Just when I was trying to understand the recurring ticker on CNN IBN which read - The Indian Media is a Monster - Aamir Khan; I happened to get on to a real heated discussion - Who's the real media? - on DD News.

A peeping camera in the ICU while the Big B was recovering from his illness recently or the aggressive campaigner for judicial accountability as in the Jessica Lal murder case. The emerging two faces of the India media…

Amongst the panelists were senior journalists like Sayeed Naqvi and some other veterans from the vernacular press. A relevant and timely discussion which managed to shed light on the various facets of the fourth estate. So, has the media delivered on its promise since independence?

Meaningless soundbyte journalism which has only got worse as channels are perpetually at war for breaking news. The moot point raised was on whether the media has forgotten its role in democracy and is content being created only to rope in advertisers.

In all, though a very thought provoking discussion, but somehow I felt it also got a bit too harsh on the media. Agreed that there is sensationalism but one can't deny that there has also been a lot of good work by the media. Like in recent times, bringing out the major inherent handicaps in the judicial system and attempting to drive in judicial activism.

While all this talk on the judiciary goes, the soaps on the small screen have been quick to rope in rather 'judicial' plots around the same. I saw the main protagonist Karan Virani, with what looked like a punk for a lawyer (since all the top lawyers refused to take on the case for Tulsi) trying to bribe the judge. For those unplugged to the serial, Tulsi is facing trial for mercy killing her mother-in-law in the serial. And interestingly, Ekta has roped in Sudha Chandran (remember Ramola Sikand) as the judge who apparently hates criminals to the core. I think the judicial track will really go on for a long time now.

Ditto for her other serial, Kasauti Zindagi Kay, where the main protagonist, Prerna, has to choose between the right and wrong. Meaning, be a witness and garner evidence to rope in the criminal. So, will she won't she? I think she will stand by the truth.

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Saw some rushes of Sony's new show - Fear Factor. The Endemol format with Mukul Dev as an anchor will be sureshot winner with the audiences since it has all the right ingredients of fear, awe, thrill and adventure. Apart from the novelty factor the show packs in live action and adventure as the young contestants carry on their assigned tasks.

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Fear, perhaps the driving force for many in life. The fear of the unknown, gory stories, psychopaths, blood, muck all left me surfing back to back on Zee News, Aaj Tak and Star News on Sunday morning (11 am). I am talking of the repeat telecasts of crime shows - Jurm on Aaj Tak, Kaal Kapaal Mahakaal on Zee News and Red Alert on Star News.

Now, what I failed to figure out is how could the channels have such shows being telecast on a Sunday morning when even kids have access to TV in India? I think, the channels need to definitely show some restraint considering the shows have some gruesome pictures and stories.

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I found the Sunday night episode of Rendezvous with Simi Garewal with heartthrob Hrithik Roshan and wife too sugary and sweet to handle. Really… though Simi is definitely good at whatever she does, sometimes the conversation can get too artificial and obvious. Like, it seems Hrithik never used to have any money on him when he was dating his wife Suzanne Khan.

So, when Hrithik confessed well, Suzanne would pay all the bills. To which Simi went... Ooh really. Coomon Simi, get a bit real...