first-hand information about the Indian male psyche and explains how in our society misogyny and homophobia go hand in hand.
weak. At once homophobic and homosocial, the campus was ruled by a conspiracy of silence which protected the abusers. Siddharth went to St Stephen’s College and then travelled to the US where he first accessed research that put to rest his self-doubts. It was in the US that he came out of the closet just when the frightening “gay plague”—AIDS—was burgeoning. Not surprisingly, the AIDS pandemic became his abiding concern. In 1994, while employed with World Bank, Siddharth risked his job to publish a health policy newsletter, authored by Priscilla Alexander and an unnamed sex worker. As the first step to
CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE (Above, L-R) Martina Navratilova and Rituparno Ghosh were openly homosexual (Below, L-R) The late Indrajit Gupta, who backed decriminalization of prostitution, and Shashi Tharoor
HOSTEL LIFE Precocious yet “girly” as a child, Siddharth recounts being mocked at La Martineire’s (Kolkata) and facing sexual and physical abuse at Doon School where “the atmosphere was boisterous and dark” and groups of boys preyed on the vulnerable and VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 37
Book Review No One Else
FAR FROM THE MAINSTREAM A brothel in Delhi’s GB Road. Empowering sex workers is the only way to ensure safe sex and stop spread of HIV
NO ONE ELSE: A PERSONAL HISTORY OF OUTLAWED LOVE AND SEX By Siddharth Dube Publisher: HarperCollins India Price: `500, 377 pages
arresting the spread of HIV, the newsletter argued for legalization of voluntary sex work (which, they believed, should be part of the entertainment industry) as opposed to sex trafficking. Thus, he played a pioneering role in opening this debate. However, the often-somewhat-reticent Siddharth is not one to hog the limelight. With characteristic modesty, he, therefore, chronicles all the heroes and martyrs of the human civilization’s latest battle for equality and human rights. Foremost among them is his maverick friend Siddhartha Gautam. Inseparable, the duo went around calling themselves Tiddarth and Tiddhartha in an allusion to Thomson and Thompson, two of Tintin’s most popular characters. It was Siddhartha’s testament, Less Than Gay, which inspired the first PIL in Delhi High Court against Section 377. Siddharth salutes former home minister Indrajit Gupta for being the only Indian politician to have openly backed decriminalizing prostitution. At the same time, he is unsparing in his criticism of then UNAIDS executive director Peter Piot and senior American official Mark Dybul as well as feminist Gloria Steinem for stonewalling the cause back then and opposing it again in more recent times. INFORMATION TROVE The book has interesting nuggets of information. For example, did you know that Brazil is one of
38 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
the few countries that offers pension and other work benefits to sex workers? That Trikone and Bombay Dost were India’s first gay magazines brought out from Mumbai? That Kolkata’s famed maisons de tolérance of Sonagachi were once ruled by Agrewali bais? That over 90 percent of Indians work in low-paid, informal jobs? That the first autobiography of an Indian sex worker was written in 2005—by Nalini Jameela in Malayalam? One of the most enjoyable parts of Siddharth’s autobiography is devoted to cruising. The average Indian is pansexual, he informs, and virtually every young male is up for sex with other men. Astonishingly, men pick each other up everywhere and at every hour, he reports, doing so during any routine interaction in the day, in shops, while walking down a street or waiting at the bus stop. He shares the secret lingo of flirtation and hidden venues for encounters—shop corners and alleys magically shielded from crowds. Somehow, this writer is left with the feeling that to mainstream this lifestyle is to rob it of its meaning. The growing consensus for legalization of homosexuality aside, media-driven LGBT craze has ensured that merely being queer or a transgender is a passport to quick celebrity. Popular MSM (men who have sex with men) fanfiction today is threatening to wipe out classic literature’s once-perennial appeal. Forget Harry Potter, neither Peter Pan nor Jean Valjean, not even the world’s greatest detective Sherlock Holmes, have been spared in the creative endeavors of their worshipful fanboys and fangirls who actually prefer to see them in their gay avatars. Hence, at a stage when everyone and their uncle is falling over each other to prove their liberal credos by taking part in this rather mindless frenzy, the very timing of this book makes certain that it is no Harry Kessler-esque groundbreaker. What it is, however, is a valuable document that will push forward the fight and provide the final impetus so that authorities change their minds on according dignity and freedom to India’s sexual outlaws.
