Television news channels spent all of Wednesday whooping with joy at the Supreme Court handing over the Sushant Singh Rajput death case to the CBI, besides congratulating themselves for the stellar role they have played in obtaining this verdict.
It has been an award-winning performance by many of them — for nearly a month, they have conducted a media trial, openly chosen sides, maligned individuals, the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra government, and done everything in their power to achieve a CBI inquiry.
This direct interference in ‘let the law take its course’ is deeply troubling since their ‘victory’ will only embolden TV channels, and take them down a path that leads them further astray from the fundamental values of journalism. Equally worrying is the reality that these TV adalats clearly appeal to viewers.
Also read: Against the 1000 questions TV news had after Sushant Singh’s death, we have just six
Open debates, close arguments
Is there a way to wean audiences off the studio kangaroo trials and win back those who rejected TV news? Can we do something to engage with audiences without forsaking genuine journalism for jousting sessions?
Well, watching the coverage of the Democratic Convention on Fox News and CNN International did offer some simple alternatives. Here are six little ways in which we could begin to save TV news from itself.
Also read: Aatma, autopsy, jadu—After Ayodhya, TV news went right back to magnificent Sushant obsession
New energy
First, we need new energy: channels such as NDTV 24×7, India Today, or CNN News18, when they are not trying to play catch up with Times Now or Republic TV, look stuffy and stale, with a musty-fusty smell to them like old bread. We need anchors who are brimming with zest and enthusiasm.
That’s where Fox News scores. It appears bright, bustling, busy — its anchors look like they just emerged from a beauty salon. By the way, most of the female anchors are blonde and white, which doesn’t say much for diversity.
Also read: Ram Ram, Rafale. India’s TV news celebrated the arrival of French jets like a moon mission
A new language
Then, we need a new language: make it crisp, clever and crackling. While CNN chose to broadcast the daily convention proceedings live almost throughout, Fox News would break away to the studio for some incisive analysis of the “telethon”. There were smart lines, jokes and laughter: For instance, here are two of the channel’s best known commentators: “(Michele Obama) did a heck of a job — she diced and sliced up Donald Trump,’’ said Chris Wallace. “A boring hit on Trump launched from Biden’s basement bunker,’’ said Sean Hannity of the first night.
Fox was far more watchable than CNN which looked and sounded like it was attending a funeral — of the Trump administration, most likely. Very well intentioned and for many viewers, its heart is in the right place, but like ‘well-meaning’ anchors on our channels, they didn’t grab you — so much of the informed arguments simply droned on and on.
Sharp, witty comments, strong on facts work much better on TV – watch Wolf Blitzer on CNN question a guest. Take a leaf out of CNN’s Reliable Sources anchor Brian Stelter. He is feisty, direct and more bouncy than a ball, voices strong opinions, and never has more than three people on a panel at a time.
Also read: How Hindi serials plan to beat news channels in amateur dramatics in Covid days
Panels: keep them small
That’s the next thing and it’s a strict no-no: panels that number a soccer team along with the substitutes on debates that last for an hour. That’s the Republic TV, Times Now way – it’s plain dumb to stare at silent faces for so long.
Some channels feature four panellists, but even that may be too many. At any given time, two panellists with opposing views plus the anchor will do: India Today and CNN News18 favour that model. Also, restrict these face-offs to 10 minutes; then get another set of panelists, on another subject and do the same. This keeps things tight and viewer interest high with the variety.
Also read: Sachin Pilot has done the unthinkable — united all TV channels from NDTV to Republic
Do not interrupt
Another requirement: the anchor does not interrupt, and does not allow the panellists to interrupt each other either. On our news channels, the anchor does both, in fact, encourages them. And no abusing either – absolutely not. On Fox News and CNN, the anchors know their place in the debate — they remain silent when the panellists speak. Laura Ingraham caught herself editorialising and stopped: “I am acting like a guest on my own show,” she apologised (Fox News). Have you ever heard our anchors say such a thing?
Also read: Bhujiya, bicycle, bathroom: TV news scripts potboiler story of Vikas Dubey before UP Police
Banish monologues
Time to get rid of the long-winded instruments too: banish the wordy monologues to the basement. The likes of Ravish Kumar (NDTV India), Sudhir Chaudhary (Zee News) and Rajat Sharma (India TV) lecture us – that’s not TV, and it’s very poor TV on a daily basis. Ravish has often scored because he is so good at it, but they must all learn from Fareed Zakaria whose GPS is a solitary take but it’s only once a week.
Anchors beware: keep your opinion to a bare minimum and don’t have strong biases—there’s enough of that already. Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, co-anchors of the Fox convention show, make a quick observation and then rotate the strike to panelists such as Chris Wallace, Brit Hume, Dana Perino or Juan Williams — and the latter speak for no longer than a few minutes, if that.
Also read: Delighted over ban on Chinese apps, news channels put Modi speech on back burner
Need ‘aatmanirbhar’ anchors
Oh, and one more out-of-the-box, quirky idea that may appeal to viewers. This is the season of vocal for local. So where is the aatmanirbhar on our news channels? The male anchors emulate their foreign counterparts wearing jackets and ties or they appear in shirtsleeves; the females, barring a few, wear jackets too. Huh? Why can’t they be like Deepak Chaurasia and wear bandh galas, or kurtas? Saris? At least they would brighten up the proceedings.
So there we go: a few modest ways towards reclaiming TV news. And dare we add, pursue real news, not mock trials?
Views are personal.
While we have a lot to learn from foreign news channels in general(like not interrupting a speaker during a debate)….I still think that emulating fox or cnn isn’t going to do us any good. Their kind of sensationalism, while different from the republic tv variety, is sensationalism nonetheless…..and while it will make them more money, it’ll be bad for us as viewers and consumers, because they will pay more attention to presentation instead of the facts themselves, and I believe that objectivity should be at the center of the journalistic spirit……..I do not agree with the writer.
This is a click bait . You are comparing ravish kumar with fox news and cnn really ?? I don’t know who has written this article but I think you have misunderstood news with entertainment.
I was just reading some comment on this article , some people are very anguished by this article but this is real journalism. If u r fan of ravish Kumar and u can’t hear one word against him then their is no difference between u and bhakts . If u don’t like this article it’s ok but, u can’t denied some of it’s good things. So be patient and try to be a different(if u r) from Bhakts .
I dont think you watch either cnn or fox. CNN has been anti trump for 5 years in a row and fox pro trump for the same duration. Every journalist is biased on both platforms. No doubt that indian media is more tamasha than them but I am quite sure that those two channels can never be quoted as examples to emulate. I think you should watch ravish Kumar for his wonderful grasp of hindi and his syntax if nothing else. He appeals to the artist.
The sad thing is that the channels are dissipating what we want to hear not what we should hear. That is why it is news entertainment now. But in a world where history channel became an entertainment channel for trps it is just expecting too much.
@ Print. If you call this good journalism then you just lost my support and my contribution.
I know everyone is entitled to their opinion but this is promoting idiocracy in the name of … What do you call this ? Opinion? Journalism ? Or brazen Bigotry ?
I had expected better !
I have never seen a manager or salesman of a well reputed diamond or gold store shouting…… diamond lelo……..angoothi lelo…… bracelet lelo…..best suited example of Ravish Kumar or Rajat Sharma
The so called journalists like Arnab or Amish are like road side chapdi farosh ….always shouting……