MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • In Freaking News, which will now appear every Tuesday and Friday, Ranjona Banerji reviews the fare in the morning papers and the nightly news. And sometimes the afternooners, the newsmags and all that's on the Web

    [MJR] It’s all about how the media operates

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    The most serious news programme on TV sometimes is The Daily Show by Jon Stewart, aired every week night on Comedy Central at 11.30pm. The only show that comes close is, of course, The Week That Wasn’t on CNN-IBN with Cyrus Broacha.

     

    On Monday night, on The Daily Show, Stewart was all ready to discuss the fact that the Trayvon Martin case was finally going to trial. He was ready with the legalities of the case. Only, his reporters all vanished on him. There they were in Florida, standing outside the courthouse, because story was now no longer about George Zimmerman shooting Trayvon Martin: it was about the media and its reactions.

     

    A programme with a 24-hour discussion on whether the media was over-reacting was proposed. As Stewart had fits in the studio and ordered his reporters to get back to New York, they refused saying that this case was already being called the “case of the century”, “case of the millennium” and “case of the millennia” and they were not going to lose out.

     

    What a fine exaggeration of the way the media operates, I giggled to myself.

    Then, at midnight, I shifted to Times Now. Only to see Arnab Goswami in fine form, as he held forth on morality and the nation and the alleged sex CD featuring former Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi and a lawyer. Some mention of becoming a high court judge as a result of this slap-and-tickle was made.

     

    The panel was three journalists (four, if you count Goswami) and Siddharth Singh of the BJP. The BJP was, as far as I could understand, upset that Singhvi had resigned from his posts. They wanted him to explain the CD in the house (presumably not in a sex education way but knowing the BJP’s penchant for porn in legislatures, anything is possible). If the CD was real, then a probe (not like that!) was required. And if it was not real – as Singhvi has said – then another probe was required.

     

    Vinod Mehta, guiding light of Outlook said it’s all over and done with, Singhvi has resigned and let this remain a private matter. Vinod Sharma of Hindustan Times said the BJP was trying to squeeze every last drop of political mileage out of this, in spite of their own transgressions and once the Pandora’s Box was opened, they would not be safe. Arati Jerath said if this is the way high court judges are appointed, it is shocking and the matter should not be ignored.

     

    Goswami said that politicians can no longer as for privacy when their private lives are made public by the media, given the BJP’s demands.

     

    If this wasn’t fascinating enough, the next debate turned to the rift within Team Anna. Here the viewer was spectator to an incredible public squabble between three Team Anna members as Goswami and Hartosh Singh Bal of Open magazine watched with their mouths opening astonishment. Truly it was jaw-dropping stuff. All sorts of internal problems and ego battles were revealed.

     

    At the end, Goswami sternly admonished Team Anna that the fight against corruption was not anyone’s monopoly!

     

    At the end – 1.30 am — there was only the terrible truth of The Daily Show to think about. I didn’t sleep till about 3am as a result.

     

    * * *

     

    There is plenty of cyber rage over Press Council chairman Markandey Katju’s “proof” that 90 per cent of Indians are fools. People, get over this. The man is entitled to his opinion!

     

  • TAM NCT Data Wk 15 ’12

     

    Source: News Content Track – A service of TAM Media Research Pvt. Ltd
    Channels: Aaj Tak, CNN IBN, Headlines Today, IBN 7, India TV, NDTV 24/7, NDTV India, Star News, Times Now, News 24 & Zee News
    Period : Week 15 – Apr 8 to Apr 14, 2012
    Note : Analysis is based on the Telecast duration

     

     

    About TAM Media Research

    TAM is a joint venture between Nielsen Company & Kantar Media Research. Besides measuring TV Viewership, TAM also monitors Advertising Expenditure of Television, Print & Radio through its division AdEx India. Since 2004, it extended its presence in the PR Measurement & Analysis space for Corporate/Marketing Clients by setting up a separate division Eikona PR Measurement.

     

    In 2007, the joint venture introduced RAM (Radio Audio Measurement) service to track Radio Listenership for the Indian Radio Broadcast Industry. In year 2009, TAM launched a division, called TAM Sports that specializes in monitoring Sports Sponsorship ROI.

     

    TAM Media Research’s objective is to fuel media insights that will drive the growth of the Indian Media Industry.

  • For, after Dhanteras, Akshaya Tritiya has emerged as the next big day for sale of jewellery

    All that glitters on Akshaya Tritiya is gold!

     

    By Tuhina Anand

    (with inputs from Shruti Pushkarna in New Delhi)

     

    While 5-6 years back, Akshaya Tritiya would come and go without making much noise except among few communities, but now it has become a pan-Indian phenomenon. Jewellers all across, be it branded or non-branded, have gone all out to communicate the fact that Akshaya Tritiya is among the most auspicious days to invest in the precious metal.