Anchor Review Wish List for 2016
Be More Newsy, Less Noisy Fed up with shouting anchors and screaming guests on prime time TV, here’s what the lay viewer expects from them in 2016 so that they redeem themselves and remain credible BY AJITH PILLAI
I
NEED FOR A REVAMP (Top) It is time news channels in India stopped using their studios as shouting rings
40 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
T is rather unusual to draw up New Year resolutions for news anchors. But perhaps there is an urgent need for the ladies and gents who inhabit space on prime time TV to formulate a list of do’s and don’ts for the coming year. Such an exercise may be deemed necessary to ensure that they do not traverse the same clichéd path they treaded with monotonous regularity in 2015. Of course, one cannot guarantee that 2016 will not turn out to be yet another year of shouting anchors and screaming guests. But here are a few suggestions from a lay observer that may help TV discussions become more viewer-relevant and credible:
Take idiocy out of the Idiot Box: Hyping nonissues is one step worse than manufacturing news. In the latter case, the channel will at least be credited for being clever or imaginative and in serious competition with comedy shows which specialize in spoofs. But when non-issues are blown out of proportion and heatedly discussed as the news of the day, the viewer is left wondering what the hot air was all about? He may even be tempted to take a leaf out of Groucho Marx’s book. Remember what the comedian famously said about TV: “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” Indeed, there is nothing more frustrating than wasting your evening hearing a heated dis-
cussion on a statement made by an obscure politician or a former Pakistani diplomat or general. It not only tests your patience but also questions your intelligence when you notice it doesn’t figure in the next day’s newspapers or on any other channel. In fact, the realization dawns that it was not news by any yardstick. Stop the noise pollution: Stop using the studio as a shouting ring where audio pugilists flex their vocal chords. Louder doesn’t mean better or more sensible. Viewers get tired of the same cast of politicians and journalists-turned-commentators with oft-stated positions shout the same things night after night. This formulaic approach almost appears staged like World Wrestling Entertainment bouts which are not legitimate contests but carefully choreographed matches. So a typical Sambit Patra/Nalin Kohli versus Randeep Singh Surjewala/Tom Vaddakan faceoff is neither inspiring nor dramatic as who wins depends on the editorial position taken by the
Being hyper nationalist and giving slanted news is the trademark of Fox News (above) in the US. It is often accused of biased reporting. 2015 saw the emergence of Fox clones in Indian news channels. particular TV channel. Don’t forget that these gladiators have to fight it out on other news channels as well and that too, on the very same topic. Their omnipresence makes it that much more omni-boring. What’s worse, the referee (the anchor) often actively participates in the bouts favoring one warring side against the other. When that happens, some pugilists are denied their right to punch, making it a one-sided contest. Following Fox doesn’t make a newshound: Being hyper nationalist and giving slanted news is the trademark of Fox News in the US. It has VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 41
Anchor Review Wish List for 2016
A CHANNEL TO EMULATE Indian TV anchors must watch BBC for its news presentation
BEING JUDGMENTAL Several TV channels passed off opinions as news in the Sheena Bora murder case
42 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
often been accused of biased reporting and for the unabashed support it extends to the Republican Party. Its anchors are known to pass off their opinions as news and dominate TV discussions to twist facts to suit a pre-determined editorial line. As a result, freedom of speech is never guaranteed on the channel. Unfortunately, 2015 saw the emergence of several Fox clones in Indian news channels. Some of those afflicted by the virus were earlier known for their measured approach but they joined the rat (oops! Fox) race when issues like the Yakub Memon hanging or the Sheena Bora murder consumed them. Perhaps anchors ought to watch more of BBC and seek inspiration from its moderate and democratic approach to news rather than display their Foxier side to viewers. Reportage before discussion: A studio discussion can never substitute solid ground reporting. This maxim taught at jour-
nalism school was forgotten last year as hyped up TV debates took center-stage and reporters were reduced to bit players providing sound bytes to facilitate mindless discussion. Murders were apparently solved, problems resolved, corruption exposed and differences ironed out in TV studios. It is another matter that we are aware that anchors are neither police detectives nor can they arbitrate on national concerns. More importantly, prime time discussions cannot substitute for parliamentary debates and TV is not the forum where major policy decisions are formulated or pronounced “exclusively”. Let us hope that reportage gets the primacy that it richly deserves in the year ahead. More News, Less Views in 2016: Let our prime time honchos drop anchor in the choppy sea of news rather than in the staid waters of views in in the coming year. And let them shop for new punching bags instead of testing their fists on those that have already been beaten black and blue. Surely we have had enough of Opposition bashing. The government should come in for sharper critical analysis since it is primarily running the country. Here’s to a more newsy and less noisy 2016!
