There is a lot of talk going on against one Mr. Raj Thackeray. Recently he spoke out against Hindi and English news channels, about the way they misinterpret and wrongly translate what he says. He threatened that he would shut down these channels. He is being accused of being anti-India. People are saying that he is dividing the country. The so-called 'national' media is going out all guns blazing against this 'publicity-hungry' politician. Dividing India? He is dividing India? For a minute let's assume that he is. But why are these news channels shouting about it? Why are they taking a holier-than-thou approach? I am a proud Maharashtrian. I can agree or disagree with the ways of Raj Thackeray, and there are issues with which I do disagree. But that's a story for another day. Today I will support him. I will support him, because he spoke the truth. The truth about self-proclaimed 'national' news channels. The truth as we, the Marathi people, see it.
As someone who understands Marathi, English and Hindi, I have seen almost a million times, that whenever someone speaks in Marathi, the Hindi news channels completely quote that speech out of context. They completely twist the meanings of the words. They conveniently skip a few lines, just so that they can make the sentence more venomous. Every time I watch someone speaking in Marathi, and when I read the Hindi subtitles, I am shocked with the kind of venom the subtitles spew. The subtitles are more offensive than the speech itself. Can the channels not afford good translators? I doubt that. Let's leave this topic right here, as everyone can see that Hindi channels have achieved new levels of idiocy and stupidity. And they are Hindi channels, so they will have a bias. Let's talk about the holier-than-thou English news channels. They supposed, self-proclaimed torchbearers of modern India. Just a few observations, which irritate me, specifically related to my profession.
Let's remember one thing: They are 'National' News channels. Now let's have a look at if they really live up to the 'national' tag.
- All English News channels have film-based shows. They may be interview-based or any other format. Do these 'national' news channels show anything except Bollywood? How many times do we see someone from Bengali cinema being part of a panel discussion? How many 'national' news channels interviewed Girish Kulkarni? How many 'national' news channels even KNOW who he is? They would spend hours talking about how Vidya Balan won an award for 'The Dirty Picture', but apart from a ticker mention, did Girish Kulkarni get ANY visibility? How 'national' are they being here? The same translates to Marathi cinema getting theatres in Maharashtra during their release. Then why are Marathi film producers wrong when they protest and come out on streets against multiplexes? They do not want any special treatment, but at least a chance to get their films in the theatres? Are they wrong to feel angry and agitated?
- How many of these 'national' channels have invited non-Hindi superstars for interviews? These are English channels, so I doubt whether there is language barrier like Hindi channels. How 'national' are they being here?
- These 'national' channels talk of Raj Thackeray dividing the country. But how many of them have tried 'unifying' it? How many of these 'national' channels have spoken against a mediocre award ceremony known the IIFA awards? IIFA stands for International Indian Film Academy. Apart from Bollywood stars, who else attends this ceremony? Apart from Hindi language films, who else is nominated? Where are all those award-winning Marathi, Bengali, Malayali, Assamese and other language films? Since when is 'Indian Films = Bollywood'? And they still have the audacity to call it an Indian awards ceremony? And you, the oh-so-inclusive 'national' news channels do not express any disappointment? Haven't you chosen to be an English news channel so that you can reach out to the entire country? Are you helping?
- How many times have you helped promote Indian films and Indian television? You're so besotted with Hindi, that you can't see anything else
Now a look at some of their websites:
The Times Of India: In their 'Entertainment' section, there are links for 'Bollywood', 'Hollywood' and 'Regional'. Well, isn't Bollywood regional too? Are you completely unaware of how South India ridicules Hindi films? Most of them don't even know Hindi stars. Half of their films are copied from South Indian films. Bollywood does NOT represent Indian films. Your name is The Times of 'India'. Bollywood should be placed along with every other language film. Can you do it? How 'national' is that?
CNN-IBN: Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai, we love you, but your website has a separate link called 'South' and 'South Cinema'. Why? Why not separate links for every direction? Aren't you unintentionally breaking South India from everyone else? A friend of mine from Kerala once called me a North-Indian once. I said no, I am from Pune, so I am from the West of India. He replied, 'You're above us, so you're all North Indian.' I personally found this worrisome, and you're not helping.
'Indian' Express: Entertainment section - Bollywood, Hollywood and Regional. Not a single news piece of picture on the main page apart from Bollywood, Hindi Television shows, and Hollywood. 'Indian' Express? How 'national' are you being?
NDTV: The NDTV homepage has a link called 'South' placed right next to a link called 'All India'. Umm.. I thought the 'South' was a part of 'All India', right? Why not have a 'East' link? Not much news in the East of India eh?
Hindustan Times: Their entertainment page doesn't even have a link for 'regional' cinema. So much for calling yourself 'Hindustan'.
Times Now: No link for 'regional' cinema in the Entertainment section.
So if you are talking about someone dividing the country, first look at what your media agencies are doing. They are not helping in unifying either. Hindi is not our 'national' language. Hindi is our 'official' language, and there a difference between the two terms. English is one language that binds the entire country together, but even the English news channels are Hindi-oriented.