     

    One look at the newspapers of the last two weeks will show that jewellery advertising is dominating the supplements and some even taking front page advertising on the main newspapers. This definitely shows that this day has become a money-spinner for jewellers and they are leaving no stone unturned to tap maximum customers.

     

    After Dhanteras, which traditionally has been a day for Indians to invest in gold and silver, now Akshaya Tritiya has emerged as the second-most selling day for many players and spikes in sales is anywhere between 15-35 per cent for some players.

     

    There are also offers galore to lure customers like free silver coin, off on making charges or even EMI option available to help customers make their purchases notwithstanding the soaring gold prices.

     

    Bhuwan Gaurav

    Bhuwan Gaurav, Head-Marketing at Tanishq on the sales on Akshaya Tritiya said: “On this day we see an increase in sales of over 10-15 times as compared to any average day. We have made a conscious effort in positioning this day to our consumers and a lot of effort has gone in marketing it to people. The result being that Akshaya Tritiya has become a pan-India phenomenon and we see a spike in sale even from Punjab and the East.”

     

    For customers, on purchase of 8gm of gold and on diamond jewellery above Rs8,000, Tanishq is offering free gold coin of 0.25 gm. The rising gold prices have not deterred the brand and Mr Gaurav is sure that the day would see spike in the sales. In fact, the store has been decorated with flowers to welcome customers to buy jewellery on this auspicious day.

     

    Another leading jeweler is too confident of the sales. Vinod Hayagriv, Managing Director, C Krishniah Chetty & Sons said: “This year is the first year of price stability after three years. Hot gold rates in the previous years held back purchases. But this year the sales have been brisk and that is an indication of demand picking up for Akshaya Tritiya. We should see good demand for our new Touch Gold Collection of exclusive gold design jewellery.”

     

    On the high in demand products, Amit Puri, Manager, Delhi-based jewellery store chain Diamount Jewels Pvt Ltd said, “The most popular item is gold bangles, and the second is gold sets. We have a special offer where we are giving out free silver as much as the weight of gold item purchased. Our sales on Akshaya Tritiya comprise a good 30-35 per cent of the total sales. Apart from Akshaya Tritiya, we see similar purchasing pattern on Dhanteras around Diwali.”

     

    While at one hand communication in print, OOH and even digital has created the popular culture of investing in jewellery. There are offers that are coupled with these communications to bring more and more customers to invest. Also new collection has been introduced by few to attract customers. Although there is more demand for on Akshaya Tritiya, there is an increasing trend of many opting for diamonds.

     

    Harish Bakshi, Senior Manager, AKM Mehrasons Jewellers of New Delhi said, “Last year, we saw an upward trend in sales on Akshaya Tritiya, to be precise, last year sales on that day saw a 10 per cent increase than the year before. This year we can’t say anything up till now, we have our fingers crossed because of the increase in gold rates. Both diamond and gold are popular, but gold is essentially more popular on Akshaya Trithiya. Gold chains and bangles are the most common purchases. We don’t have any special offers as such but we are offering a 10-15 per cent discount on labour charges for both gold and diamond. In comparison to regular days, we see at least 35 per cent increase in sales on Akshaya Tritiya. Apart from Akshaya Tritiya, Dhanteras and Karwa Chauth are the two other high sales occasions.”

     

    One thing is for sure that there is an increase in sales, but the percentage may vary. Ram Kiran of Bhima Jewellers too puts the increase at 15-20 per cent during this time. He, however, adds that sales have been bit slow because of high gold rates but doesn’t rule out the possibility of increase in sales.

    Photograph: Courtesy Tanishq

     

  • Frequent changes in its menu and innovations are part of the fast food giant's gambit for growth

    McDonald’s innovates with menu to get numbers

     

    By Tuhina Anand

     

    Amit Jatia

    Ordering at McDonald’s was a no-brainer a few years back, with limited menu option that included burgers, french fries, cola or a McSwirl. But in the last two years, there has been an increased focus on bringing in variety to the McDonald’s menu and one has seen the launch of breakfast menu, spicy delights and McFlurry among host of other new options available in the menu.

     

    Explaining the rationale behind the revamped menu, Amit Jatia, Vice Chairperson McDonald’s India (West & South), said: “At McDonald’s our customers’ happiness is key in everything that we do. We aim to be relevant and offer various options to our customers. McDonald’s interacts with its customers through various platforms, be it customer feedback forms or surveys or select group discussions, all to ensure that we provide our customers with the highest quality products that are based on their feedback. McDonald’s also undertakes various innovations to provide its customers with quality products at affordable prices which are served fast and hygienically. Keeping in mind the customer needs, McDonald’s India has been very active with new menu and innovative campaigns.”