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Editors’ Pick Rahul da Cunha
10 Hopes for the New Year: Let’s Make Ads Madder, Men?
VON brings in each issue, the best written commentary on any subject. The following write-up from The Economic Times has been picked by our team of editors and reproduced for our readers as the best in the fortnight
What makes for a great ad—investing in a Bollywood star or establishing communication with the customer at a deeper level?
AN ACTOR FOR ALL SEASONS Amitabh Bachchan is roped in for a range of products, including agarbattis
A
ND so, my kid, 16 going on 30, ready to change the world, but required to first graduate, is torn between BA (Bachelor of Arts) and BMM (Bachelor of Mass Media)—different from BuM which is what I was in college. “How about a career in advertising?” I suggest enthusiastically. “I want to do something serious with my life,” she mutters, between WhatsApp messages. “Uhm… and the ad biz isn’t serious?”
44 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
“Well, everyone just seems to hang around smoking, looking into space, then coming up with bad English taglines and strange inane humour. What is the point of 11 years of perfecting one’s English and then come up with a phrase like ‘Make in India’?” A part of what she says makes sense. There is much smoking in our business. (Little does she know of the Mad Men-esque boozy gin and tonic lunches that my forefathers indulged in—sitting back on easy chairs, dreaming up campaigns, between puffs of cigar smoke. Sigh.)
And when a motor company creates #LetsMake Great and the Indian Super League promises #Let’s Football, I’m thinking, ‘English why writing wrong?’ So, if I’m beginning to think to be a copywriter today, ‘attending an English-medium school’ translates as ‘medium English will do’. And yet, one has to concede, we live in ‘chalu’ times. We have a collective case of ADD (attention deficit disorder). Reams of finely crafted body copy with Quink ink almost seems outdated. (Like opening doors for the ladies.) We have become Bollywoodised, hai na? Sell to the LCD, lowest common denominator. Keep the message short and snappy. The English writers of yore wrote English. And the Hindi blokes crafted the national bhasha. Sadly, now a new language called Hinglish has invaded our vocabularies. ‘Hungry kya?’ and ‘Yeh dil maange more” are considered landmark taglines. Also, the relentless rhyme has overwhelmed us. Even the BJP fell prey with ‘Ab ki baar, Modi sarkar’ as their election slogan. So, in the attempt to include the upwardly mobile Bihari in the same net as the Bombayite, we have concocted a new language. Of which English has a small role to play. And then, instead of investing in the idea, boom, it’s gone in the next annual year. Then there are celebrity endorsements. Amitabh Bachchan recommends everything from agarbattis to arid Kutch. Shah Rukh Khan walks in and out of a room in a tuxedo, recommending some paint brand—I can’t for the life of me recall the name. But I can remember vividly, the Asian Paints emotional promise of ‘Har ghar kuchh kehta hai’. C’mon ye marketers, you sure you want to spend your hardearned dosh on a Bollywood star instead of investing in a big idea? And a memorable, longlasting ‘line’? “When you’re writing an ad, always talk to one person,” my mentor Kersy Katrak taught me. “Arrey janaab, the consumer is your wife. Stop her, seduce her, submerge her, sell her.” Ya, okay, seduce her: finally she decides everything—for your kids, for your kitchen, whether it is Kellogg’s vs Kissan. Because even if it’s cufflinks you need to buy, you’ll check with her, right? So, you need to stop her with your message. Not just a funny phrase. A promise. A
brand promise told with wit and wisdom. My other teacher Kiran Khalap taught me, great brands sell a feature not produced in the factory.
