Sting Operations Make Me Cringe
To me most Indian news channels are nothing but a business hub with almost every bit of their content influenced by sponsor’s advertisements, money making SMS polls, non-conclusive discussions, invented news at its best and priority towards political affiliations. But what takes the cake in this malicious battle of TRPs, is the so-called revolutionary invention, “Sting Operation”.
Really sting operations make me cringe; especially the ones done by Indian News Channels, all under the pretense of investigative journalism. Right from the very first one I had heard of – you know, the (in) famous, casting couch operation targeting Bollywood personalities. Rajat Sharma and his gang of super dud morons at India TV used cheap tactics in order to stand out in the overly- crowded television industry. Did you know that India TV’s market share jumped from 4-6 per cent to 10 per cent when this particular sting operation was aired.
And now we have this.
Sobbing uncontrollably after a Tis Hazari court magistrate set her free from her 10-day judicial custody, Khurana told the Hindustan Times in an exclusive conversation that she was not involved in any prostitution racket as alleged in a sting shown on Live India television channel.
“I am a teacher and it is impossible for a person like me to force a girl into flesh trade,” Khurana told HT after Judge Alok Agarwal said investigations revealed that “she is more of a victim than an offender.”
An angry mob badly beat up Khurana, who taught at a government girls’ school in Daryaganj, after the sting was aired. She was later sacked and arrested under the Immoral Trafficking Act. The sting, however, fell apart later and police arrested journalist Prakash Singh and one of his woman accomplices who had posed as a prostitute in the TV show. [Hindustan Times]
Channel Live India seems to have gone a notch higher in the category of despicable Sting Operations. Seriously, this is no less than a Bollywood pot-boiler – An enraged mob beats up a lady school teacher, damaging cars and public property, creates havoc, all on the basis of a television programme of 0.01% credibility.
Uma Khurana of Delhi’s Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya was brutally attacked, gruesome images of which were flashed across various media channels and right after this horrific ordeal, she received suspension order by higher authorities – only later to be revealed that this sting operation was not done with the aim of investigation but in fact with the intention of personal vendetta. According to the police, the sting was initiated by a businessman to whom Khurana owed money.
Though the case is still under investigation, it did however put forth many crucial questions – What rights do news channels possess in order to carry out such operations based only on suspicion and no solid proof? To accuse a person, expose him or her to public humiliation and violence? Can journalists use false identities to gain access to information? What methods are valid to reveal illegal behavior?
And above all, what about Ethics? But then again come to think of it, who really gives a shit about it these days anyway.
However to label everything as black would also be entirely incorrect. In the past there have been sting operations which have been carried out with true purpose; they exposed corruption and other social ills and thereby pushed the authorities into taking action. Perfect example being Operation Duryodhan, where 14 MPs were caught on camera taking bribes.
Therefore completely banning the sting operation methodology would not be an ideal solution. Instead corrective action should be taken so that stings are not misused and workable guidelines are the need of the hour. But this can only happen with an active involvement of all the three parties – The Media, The Government and Us, the aam junta. Since we do in some way decide the fate of what gets shown on our small screens therefore we too are equally responsible for its inadequacies.
[Originally written for MyIndiaReport]
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
Trackback Address
[...] ‘Continue reading, Sting Operations Make Me Cringe’ [...]
Pingback by To Each Its Own » Archives » Sting Operations Make Me Cringe — September 11, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
[...] is disgusted by Live India’s latest sting operation. Uma Khurana of Delhi’s Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya was brutally attacked, gruesome images of [...]
Pingback by Live India’s despicable sting operation | DesiPundit — September 12, 2007 @ 1:02 am
Comments
8 comments | Leave your comment
Sep 11th, 2007 at 9:00 pm | #
the sad thing is that the other new channels who are more credible, they also did check the authenticity of the news….
Where is the broadcasting media heading for? What are they upto???
Sep 12th, 2007 at 11:00 am | #
Action Against Live India News channel
Press Release
New Delhi, September 07, 2007. Rajesh Chopra LiveIndia.com
This is to the bring to public notice that the infringement on the part of News Channel Live India to use and propagate the name of ‘Live India’ which happens to be the name legally acquired and used for my various online businesses.
I, Rajesh Chopra, have been using this name since 1998 to propagate my portal Live India.com and to my utter shock, the TV News Channel by the same name cropped up recently with irresponsible journalism as it’s forte. With more than Ten lakh hits, this popular portal has been disseminating comprehensive knowledge to it’s viewers all around the world for last ten years.
After toiling and painstakingly putting in years of hard work in creating a name for the portal, I find that the News channel has unscrupulously used this name “Live India’ for their own business interests. More so, when this News Channel has fabricated a false string operation and used inappropriate means to gain an instant publicity; which in turn has tarnished my company’s name, caused me and my family tremendous harassment and also enraged the viewers of the portal.
