It is always fun to follow politics in the US and if it happens to be an election year, it is double the fun. The freedom that the media enjoys here is unheard/unthinkable of in India. The presidential candidates are openly made fun of in TV and as long as the hosts of these TV shows don't cross the unmentioned taboo line, it is taken as part of the game. The other day, David Letterman was going crazy about John McCain missing his late night show. Then there is also the 'Saturday Night Live' show where Sarah Palin was getting teared apart. If any of the TV stations back in India try this, they can be very sure that their TV stations would be ransacked the very next day. Sadly, what Shankar showed in 'Mudhalvan' movie really does happen in India. How I wish that Indian media also gets this kind of freedom and do this kind of coverage. There is no doubt that the media in India is getting powerful by the day but the only thing that I am hoping for is that the media houses do not start abusing the vast powers that get vested on them.Monday, September 29, 2008
US Presidential Elections
It is always fun to follow politics in the US and if it happens to be an election year, it is double the fun. The freedom that the media enjoys here is unheard/unthinkable of in India. The presidential candidates are openly made fun of in TV and as long as the hosts of these TV shows don't cross the unmentioned taboo line, it is taken as part of the game. The other day, David Letterman was going crazy about John McCain missing his late night show. Then there is also the 'Saturday Night Live' show where Sarah Palin was getting teared apart. If any of the TV stations back in India try this, they can be very sure that their TV stations would be ransacked the very next day. Sadly, what Shankar showed in 'Mudhalvan' movie really does happen in India. How I wish that Indian media also gets this kind of freedom and do this kind of coverage. There is no doubt that the media in India is getting powerful by the day but the only thing that I am hoping for is that the media houses do not start abusing the vast powers that get vested on them.
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2 comments:
Truly said Nagesh. The media out here sure does have a great deal of freedom and there are so much that they abuse it too. But all said, it is a healthy thing to have such openness. As you said David Letterman, Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien along with SNL go to amazing extremes to do those. The great part is the same people would come for their show and be sport about it (atleast the grudge is not shown :-D). Actually people seriously love the Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report" which is a spoof. Strangely enough the "real" media news is so skewed and depressing that these shows actually becomes a good source to be in touch with the current happenings. If you watch the Late Night shows I am sure you will be well informed and honestly unbiased reports.
Ashok,
As U would very well know, I watch very very less TV. You might not believe this but the only days that I switch on my TV is on Sunday & Monday (To watch NFL, of course!!). The news, I prefer news.google.com rather than TV.
The other day, I watched the presidential debate and they were showing it at least in two channels. Fox TV was pro-republican and MSNBC was pro-democratic. I got so irritated that I watched the debate and then kept switching between the two channels to understand the exact implications of the entire debate in the election. (And for watching all the comedy, I read about it in a website and then go searching for it in youtube!)
Cheers,
Nagesh.
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