C
’mon 2016. We’ve the big budgets. Now we need big ideas, not big stars. I want a return to the unhurried. Everything doesn’t need to be SELL, SELL, SELL. We need to focus on specific markets. We aren’t one happy ‘desh’ any more. Jeez Chennai has no idea what’s happening in Cuttack, and Hindi ain’t spoken there, dude. The south have their own issues, far removed from the Hindi belt. And clients out there. Let ideas fly. Don’t hassle your agencies to be rational all the time. Don’t ask them to hammer home manufacturing features. Allow them to tell the consumer stories. The customer wants to engage in brand conversations. The right brain is functioning brilliantly. Now let the left kick in. And so, dear daughter, my advice: we have the commerce, even the science in place. We will, I swear, get the art back. Maybe then you’ll consider doing what dad does. Chalo, let’s advertising.
LANGUAGE GOES FOR A TOSS
”Yeh Dil Maange More” is typical of the liberal use of Hinglish in ads
The writer is creative director, daCunha Communications VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 45
Design
DESIGNS THAT MADE IMAGINATIVE USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS, FONTS, COLOR AND WHITE SPACES TO LEAVE AN IMPRESSION By ANTHONY LAWRENCE
Democrats cling on to a reckless Ms Clinton—the danger aptly portrayed in this illustration.
Stunningly simple. And strong. Time has taken a brave new step of departing from the standard practice of listing inside stories Here’s welcoming a new trend.
46 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
Lest you curse clouds for obstructing sunlight, here’s a cloud formation (oops, installation) of 6,000 bulbs in Alberta, Canada that emits light for onlookers. The art of actualizing your fantasies, one would say!
Childhood is about raw and uncorrupted emotions, best exemplified when kids are playing. In a series of 32 photographs from across the world, a group of photographers capture their joy at play. It makes for a splendid subject matter, and some great compositions. These images are on display at boredpanda.com.
Would you sit nonchalantly and fiddle with your handset as the lady next to you grapples with an avian attack? Well, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fret. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only an installation by British artist Banksy
This 100-year-old church in Asturias, Spain, with its arches and sun-letting window, has been transformed into a skate park, painted in brightest colors. An ideal coming together of conventions and modern needs, and a perfect example of putting old structures to alternate use.
VIEWS ON NEWS
January 22, 2016 47
DATE 21/12/15
21/12/15
22/12/15
22/12/15
23/12/15
23/12/15
24/12/15
24/12/15
NEWS
NEWS
CHANNEL TIME
VHP’s first lot of stones for Ram temple arrive, police on alert.
Nirbhaya Case: People gather at Jantar Mantar to protest against release of juvenile.
8:05 AM
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Delhi: BSF charter flight crashes in Dwarka; all 10 on board dead. 10:23 AM
Rajya Sabha clears Juvenile Justice Bill, juvenile age reduced to 16.
Firing in Karkardooma Court premises in Delhi, 1 dead, 2 others injured.
2002 hit and run case: Maharashtra government to file appeal in SC against Salman’s acquittal.
Delhi odd-even blueprint unveiled: CM Kejriwal, AAP MLAs not exempted.
Putin gifts PM Modi Mahatma’s handwritten notes, 18th Century Bengal Sword.
48 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
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Here are some of the major news items aired on television channels, recorded by our unique 24x7 dedicated media monitoring unit that scrutinizes more than 130 TV channels in different Indian languages and looks at who breaks the news first.
DATE 26/12/15
26/12/15
27/12/15
29/12/15
29/12/15
30/12/15
02/1/16
03/1/16
NEWS
CHANNEL TIME
NEWS
ATS arrests three ISIS suspects from Nagpur airport. 10:50 AM
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Auto-rickshaw permit scam: BJP protest & demands Gopal Rai's resignation.
Fire at Telangana CM Chandrasekhar Raoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mahachandi yajna at Medak, no casualties.
Punjab: Former Indian Air Force officer arrested for spying for Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ISI. 2:08 PM
Mardan: Suicide blast in Pakistan, 12 killed, more that 40 injured.
Suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad holds press conference, targets more politicians, including party MP and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur in the DDCA case.
