SIGHT & SOUND

TV influences voters like nothing else
Amita Malik

THE two most relevant topics on TV last week were the castigation of the BBC by the Hutton inquiry. On Indian TV, there was more than one discussion on the influence of television on voters, and on politics during election time.

The BBC has long been a role model all around the world for freedom of expression and of freedom from government control. It derives its revenue from licence fee. The only sphere where government comes in is in its external broadcasts, where government contributes money as subsidy. Here again, except when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had tried to interfere during the war with Argentina but had failed because the BBC defied her, there has been little or no interference. 

There are many media observers who feel that Hutton came down too heavily on the BBC. They also say that he avoided relevant lapses on the part of the government in the Kelly affair. In other words, it was a lop-sided inquiry and already the British public is holding it against Prime Minister Tony Blair. I also agree that the BBC top brass over-reacted. You can take it that the BBC will bounce back sooner than later and continue to be a role model for independence of the media long after Tony Blair is out of office.

It was two years ago that the BBC correspondent in Delhi, in a discussion on Star News chaired by Vir Sanghvi, said that the most effective politician on TV was Laloo Prasad Yadav because he combined entertainment with political shrewdness. In a panel of four, anchored by Rajdeep Sardesai, Nalini Singh and Jaipal Reddy voted for Laloo Prashad, while the BJP spokesperson and Alaque Padamsee voted for Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. I would also vote for Laloo over Vajpayee because I think that the Prime Minister is at his oratorical best when speaking in public, out-of-door meetings or Parliament. But his long pauses on television make him lose impact and continuity as well as impact. Laloo, however, keeps the dialogue in full flow and dominates the screen when on it. The popular poll, on the other hand, put Arun Jaitley first, followed by Laloo, Pramod Mahajan, Kapil Sibal and Vajpayee. I suppose the elections will be the final test of TV’s influence on voting.

I thoroughly disagree with the BJP spokesman who said that illiterate masses make up their minds irrespective of TV. On the contrary, those who cannot read and write, can see and hear. I shall never forget my maid watching a debate on Parliament and saying: "Yeh kya Par-lee-ah-ment hai, yeh toh jhagra ghar (fighting house) hai."

You call that illiteracy? Don’t write off TV’s influence on the masses, especially voters.