     

    Giving an insight into the strategy that goes behind the menu revamp, Jatia said: “We aim to provide a wide variety of offerings with the newness in flavour. We take leadership in providing choice when the customer most needs it. For example, during the recession, to provide our customers with meal options that were cost-effective, we launched and still provide the Extra Value Meal menu which consists of a burger, medium fries and a medium coke.”

     

    The fast food giant also believes in offering a wide variety of products such as the globally popular Chicken McNuggets, McFlurry a range of desserts introduced in 2011 and the recently introduced McFlurry Caramel as an addition to this range of products. There is also the Happy Price Menu starting at Rs25 to cater to the customers that would like a small bite that is cost effective.

     

    McValue Lunch has been launched this year to provide the customers an extensive variety and choice of great quality products while being pocket friendly. Another addition to the menu is the Spice Fest that was launched on April 1 where a new twist to the menu has been introduced.

     

    But does this increased thrust on the menu have to do anything with the jostling of space and new players in the QSR segment? As Jatia explained: “McDonald is a leader and pioneer in the QSR space inIndia, our innovations are based on our customers’ feedback and are an extension of our ‘I’m Lovin it’ experience. With regards to our menu innovations, we have a menu board that designs the new innovations that are tested and researched for a specific period of time before we introduce them in the market. We also conduct test launches to gauge customer reactions and feedback to our products before they can be introduced to a wider audience group.”

     

    McDonald’s introduced its breakfast menu in October 2010 as part of its all day dining options. Initially launched in Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore, breakfast menu is also available in Hyderabad today. With the launch of breakfast menu, McDonald’s is not only providing customers a completely new range of products, but is also open between 7-11am which is a brand new day part.

     

    Talking on the McDelivery and why it isn’t as popular as the pizza companies, where home delivery form a key to their sales, Jatia said: “Asia is the only market where McDonald’s has a delivery option and this shows tremendous commitment for the market and potential to expand it more. With regards to delivery, since its launch our delivery service has grown by leaps and bound to now include a state-of the art 24×7 live call center as well as the recently launched web delivery option which is extremely user friendly. Keeping in mind, McDonald’s commitment to quality, the company has reduced the service to the neighborhood, which is up to 7 minutes away from the restaurant, from the earlier 10 minutes. The mapping of the delivery area is such that even during peak hours, customers receive orders that are hot and fresh.  McDonald’s has taken this proactive measure to ensure the quality of food is not compromised.”

     

    On the advertising front too, McDonald’s has gone aggressive, especially the OOH medium. For the new Spice Fest advertising campaign, the company has tied up with their international ad director Nick, who has been working with McDonalds International on worldwide campaigns. “Again customers’ feedback plays a big role in the way we approach all our endeavours and in this regards the look and feel of this campaign has been made contemporary to relate to our customers on an international scale. The ad brings out the freshness of the ingredients used to create a world class amalgamation of mouth-watering products coming together as part of the Spice Fest. It starts with a fun face-off between three chefs from different countries like Africa, Asia and America, all trying to prove that their recipe is superior, while still coming together to produce a delicious feast for Spice Fest,” added Jatia.

     

    Currently, McDonald’s India has 250 restaurants serving more than 6.5 lakh customers daily. In the South and West, there are approximately 150 restaurants. Their growth phase as Jatia explains can be broadly categorised as ‘Build, Grow, and Accelerate’. He divulges that McDonald’s India, and particularly Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd (the company which runs the McDonald’s business in western and southern India), has an aggressive expansion plan – including market expansion, new customer outreach formats and menu expansion.

     

    McDonald’s (West and South) will be investing approximately Rs450 – 500 crore. “We’ve been opening new stores at a rate of 10-15 per cent and expect to increase that to 15 – 20per cent going forward. McDonald’s India (West & South) is expanding its reach by expanding the portfolio and access points with formats like from kiosks, drivethroughs, web delivery and petrol pumps in addition to the restaurant restaurants,” concluded Jatia.

     

  • Infosys and WPP firm Fabric have unveiled a first-of-its-kind cloud-based platform for simplifying digital marketing

    Infosys & WPP’s Fabric unveil cloud-based platform for digital marketing

    By A Correspondent

     

    Infosys, leading consulting, outsourcing and technology company, and WPP unveiled Infosys Brandedge in partnership with Fabric, a WPP company. This first-of-its-kind comprehensive cloud-based offering simplifies digital marketing by bringing together integrated marketing and technology expertise on a single unified platform. It transforms the full spectrum of digital marketing activities including creation and management of digital properties, data management, coordination with multiple partners, and campaign execution

     

    The platform was launched by S D Shibulal, Chief executive Officer and Managing Director, Infosys and Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief executive Officer, WPP at the newly inaugurated Infosys experience Center in London.

