Watching TV news channels is fast becoming similar to watching melodramatic Hindi movies.The anchor needs to build interest and hence create conflict if there is none. Just like art movies don't do well at the box office , dignified debates are at risk of getting low TRPs. So there must be a fight and shrill voices must be heard . While the viewer can see points being distorted and comments taken out of context , the participants begin to act their parts- as if they were actors not debaters. You see everyone stands to benefit by publicity. Soon climax is reached and time runs out and the audience wonders what was it all about !!

Clearly , this is the age of the media and none can do without it. Watching Baba Ramdev 's agitation at Ram lila grounds , one could sense the almost blatant attempt to piggyback on Anna Hazare and milk the public sentiment with massive media coverage.

Media gets its juicy news bites ( read spicy TRP lifters ) and the actor-politician -socialite etc etc their publicity . The truth .. the honest truth seems to get lost in the process and no one gives a damn.

Earlier there was lack of information and opaqueness .. now its too much information much of which is manufactured and hence is worse than little information.

The power of media can be sense by the unheralded demise of Swami Nigamananda who died after fasting for months for the cause of saving the Ganga river. He was in the same hospital where Baba Ramdev was admitted and broke his fast amidst media fan fare after 6 days of fasting...


Media freedom is important but it is time to think about media regulation .

Baba came and baba went ... In the process he managed to create tension and confusion all over not to mention the injuries and hardships to his supporters . And well , huge publicity for himself catapulting him from a yoga guru to a potential political guru. One should stop and think as to what was all this for ...? Anna was already on the track as far as Lokpal bill was concerned. That is the key issue and most Indians will support that. Baba could have added his weight behind and ensured that a robust bill comes out. Alas , no , life is not as simple as that .The twists and turns of a tricky yoga asan may have taught Baba a thing or two. He decided to say more or less the same thing and add a few more for good measure ... but ... in his own individualistic way without sharing the spotlight !! The very first day he started saying that most of his demands had been agreed to by the government - after having closed door meetings with senior ministers. So what was the huge protest against after that? I should feel to get mileage and a larger than life image . Now the political parties will home in like vultures and the real issue lost in the dust storm ...