SIGHT & SOUND
Whose garbage is it, anyway?
Amita Malik

SO the successful and popular Metro channel died a premature, unnatural death and DD’s second attempt at a news channel finally took off on November 3, as scheduled. Very correct political balance, with Arun Jaitley (BJP) and Shivraj Patil (Congress) wishing it well as a national channel and Inder Malhotra doing the same, presumably as a neutral observer. It was a brisk beginning except that the panel discussion on economic matters (with familiar faces from the private channels) went on interminably. Whenever one tuned in, there it was. It was interesting to find the national flag flashing in and out in the background. Ministers were discreetly scattered to avoid suspicion of propaganda. Characteristically, the programme on piracy the same evening did not identify any of the personalities who spoke on it.

The launch could have been very pleasant and everyone was willing to give the new channel a chance if the officials concerned had not made a remark in very poor taste at its press conference, describing the private news channels as "garbage". Because the amusing part is that the DD news channel is not only modelling itself meticulously on the "garbage" channels in content and style but has hired some of their best known and established anchors and newscasters, not to forget panellists, who had presumably been retailing garbage on the private channels. As a national channel one expects more dignity and decorum from Prasar Bharati officials towards those from private channels and some healthy competition rather than childish abuse. DD can boast about top ratings purely because it is more easily accessible. The opinion-makers and elite viewers, who have a choice, prefer to both view and appear on the private channels. Can DD claim that it could surpass the private channels in ratings if it was only satellite-based? A sobering thought over which DD should ponder.

DD could also look into its own garbage which is most visible in its sports coverage, including the silly Fourth Umpire for cricket matches which it has been shamelessly copied from the "garbage" channels. DD, after the CEO’s self-congratulatory appearance on TV at the Afro-Asian Games, doled out more garbage on the screen. During the India-Pakistan hockey final, a huge advertisement for the mosquito-repellent All Out filled half the screen during crucial moments, particularly towards the exiciting final moments. The viewers could neither see the players nor the field in the lower half of the screen. Obviously DD is more interested in money from garbage ads than in uninterrupted sport for its sports-loving viewers.

During tennis, the commentary was inaudible and the tennis court was pale. The lines or the ball could barely be seen. At the closing ceremony, the focus at the beginning was on the band and the ministers and many national teams had passed out of sight by the time DD remembered them. A national public service channel has to give high technical quality and not this kind of hit-and-miss stuff.

At last the much-neglected North-East got a look-in last week. The BBC in its India Business Report on Sunday had a comprehensive and very professional report on the city of Guwahati. It focused on everything — from the Kamakshya temple, tourism, the Brahmaputra and Assamese culture to the tea and oil industries, and interesting tit-bits such as Revlon opening a cosmetics factory and increase of nightlife. Amitabh Ravi gave the commentary with finesse and a battery of seasoned reporters did a thorough round-up of little-known facts. Next, the now defunct Metro channel did a reasonably good documentary on Meghalaya. There was too much repetition of folk dances, important landmarks such as its numerous waterfalls and Ward Lake were left unidentified and there was hardly any name from Meghalaya in the production credits, which perhaps explains the lacunae.

And finally there was Sarah Jacob’s excting sortie to Kaziranga, backed up by extraordinary camerawork. I do wish, however, that she had also identified the birds in the programme. Did I see a monal pheasant? Unlikely in that area.

The best compliment I can pay to Sarah is that only a true lover of nature could have made such a sensitive programme and she is well on her way to becoming the Indian David Attenborough. Keep it up, Sarah.

To change horses mid-stream is the proverbial folly. To change actresses in the middle of serials is worse. To replace the pretty, pert and scheming other woman, Kiran, of Astitva Ek Prem Kahani with a dull, unattractive and unconvincing actress is the height of folly and an insult to viewers. It has spoilt the serial for many viewers.