Boy, are there differences in perception between India and the US. Sunday morning, we saw Hillary Clinton on Indian news channels wreathed in garlands and toothy smiles. Yet CNN announced, “Clinton begins Asia visit on sombre note”. Did it detect a grimace in her grin?

Rajdeep Sardesai scored for CNN-IBN with the first Clinton interview on Indian news, while she was still in the USA. Arnab Goswami followed on Saturday (Times Now) and Barkha Dutt on Sunday (NDTV 24x7). The interviews were sober (not sombre) and touched upon the same issues: terrorism, 26/11, Pakistan, nuclear deal. So, in a manner of speaking, there was no progress in the talks.

Still, Clinton made the impossible possible. Her mere presence lowered the volume of all three anchors. In Goswami’s case she increased the level of his courteousness: each time he addressed her as Secretary of State, it sounded like a compliment. And, he smiled. This, from the man who usually takes himself and his job too seriously.

Meanwhile, Karan Thapar interviewed Gen Musharraf for the nth time but it was worth it because he got Musharraf to assess his successor, Indo-Pak relations and the outlines of a possible agreement between them on Kashmir, Siachin, Sir Creek during the general’s rule.

Onto that most inappropriately named creature, Reality TV. Two news show made their debut last week: Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao (Sony) and Sach Ka Saamna (Star Plus) which could have been Jhoot ka Samna because it’s only if you lie that you get caught out. None of the Iss Jungle contestants would have dreamt of spending weeks on end in a Malaysian jungle for even a second unless they were being paid the biggest bucks they’ve ever earned. That or they need the work.

... contd.