SIGHT & SOUND
Anchors act as know-alls
Amita Malik

WHILE diplomatic reporting and analysis is one of the most specialised forms of TV news, one has to be careful to retain decorum and credibility rather than go overboard to be the first to report. This has become an open rat race between channels whenever some political news hits the screens and papers. If one were to compare the reactions of the newspapers, mostly in editorials and reporting, and that of the electronic media, one realises that the electronic media in a way have a harder task.

The electronic media live from moment to moment, while the Press lives from morning to morning. Even the weeklies have more time for in-depth reporting. On their part, the dailies have a hard task because TV and radio channels, especially 24-hour channels, can beat them in the rat race for instant analysis.

I had all these thoughts as I watched the TV channels competing furiously over the (now former) External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh-Volcker Report controversy. It is always wiser to play safe by talking to or interviewing those directly concerned. Thus Barkha Dutt got a headstart by doing a long incisive interview with Natwar Singh on NDTV, which brought out his fighting attitude to the whole affair. The Congress meanwhile maintained a discreet silence and the government made brief statements as and when it thought fit.

Every studio anchor and field reporter acted like an expert, holding forth as know-alls when no one really knew what was going to happen. Foreign correspondents such as the NDTV correspondent in the USA had an easier time as they had a restricted number of people they could talk to. The point I am trying to make is that in such a tricky situation, it is wiser for the studio anchors and the reporters to stick to facts and to people.

It would have been better to talk to the Congress spokespersons and Opposition leaders such as Arun Jaitley and Yashwant Sinha, and, of course, Natwar Singh, his son and relative "Andy" Saigal than to try to guess what would happen to them. In this case, it was a tight-rope walk for the government, but it did rather well on TV by neither talking too much nor talking too little. And the sometimes rash media was put in its place.

I must say it was fun watching the first crorepati Brajesh Dubey in the Big B show KBC 2. The winner, in spite of being referred to as a sort of small town boy from Madhya Pradesh, kept his head as well as his poise throughout, even when Big B got excited over his win. Yes, Star Plus has a winner on its hands and has got an enviable all-India following.

I must confess that my impatience with Astitva — Ek Prem Kahani, the first serial in recent times I had found credible, contemporary and professionally interesting to watch, is growing by the day. Sarrkkar, which precedes Astitva`85on the same channel, too puts me off with the fixed, stern stares of the heroine, and the distracting over-done sound effects.

I am glad a fun serial like Hum Paanch is being revived and wish some channel would revive the good Neena Gupta serials. Because the present crop of serials does little justice to the vast creative talent available in this country.

Tailpiece: Doordarshan is back at its old game of pushing in ads when a wicket falls so that we do not know who took the catch; of coming in late when an over starts because of ads, and of giving us endless ads when a team wins, so that we do not see the immediate joy of the players and spectators. But we must be grateful that it has at least spared us the noodle straps and glam girls and given us a woman who is not only a cricket captain, but telegenic, knowledgeable and can speak on equal professional terms with the men. Thank heavens for Anjum Chopra. And if we must have the Fourth Umpire, which is long-distance analysis, could we have someone other than Charu Goswami who is not bad as a tennis commentator but is at sea and unbearable as an anchor? She talks too fast and sometimes incoherently.