11:10 AM
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Terrorist attack on Pathankot airbase; two gunmen and two IAF personnel killed. 8:17 AM
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Two more terrorists might still be hiding in the Pathankot airbase. 1:37 PM
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VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016 49
Governance
Panchayat Polls
Educational Qualifications
Caricatures: Anthony Lawrence
Degree F Dilemma If the uneducated canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand for panchayat polls as in Haryana, should the same standard be applied for voters too? Should there be minimum qualifications for other elections as well? BY BIKRAM VOHRA 50 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
ROM egalitarianism to elitism in one fell swoop. I am a better man than you, Gunga Din. If education is the yardstick for measuring the right to stand for a panchayat election, it should also logically be the measure for being allowed the right to vote for that candidate. Horses for courses and a demand for an even playing field become inevitable. The illiterate can just come along for the ride. After all, you cannot justify the ignorant having the ability to vote correctly and with reasoning if they do not have an education.... This is what has been decided by the Supreme Court with reference to Haryanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision to rob the right of those who are uneducated to contest panchayat polls. Repeat
the obvious conclusion. No right to stand, no right to vote. Paradoxically, no educational qualifications are needed to get into the Lok Sabha, the state legislatures or municipal corporations. SUPERIORS VS INFERIORS This is a landmark decision because it is so deeply predicated to intellectual arrogance. For one, it assumes that educated people are all, ipso facto, smart. Common sense or being savvy has no role if you do not have formal education. It also enshrines a totem pole in which society has superiors and inferiors. And yet, education is not guaranteed by the system nor is it compulsory. That is the biggest flaw in the discrimination because if the opportunity is not given as a mandate, how can you blame the illiterate for being illiterate?
We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need no education The not so highly qualified have so often shown great common sense. Here are some of them:
John Glenn: Astronaut Steve Jobs: former CEO of Apple Bill Gates: Microsoft co-founder Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook CEO Mark Twain: Writer Albert Einstein: Scientist Phoolan Devi: Former member of parliament Rabri Devi: Former Bihar chief minister Vijayakant: Tamil politician and actor CK Jaffer Sharief: Former railway minister Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi: Tamil Nadu CMs
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January 22, 2016 51
Governance
Panchayat Polls
Educational Qualifications
Legal sanction
NEW CRITERIA (Below) Ticket seekers for the Rajasthan panchayat polls at the BJP state headquarters in Jaipur
On December 10, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of a law enacted by the Haryana government to bar illiterate people from contesting panchayat polls. “It is only education which gives a human being the power to discriminate between right and wrong, good and bad,” the apex court said. Delivering the verdict, the bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Abhay Manohar Sapre said such a disqualification has to be upheld as a reasonable restriction on people’s “constitutional right” to contest polls. Apart from Haryana, Rajasthan is the only other state to fix minimum education qualifications for those contesting panchayat polls. The bench dismissed some petitions challenging the validity of the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2015, which requires that general candidates must have passed Class X while women and Dalits, Class VIII. Dalit women candidates must clear Class V.
Education is not guaranteed by the system nor is it compulsory. That is the biggest flaw in the discrimination... if the opportunity is not given, how can you blame the illiterate for being illiterate?
52 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
When you have the largest child workforce in the world, such grandiose pretensions give out a putrid odor. When females are kept out of schools, what price education as a yardstick? When 30,000 people vie for an office boy’s job, what is the quality of this educational bar? Two major factors slap you in the face. First, why only the panchayats? This rule has to be extended for every election, including municipalities, state legislatures and parliament itself. Ergo, we have, overnight, marginalized a massive chunk of the Indian people. UNEDUCATED LOT! Yet through precedent, the illiterate have so often shown great common sense. Astronaut John Glenn was a college dropout. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg were not eggheads in class. Neither was Albert Einstein. Mark Twain never completed school. Phoolan Devi and Rabri Devi never saw school. Actor Vijaykant stopped studies in Class XII. Former railway minister CK Jaffer Sharief did not finish school. Jayalalithaa never went to college, Karunanidhi didn’t either. On this canvas, comes the power point. If you position education as a factor of eligibility, then the texture of that education becomes germane to the issue. We can now successfully create a caste system in the classroom (and there is no play on the word class). Is my education better than yours? I speak English. Does that make me better educated because, despite the clap-trap hypocritical approach to the role of English in our lives, those who are fluent in it do much better than those who do not? Does a convent education supersede a government school? Is public school better than grammar school? Does education in a regional language have a less audible knock on opportunity’s door? If I have an Ivy League degree, do I rate above you as an intelligent and literate person? I have a higher degree, so I must now be given commensurate right to stand for a post that does justice to my education.
