Entering The Spin Zone

In efforts to be completely impartial, BBC is often unfair. Reporting on the Lashkar-e-Toiba links to the Mumbai attacks...

In efforts to be completely impartial, BBC is often unfair. Reporting on the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) links to the Mumbai attacks, its reporter in Pakistan visited the Jamaat-ud-Dawa in Lahore. We were shown hospitals run by it and schools with children studious at their desks — just like any other school or schoolchildren. Last week, there was another visit to its headquarters and an interview with its leader, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Once again, there was an impression of routine orderliness, of dedication to “charity” — men were shown chopping meat in a scenic courtyard, a free meal for the poor, we were told. When asked if he had made a speech at a LeT rally that Kasab reportedly said he attended, Hafeez denied it (well, what else did you expect?). The reporter did not press the point. Instead, she stressed the difficulty in shutting down the place, linked as it was to many other charities and backed by the goodwill of society.

The interview was on the day the Jamaat-ud-Dawa was banned. But even before that there was enough evidence to suggest and confirm links between Jamaat and LeT. For the reporter to stress the charity angle of the organization, for the two reports to reflect a tranquil humanitarianism, was cosmetic — and unfair. At times like these, we need reports to dig up what lies beneath the surface, not skim it.

CNN has done more spadework. It’s got a Pakistan correspondent who reflects the Pakistan point of view but it has a balancing report from India. Also, from Larry King Live to Fareed Zakaria’s GPS, it has telecast current affairs programmes that have explored Pakistan’s links with terrorism much more fully, for instance, Zarkaria’s interview with Hamid Gul, the former ISI chief.

Story continues below this ad

And while we excoriate our media, don’t spare the rod for Pakistan TV news. What was reported on Times Now is more than scary, it’s dangerous. The ‘air incursion’ of Pakistan airspace allegedly by the IAF on Sunday, led Pakistani news channels to show footage of Pakistani airforce planes taking off and in the air. Viewers must have thought something close to war had been declared. No such thing, but this is how the media can create incidents and panic amongst us. Isn’t it time the electronic media, on both sides, took a chill-pill?

Anyone who watched Roshan Seth recount the story of the Mumbai Taj, The Taj of Apollo Bunder, telecast on news channels, will have been moved to tears. The 2003 film relived the hotel’s charm — the resplendent stairway, the trellis corridors, the regal restaurants, which contrasted horribly with the CCT footage, last Sunday, of the terrorists sauntering along, grenades destroying those beautiful interiors. Awful.

Onto other matters: Aaj Tak and Headlines Today showed us how Amir Khan grew his eight (?!) pack — in such excruciating detail that by the end of his ten-month work-out, we had converted at least a kilo of body fat into muscle, just watching him for an hour!

And please welcome Farhan Akhtar to Oye It’s Friday (NDTV Imagine), the latest Bollywood talk show. Well, it’s more of a variety show — with magic performances, songs and dance, video skits — even a breaking news segment. Farhan’s guest was Hrithik Roshan — he could have more in an hour-long show. He taught Farhan to dance like him, except that Farhan, like Pappu, can’t dance — like Hrithik. Farhan was boyish, likable and just talkative enough to merit being called a talk show host. Maybe this show would be better placed on NDTV 24×7.

Story continues below this ad

Colors has introduced Dancing Queen opposite Oye It’s Friday, but other than Hema Malini sitting besides Jeetendra, it didn’t look too different from other dance talent shows.

Miss World (Zee Café) was replete with enough contests — sports, talent, civic service, swimsuit, evening gown and elocution — to be renamed Miss World All-Rounder.

And what does Complan mean by running an ad that says children who drink Complan grow ‘dugna’ taller than children who don’t?

shailaja.bajpaiexpressindia.com