It is henceforth brought to the notice of whomsoever it may concern, that Live India.com has been registered as a trademark with The Govt. Of India’s Department of Registration of Trade Marks since February12, 1998 and bears the registration no. 01403086.
Network Solutions
Any prior or further use of this name would be considered a direct infringement of The Intellectual Property Rights which I am legally entitled to. I am the sole owner and the use of this name by any unauthorized person puts him in a direct violation of my legal rights. Furthermore, it is brought your notice that I or any other of my companies has got nothing to do whatsoever with above referenced TV News Channel and is not in any way responsible for any of the contents aired by the Channel. Hereinafter, I am taking a legal action against the Channel.
The viewers and the users of Live India.com are hereby informed to continue their love, interest and support for the site, as Liveindia.com stands vindicated of any confusion or charges, arising out of this misrepresentation.
Thanks
Rajesh Chopra
http://www.liveindia.com/index.html
mail :- liveindia@aol.in
Sep 12th, 2007 at 5:18 pm | #
Well writen but I feel its just a far-fetched dream. Media channels are in the business with the sole intention of money making. Viewers, Society, Goodness…etc hold no value for them.
Sep 13th, 2007 at 12:53 pm | #
I agree. But the notable point is the mob’s reaction. Who gave them right to manhandle the lady ? Even, she had victimized the girls, we have a law against what she did. Isn’t it our moral duty to abide by what we are bound to ? Indians are still not mature enough to handle sensitive issues with mind. We wish to react more with our heart and wrist than to use mind.
Sep 30th, 2007 at 9:34 am | #
Is Sting operations Justified?
Sept. 20. 2007. Rajesh Chopra. LiveIndia.Com
Is the fourth foot to our existing democracy called ‘media’ in turmoil today because of the neglect of one news channel? The entire media is being questioned today and has been forced to be answerable to the law. Is this commending step for our country’s future?
Indian media has played a critical role for stirring up the conscience of the people, and bringing forth evil in the society. Media has achieved great heights with the latest technology and it has become a cardinal part in the lives of everyone. Today the absence of media in our lives is something next to impossible. The presence of media in our society assures us of justice in every way. A common man can distrust government but not the media. And hence any finger raised over media puts a question over our democracy too.
The IB ministry today is exercising ceaseless efforts to somehow apprehend control over the media. If these efforts are achieved then it will be a great setback for the society since the success of sting operations in disclosing the truth is indispensable. Sting operations can only check corruption.
The sting operations revealed the truth about the corrupt politicians who are idols to people today. It even acquainted us regarding craving of big bureaucrats for more and more money. The truth about existing two facet policemen has been disclosed several times.
But are these sting operations a remedy to the social malaise of corruption? Corruption is so much entrenched in the livelihoods of every man today that now it has become an inevitable part and we have become oblivious to its presence.
But to stress, sting operations have certainly created a fear among the people. A wave of fear certainly runs down the conscience of a policeman or any common person before taking bribe. This is the reason as to why efforts are being made to confine sting operations. These people fear such operations as they may put an end to their ‘under table income’.
Along with this, I would even emphasize on the responsibility borne by the news channels. In Usha khuranas case, the argument given by the news channels that it was a mistake by their reporter is not justified.
Just a simple statement in no means ends the culpability of the news channel. News channels today try to make highlights out of clumsy happenings. A politician dancing in a party becomes a highlight. Is any politician deprived with such rights of dancing? Is it a crime? Similarly policemen watching bargirl’s dance is also brought into limelight. If on the contrary there had been film stars performing then would it be a crime? The dances in the reputed award functions are no less then these dances and the people from all societies are present there. When these functions have been accepted by the society then why do these small functions come into limelight to such an extent?
The media once needs to restructure itself the way it was because somewhere seeing the success of such operations it has itself come on a wrong track. The news channels should take the whole sole charge of eliminating corruption and regaining the trust of a common man in its working and effectiveness. And our duty lies in enforcing the independence of media in every possible way and to support media even in times of adversity.
Jun 20th, 2008 at 8:17 pm | #
sting operation ki baat karein to yeh samaj mein ek shaktishali haathiyar k roop mein apni mahatvapurn bhumika nibha raha.print aurr electronic dwara prasait sting operation puri tarrah se rashtra hit mein hai. sting operation se jaha bhrast rajnitik party aur netaon k karnamey ujagar hote hain, vahin samaj mein kafi sakaratmak badlaav bhi aaye hai.yeh sab media k athak prayas aur mehnat ka hi parinaam hai. meri nazar mein sting operation zarur hone chahiye, kyunki isse samaj mein sakaratmak sandesh hi jata hai. Iam student of iaan school of mass communication.
Leave a comment
Comment Guidelines:
You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Off-topic or inappropriate comments will be edited or deleted.
Email addresses will never be published.