| Indian
news television channels have been lambasted by one and all for their over-the-top
telecast of the terrorist strike late last month. While some of the caning has
been well-deserved, one can't forget that the news crews and authorities probably
lacked the experience to understand and implement the sensitivity required for
the live coverage of such a high intensity event as the recent Mumbai terror attacks.
And hence, as a consequence, both the parties have been taking steps to correct
those flaws by announcing the formation of a code and a committee which will become
active during the reportage of national crises. One
month down the line from the terror attacks, indiantelevision.com decided to take
a look at what else Indian news media have been doing post 26/11, more specifically
in terms of campaigns to create awareness about terrorism and to find solutions
to some of the key issues which could prevent India from facing a similar situation
in future.
* NDTV Profit launched a campaign to try and find answers to terror-based issues
like security, intelligence, infrastructure, corporate activism and crisis management
from the corporate world of India. As part of this campaign, the channel hosted
a daily special called Ideas for change at 10:30 pm every day.
Speaking
to indiantelevision.com, NDTV Profit managing editor Shivnath Thukral said,
"The threat to India is intensifying and the recent attack on Mumbai has
shaken each and every citizen of the country. Nevertheless, this is the time for
people to come together and find solutions to our problems. Through this campaign
we wanted CEOs to use their experience in drafting a blueprint which will help
us all to contain this terror. We required ideas from the corporates who till
this time have helped in building the shares of their stakeholders and expanding
the Indian industry; to provide solutions to issues that would help in safeguarding
our country from terrorism." NDTV
Profit wishes to continue the campaign in the future in some form or another and
address various other issues. Additionally, by the end of December, 2008 the channel
will present the documented ideas to the Home Minister, P. Chidambaram and the
Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ashok Chavan. *
Newspaper daily Daily News & Analysis (DNA) launched its own initiative called
'Eyes & Ears - People Protection Group' with the catch phrase, 'somebody needs
to protect this city, let's start with you'. "We
plan to continue this campaign forever and for that DNA has also launched the
website, eyesandears.in. The idea behind the campaign is to encourage people to
report anything suspicious in their surroundings to DNA. To follow up on a complaint,
DNA will interact with the concerned security authorities for further investigation.
Generally people are scared to approach the police. Therefore, through this campaign
we are trying to provide a channel through which the common people can communicate
easily without any fear or difficulty," elaborated DNA CEO K.U. Rao.
* Network18's
English news channel CNN-IBN in association with Hindustan Times group launched
their own agenda against terrorism called, 'Citizens against terror.
CNN-IBN
executive editor Vinay Tewari noted, "Through this campaign with Hindustan
Times, CNN-IBN is looking at addressing the burning issue the country faces after
the terror attack in Mumbai. The campaign is an attempt to mobilise and help the
people with various steps and initiatives they can take to contribute to this
fight. We are inviting people to provide solutions to key issues via emails, blogs,
messages etc. We then plan to create a handbook after selecting some of the best
ideas which we will present to Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Maharashtra Chief
Minister Ashok Chavan on 26 December, exactly a month after the attacks. In order
to choose the best of the ideas we have set up an expert panel."
While both
CNN-IBN and IBN7 are hosting shows on the terror attack on weekends, daily newspapers
of HT Media- Hindustan Times and Hindustan- are carrying stories of people who
have suffered during the attack. *
Aajtak, the Hindi news channel, has also launched 'Declare War on Terror'. The
mission of this movement is to bring all Indians together to fight and counter
terrorism in all forms. The movement will develop programmes and will partner
in areas such as empowering public opinion against all forms of terrorism. It
will influence decision makers at the highest level - fighting against those who
kill innocents, support measures that ensure safety, expose corruption and incompetence
that endangered safety and security, defeat the enemy by having zero tolerance
of terror, eliminate forces that propagate hate and promote unity among the people
of India.
* Mumbai-based daily tabloid Mid-Day not only used print but has further extended
its campaign against terrorism on its radio station, Radio One 94.3 FM.
Mid-Day
group editorial director Shishir Joshi elucidates, "We launched our campaign
'Enough' across our platforms which include daily papers like Mid-Day, Gujarati
Mid-Day and Inquilab, radio station Radio One, Mid-day.com and also through the
mobile short code 53650. Through our campaign we asked four basic questions to
the government - Did we have prior information about the attack?,
'What did we do after we had the information?, 'what could have been a better
way of handling the situation then? and 'what are the measures that should
be adopted now to improve the situation?. We took the answers from the representative
of the government to the common people and then took their feedback on these answers
to the government once again." *
The radio stations in Mumbai went an extra mile in serving as an interactive platform
for listeners to express their anguish about 26/11. Red FM launched its campaign
'Enough is enough' in which the airwaves were thrown open to Mumbaikars and the
music on-air was reduced to accommodate the flood of calls from people. The callers
included victims, families of victims, eye witnesses, staff members of the hotels
and everybody else who wanted to speak about their experiences, send out a plea,
express anger or demand answers for their unanswered questions. Mumbai
station of ADAG owned Big 92.7 FM undertook a special drive to urge each and every
Mumbaikar to join them and speak up against Terrorism. 'Mumbai Halla Bol- Ab
Chup Rehene ka Waqt Nahi' saw people from all walks of life including celebrities
like Rahul Mahajan, Ad Film maker Prahlad Kakar, Singers Shaan and Ismail Darbar,
Tops Security chief director Ramesh Iyer, Dr Mangeshkar who was one of the hostages
at the Taj Hotel, professionals from various companies, College students, and
the NGO Dreamz Home joining the initiative.
Commenting
on Big FM's role on the issue, station head Neerja Dhillon said, "Radio as
a medium today can not only inform people, but it can activate a complete movement
in the city by not only creating awareness, but by creating a feeling of responsibility.
Hence, Big 92.7 FM took up this drive to bring together people from various backgrounds."
Additionally,
ENIL's Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM initiated a 15 day campaign 'Be alert but don't be
prejudiced.' The campaign was an appeal to all to practice communal peace and
tolerance rather than blindly blaming a particular caste or religion for the cause.
The campaign also aired opinions and views of Muslims who lead normal, regular
lives. |