Bottom line, dear 'national' news channels, accept the fact that you have monetary pressures, which is why you give primary or secondary visibility to people / areas / cities / industries. Don't try and become the torchbearers of a united India. And if you want to, there are some basic things you need to change.
You are not 'National' News Channels. You are North-Indian English-Language News Channels. And there's nothing wrong in that, at all! Just accept it. That's all.
As someone who understands Marathi, English and Hindi, I have seen almost a million times, that whenever someone speaks in Marathi, the Hindi news channels completely quote that speech out of context. They completely twist the meanings of the words. They conveniently skip a few lines, just so that they can make the sentence more venomous. Every time I watch someone speaking in Marathi, and when I read the Hindi subtitles, I am shocked with the kind of venom the subtitles spew. The subtitles are more offensive than the speech itself. Can the channels not afford good translators? I doubt that. Let's leave this topic right here, as everyone can see that Hindi channels have achieved new levels of idiocy and stupidity. And they are Hindi channels, so they will have a bias. Let's talk about the holier-than-thou English news channels. They supposed, self-proclaimed torchbearers of modern India. Just a few observations, which irritate me, specifically related to my profession.
Let's remember one thing: They are 'National' News channels. Now let's have a look at if they really live up to the 'national' tag.
- All English News channels have film-based shows. They may be interview-based or any other format. Do these 'national' news channels show anything except Bollywood? How many times do we see someone from Bengali cinema being part of a panel discussion? How many 'national' news channels interviewed Girish Kulkarni? How many 'national' news channels even KNOW who he is? They would spend hours talking about how Vidya Balan won an award for 'The Dirty Picture', but apart from a ticker mention, did Girish Kulkarni get ANY visibility? How 'national' are they being here? The same translates to Marathi cinema getting theatres in Maharashtra during their release. Then why are Marathi film producers wrong when they protest and come out on streets against multiplexes? They do not want any special treatment, but at least a chance to get their films in the theatres? Are they wrong to feel angry and agitated?
- How many of these 'national' channels have invited non-Hindi superstars for interviews? These are English channels, so I doubt whether there is language barrier like Hindi channels. How 'national' are they being here?
- These 'national' channels talk of Raj Thackeray dividing the country. But how many of them have tried 'unifying' it? How many of these 'national' channels have spoken against a mediocre award ceremony known the IIFA awards? IIFA stands for International Indian Film Academy. Apart from Bollywood stars, who else attends this ceremony? Apart from Hindi language films, who else is nominated? Where are all those award-winning Marathi, Bengali, Malayali, Assamese and other language films? Since when is 'Indian Films = Bollywood'? And they still have the audacity to call it an Indian awards ceremony? And you, the oh-so-inclusive 'national' news channels do not express any disappointment? Haven't you chosen to be an English news channel so that you can reach out to the entire country? Are you helping?
- How many times have you helped promote Indian films and Indian television? You're so besotted with Hindi, that you can't see anything else
Now a look at some of their websites:
The Times Of India: In their 'Entertainment' section, there are links for 'Bollywood', 'Hollywood' and 'Regional'. Well, isn't Bollywood regional too? Are you completely unaware of how South India ridicules Hindi films? Most of them don't even know Hindi stars. Half of their films are copied from South Indian films. Bollywood does NOT represent Indian films. Your name is The Times of 'India'. Bollywood should be placed along with every other language film. Can you do it? How 'national' is that?
CNN-IBN: Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai, we love you, but your website has a separate link called 'South' and 'South Cinema'. Why? Why not separate links for every direction? Aren't you unintentionally breaking South India from everyone else? A friend of mine from Kerala once called me a North-Indian once. I said no, I am from Pune, so I am from the West of India. He replied, 'You're above us, so you're all North Indian.' I personally found this worrisome, and you're not helping.
'Indian' Express: Entertainment section - Bollywood, Hollywood and Regional. Not a single news piece of picture on the main page apart from Bollywood, Hindi Television shows, and Hollywood. 'Indian' Express? How 'national' are you being?
NDTV: The NDTV homepage has a link called 'South' placed right next to a link called 'All India'. Umm.. I thought the 'South' was a part of 'All India', right? Why not have a 'East' link? Not much news in the East of India eh?
Hindustan Times: Their entertainment page doesn't even have a link for 'regional' cinema. So much for calling yourself 'Hindustan'.
Times Now: No link for 'regional' cinema in the Entertainment section.
So if you are talking about someone dividing the country, first look at what your media agencies are doing. They are not helping in unifying either. Hindi is not our 'national' language. Hindi is our 'official' language, and there a difference between the two terms. English is one language that binds the entire country together, but even the English news channels are Hindi-oriented.
Bottom line, dear 'national' news channels, accept the fact that you have monetary pressures, which is why you give primary or secondary visibility to people / areas / cities / industries. Don't try and become the torchbearers of a united India. And if you want to, there are some basic things you need to change.
You are not 'National' News Channels. You are North-Indian English-Language News Channels. And there's nothing wrong in that, at all! Just accept it. That's all.
