His father wanted him to be a doctor, but he chose science as his discipline in college. Within a short time, having done his graduation from Allahabad University, he switched over to philosophy as his master's degree subject. He did not stick to that either, and did his M Phil from JNU in Foreign Affairs.
Today at 37, Ashutosh is the managing editor of the Hindi news channel IBN 7. He has been with TV journalism ever since it took off in the country.
But why journalism, and why so many changes? "Restlessness," he smiles, almost apologetically. Suave and affable, Ashutosh got a prize fellowship, the Dag Hammejoldt U N Scholarship in 1996, and that was one of his two "major jumps in life."
He has got pretty strong opinions and does not believe he needs to pussyfoot his industry for some of the ills that have gotten in and are sticking out like snot. But he has the analytical tools to examine why these problems are there and tries to find a way out.
Ashutosh spoke to Indiantelevision.com's Sujit Chakraborty.
Excerpts:
Why is Hindi news television so loud, often crude, repetitive and boring? |
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Eyeball journalism?
The other huge positive is at the cultural level. I mean, who knew Karva Chauth? We in the Hindi channels went and did Karva Chauth and now it is a nationally recognised Hindu festival. So is Ganesh Chaturthi… |
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But Ganesh Chaturthi was always a huge affair…?
The other thing is that Hindi journalism has brought terror to the law makers and law enforcers. They have changed radically after the sting operations. Corruption has not been wiped out, but things have changed, because now no one knows who is a sting man and who is a common person.
Most importantly, Hindi TV journalism has brought in a sense of urgency, which has forced newspapers to change. They had lost all urgency, till we came along and gave them such a fright by being there 24 X 7. They had to wake up… I mean the Times Of India front page today is not what it was a few years ago. |
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Is it that Hindi news channels introduced crudeness and audiences lapped it up? Or is it that the audience itself was like that and you catered to their tastes?
Hindi itself and the people who speak the language are robust, rustic, loud, feudal. Hindi is used in the area where feudalism is still prevalent largely. Hindi journalism is evolving to be more liberal and things are changing.
English journalism is sophisticated, modern and in touch with global realities. But English news is only for South Block, India International Centre, South Delhi's sophisticated lot, may be. Even in Delhi, it makes no sense in Shahdara, a few kilometres from the heart of the Capital. Hence, all these account for the complaint of crudeness, etc., but things are changing. |
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In what sense? Well, there is this stereotypical image of the Hindi journalist, that you have to be the jholawalla and chew paan masalaa…. |
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And try your best to be dirty and scrumpy, like this major presenter who makes you feel he could any time spit out the paan juice on the floor of the studio, despite the fact that he is a fine National School of Drama actor…. Why? |
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What are the synergies you draw from CNN-IBN? |
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Why are the names of programmes in your channel ( from Breakfast News downward) in English? |
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Breaking news… all the time, Hindi channels are giving breaking news. Pramod Mahajan dies, that is breaking news for all the channels, from morning to late night. Don't you think this is ridiculous? |
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Some of your programmes are very long drawn. Do you think any audience would stay that long with a channel? |
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But is it getting reflected in your TRPs? |
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What would you say is the driver programme for your channel? |
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I asked a friend once why there were no programmes on environment on Hindi channels, and he said it does not sell. Is that true? |
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Forget big money. Environmental programmes are the most ethical sting operations you can carry out at minimal cost and people would stay glued to them because it relates to their life. Also, corruption is rampant. |
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How do you see yourself in the ratings warfare? |
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You see so much sophistication in foreign channels. Why do Indian channels never pick that up?
Indian journalism is far superior. We also went to war in Kargil, and we were taken there by the Indian army. But Indian channels did not spare the army for the mistakes they made. We did critical stories against the army as well.
We have that freedom. But look at CNN's embedded journalism… they not only go with the army, they become the army. This is unimaginable, there is no democracy. BBC was marginally better, but just that. |