What about all the thousands of good, bad and ugly diplomas that young men and women earn...do these count for anything? Probably not, seeing how they are suspect in the first place. Do you see where I am going with this? The natural progression is that if you need an SSC pass to stand for a panchayat election, you should have a first year college certificate for municipalities, a basic bachelor’s degree for state legislatures, a master’s if you wish to stand for parliament and a PhD if you want to be the president. The more onerous your responsibilities, the more the education you need. And that means there is no foundation good enough in law for allowing anyone but your peers to vote for you. Consequently, guess what...only those with a master’s degree can vote to fill the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. VOTER STANDARD The first step has already been taken at the panchayat level. We might laugh it off as of no consequence but the moment the qualification is not the same for the candidate and the voter, it becomes bad in law. How can I exercise good sense and knowhow to elect the right person if I do not have
his level of education? This is a whole new can of worms and you do not need to be a lawyer to make a case blocking huge swathes of our population from exercising franchise. Think about it. Remove from the 2014 national elections all those millions of uneducated men and women who voted the government into power and negate their franchise...what would the result be. Do the same with the Bihar elections. Okay, let’s try it in West Bengal down the road. Press the education pyramid into service and let’s see how it changes the dynamics. Plato in The Republic had much the same idea. The ideal state would have guardians who are educated and the rest would be merchants, apprentices, soldiers and slaves. To quote; they would know their place. Sounds familiar...apni aukath yaaad rakhna. Ironically, this is almost identical to our caste system which has gradually deteriorated from a social order into an exploitable divide marinated in prejudice and expediency and a protectionism that is patronizing at best. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose...the more things change, the more they stay the same.
FAMOUS “ILLITERATES” (Clockwise from above left) Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi and the late Phoolan Devi
More in line... The Haryana government will make suitable changes in the Haryana municipal acts for fixing minimum educational qualifications for contesting municipal polls. As per the new rules, men seeking to contest need to pass Class X. For women, it is Class VIII. As for the reserved category, men must clear Class VIII and women Class V. Candidates must also have a functional toilet at their homes. Those charged with criminal offenses entailing more than 10 years of jail as well as defaulters of cooperative loans and power bills will be rejected.
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January 22, 2016 53
English is one of modern India’s 22 official languages, and is widely learned as the second language in most countries. Enjoy it and avoid falling into some common error traps. BY MAHESH TRIVEDI
FUNNY DEFINITIONS
‘YOUNGLISH’ WORDS
Architect—one who drafts a plan of your house and plans a draft of your money Bath—a kind of mystic ceremony substitute for religious worship Bride—a woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her Bore—a person who talks when you wish him to listen Bigot—one who is obstinately and zealously attached to an opinion that you do not entertain Capital—the seat of misgovernment Circus—a place where wild animals are permitted to see people acting the fool Confidant—One entrusted by A with the secrets of B, confided by him Connoisseur—a specialist who knows everything about something and nothing about anything else
Comper = Professional competition entrant
KINDS OF VEHICLES Stolen car……Hot boiler High fuel consumption…..Gas guzzler Hard riding truck……Kidney buster Great-looking……..Buff Loud radio/tape…..Boom car Extra length…….Stretch car Large and gaudy…….Pussy wagon Fast……….Hauler Poorly-maintained…Bagel
Towelhead = Wears turban Slapper = Promiscuous woman Sleazebag = Despicable person Stonking = Impressive Yentz = To cheat Humdinger = Excellent thing/person Vidiot = Video/TV addict Mullet-head = Stupid person
DID YOU KNOW? WRONG: Gopal is in Mumbai PRESENTLY. RIGHT: Gopal is in Mumbai AT PRESENT. AT PRESENT means NOW. But PRESENTLY means SOON— ‘She will come back PRESENTLY.’ ----------WRONG: Last night, she went to bed LATELY. RIGHT: Last night, she went to bed LATE. The opposite of EARLY is LATE, not LATELY. ----------WRONG: He SCARCELY comes to see his mother. RIGHT: He RARELY comes to see his mother. RARELY means NOT OFTEN. SCARCELY means NOT QUITE.—‘I had SCARCELY finished cooking when he came’.
Vendors’ vehicle…….Roach coach
GOOD NIGHT! Nighty night! Night! Sweet dreams! Wet dreams! Good night, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite! Good night and turn off the light! See you in dreamland! Have a sound sleep! Until we meet again! Sleep tight and don’t forget to get up right!
54 VIEWS ON NEWS January 22, 2016
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