India: Media, Mumbai and Terror Attacks
This post is part of the Global Voices coverage on the terror attacks in Mumbai, India on November 26, 2008.
Anger at the media for their coverage of the terror attacks in Mumbai is apparent on the blogosphere. For one, the mainstream media appears to have taken the approach of “shock and shake”, as opposed to verifying rumors before reporting them. But the nation appears glued to their television sets, as it is probably the most “live” source of information at this point in time. Kalyan Varma writes:
In tough economic and global times like this, we will win only if we move on with out lives and keep this behind. This is how we fight terror, not overreacting to this, not invading countries and giving up our freedom. Bad enough the security guards check my car and bags each time I enter a mall or hotel here in Bangalore, I do not want to give up any more of my freedom.
and someone please shut up Barkha Dutt of NDTV. She is causing more damage to the country by FUD than the terrorists themselves.
And from the perspective of a media man, Smoke Signals writes a poignant post on news and the self.
The rational corner of my mind tells me that there is no security measure, no multi-crore security ‘plan’ that can permanently inoculate me and my fellow Mumbaikars against what is becoming a gory ritual. But who, listening to a colleague call in with details of grenade explosions and the rattle of machine guns and mounting body counts or watching images of the Taj Mahal Hotel – more, to me and my fellow Mumbaikars than a ‘hotel'; its facade is as much a part of my Mumbai-ness as is vada pav and cutting chai and the boon-granting Ganesha of Siddhivinayak – can stay rational? That other me, the irrational me that showered and dressed and drove to work today, watches news reports of the Prime Minister talking to his wannabe successor to work out travel plans [Shall we go to Mumbai together or separately? Prime Ministerial plane or commercial airliner? Window seat or aisle?] and wonders, don't you guys have anything more important, more immediate, to do? Does Mumbai really need, want, either or both of you to regurgitate the cud of banality, to trot out prefabricated statements on the order of ‘The country must come together to resist this threat to its security?
Falstaff comments on the relentless media coverage, and if someone has stopped to think about how it might end up helping the attackers:
It's a particularly bad idea because it seems to me that most media channels are too busy trying to sensationalize the news to bother thinking through the consequences of what they're saying. It's not just that much of the coverage seems to be designed to amplify the general hysteria and panic, it's also that watching journalists describe what the police are doing or report on who is still trapped inside the hotels, I find myself wondering whether anyone's considered that at least some of that information might be helping the attackers.
137 comments
A hundred people dying is a disaster anywhere- Iraq, Mumbai, Georgia, the Congo. To ask why this dastardly act is making the news should befuddle the mind of any right thinking human being. This is news, just as Iraq is news. The horror of one does not lessen the other.
Hello every1
as we all know terrorists have again attacked India showing their imense power and unhuman mentality but i would like to say its not time to condemn India but to get united and stand as one body against these terrorists.
these are mainly of one religion and they should either boycotted or taught a lesson.
Bloggers from Mumbai speak out against the attacks – a list.
i did get a lot more concerned watching the tv whole night trying to “feel” the threat that we have been facing. but the media has been disgusting reporting the whole thing in a negative mood and talking all shitty nonsence just to keep themselves live with the breaking news syndrome.i still do not understand why the cops are trying to cooperate with the media ,sharing every step with them , and media trying to blow it up on air.they should smash the camera’s, stop people from crowding near the places ….is this a public show? …..ppl, pls move away and let the cops do their work. and one good thing that i can do (and have done is ) SWITCH IT OFF.if we cannot help anyone, we should not just keep abusing them on their ability to handle such a chaos.and there was one discussion apart from this that i wanted to start on : have we resigned to the fact that this would happen and we cannot do anything , so lets get back to work (coz this is what all we can do)::::::::: in disguise of the sentence “we will get back to work tomorrow , this is the spirit of mumbai “
I see the blame game and the politicking on tv – feel disgusted to how low we have stooped. i switch it off.
Then i go online and read blogs – a sad realization dawns on me… we cant blame the media for the sensationalism and blame games… it covers a majority of these pages as well.
i pray we keep aside our regional and religious differences and come together to find the cause of such continued attacks, a solution to them and NOT just a scape-goat.
JAI HIND!
Guys, just because this ghastly incident is being publicised doesnt make it right to take the ‘whats the big deal?’ attitude. Families have lost their loved one’s and for them this is more real than what’s happening in rest of the world.
Hamed and Ajulo.. please do not bring in senseless and unwarranted opinions where its not needed..
Lets all join hands and support the fight against terrorism in whichever way we can..
The lack of editorial control by the media – especially CNN has amazed me. The so called western expert’s sweeping ignorant statements can only add fuel to the mass uncertainty and gradual brewing anger.
Speculation by the ignorant using mass media, is no less than terrorism itself.
The media should help in finding the missing and organizing the disarray and forget about making a quick buck and looking to ratings!
I feel really sad about all this issue – I am Muslim – and i was never thought to do these things, if you kill 1 innocent person, you cant go to paradise, so i dont know WTF these terrorist thinking blowing therself up and thinking they are going to go to paradise.
Feeel angry to see that wher ever you see mulslim doing this , muslimg doing that – i would say to those Mullas that – GO F UR :@ :@ :@ i cant say it here – but look at those terrorist picture – they are like 17, 18 , years old. WHO put so much poison in their mind = that they are doing this,, and by doing this ,,what are they getting,, bad name for their relegion – they are causing more pain to islam and muslims . dont know sometime i think may be they arent muslim and its all plan to make muslim look bad,, but its hard to believe either – y the F we cant live peacefully and stop all this bulllshit.
May Allah keeep us safe and destory those who are ruining the name of ISLAM.
ok this is wat is needed…POTA, n the ruling party, the congress sucks to have removed it… and whats unfortunate, we Indians are suffering because of astronomical mistakes made by the bush administration… he has messed the world beyond any imaginable level.
Another thing that amazes me is that how international news channels like CNN blame Indian extremists for carrying out such a thing…do they actually think they could carry out something of such magnitude… the earlier they note down and identify and announce links to pakistani extremist party the better for the world… im not saying pakistan is directly involved, but its extremist terror-group sure is, heck they lost Late Behnazir Butto to them… still no lesson learnt.
the sooner v identify pakistans role in all this, the sooner v help them in the right way instead of blindly pouring out money to it as many middle east nations do.