     

    Infosys Brandedge, in partnership with Fabric, a WPP company, is designed to provide a single, flexible solution for large-scale organizations to simplify this complexity, a communique added.

     

  • Promart will offer its customers an additional 10 per cent discount on purchases of Rs2,500 and above by members who log in to Snapdeal.com and pay Rs30 for this special deal

    Promart Retail ties up with Snapdeal.com

    By Sagar Malviya

     

    Promart Retail announced a strategic tie-up with e-commerce company, Snapdeal.com, to bring offers and shopping experience for consumers. Promart is a value format retail chain that offers discounts all year round.

     

    Promart will offer its customers an additional 10 per cent discount on purchases of Rs2,500 and above by members who log in to Snapdeal.com and pay Rs30 for this special deal. Those who pay this small fee will receive a unique code by SMS. When this code is shown at Promart stores, an additional 10 per cent discount would be extended.

     

    Ashish Garg, Managing Director (MD), Promart said, “Snapdeal has a great presence in India and consumers can look forward to new promotions and packages with attractive offers. Promart already gives consumers an opportunity to buy the latest merchandise at 20-60 per cent discount. Now, with this partnership, they can enjoy sweeter deals and even better discounts.”

     

    The offer will be available at all Promart stores in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot and Mumbai till June. Kunal Bahl, founder and CEO, Snapdeal.com, said: “Contribution from Tier-II and Tier-III cities is growing tremendously, and this partnership with Promart will help us in delivering great value to our customers in these cities, given their strong presence.”

     

    Launched by Provogue India, the chain was taken over by Apple Group of Companies and VEMB Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd in 2011. As part of the takeover, Apple Group and VEMB got control of the brand’s assets and intellectual property.

     

    Source: The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • Veteran mediaperson and Star CJ CEO Paritosh Joshi has put in his papers. He proposes to turn entrepreneur, he told MxMIndia confirming the news.

    Paritosh Joshi turns entrepreneur, quits Star CJ

    [updated]

    By A Correspondent

     

    Veteran mediaperson and Star CJ CEO Paritosh Joshi has moved on. He proposes to turn entrepreneur, he told MxMIndia confirming the news. Mr Joshi’s last day at the homeshopping channel was Tuesday (April 23).

     

    Mr Joshi was with Star India since August 2008. After graduating from IIM, Ahmedabad in 1985, Joshi joined Procter & Gamble (then Richardson Hindustan Limited). Since then, his career has spanned FMCG, B2B services, newspapers, industrial perfumery, international trade and of course television. In recent years, Joshi was also overseeing strategic diversifications for Star into a few new business sectors.

     

    Mr Joshi who was with Star CJ since March 2009, is also Mentor at MentorEdge (mentoredge.com) since two years and Member of the Board of Governors of the Media Research Users Council (MRUC). He heads the IRS technical committee at the MRUC. He is also Director, Indian Broadcasting Foundation and was actively associated with the BARC announcement recently.

     

    Meanwhile, Star CJ hasn’t announced who will take Mr Joshi’s position. A Board meeting is scheduled to be taking place later this week and a decision may be announced post that.

    Mr Joshi is likely to continue in his roles with the MRUC and IBF (for BARC).

     

  • Many now prefer young, unknown faces in their campaigns

    Brands like Mountain Dew, Airtel, ITC and others bypass celebrities for their campaigns

    By Sagar Malviya & Ratna Bhushan

     

    PepsiCo ended its association with top Bollywood actor Salman Khan to promote its lemon drink Mountain Dew on Tuesday.

     

    Its decision to part ways with the hottest star of the moment may have surprised some observers, but the beverages maker is the latest in a growing club of marketers becoming selective about using celebrities in their campaigns.

     

    Top telecom services provider Bharti Airtel, mobile phone and durables maker Samsung, leading retailer Future Group, watch firm Titan and hotels-to-consumer goods firm ITC have all either ended associations with celebrities or are using them for lesser number of commercials. Many now prefer young, unknown faces in their campaigns.

     

    “In some categories, youth are taking the lead as celebrities are not an embodiment for segments, especially technology, etc,” said Santosh Desai, CEO at  Future Brands.

     

    Last week, Future Group launched a campaign for Big Bazaar’s apparel business without cricketer MS Dhoni or Bollywood actress Asin who have been the supermarket’s brand ambassadors till recently. “While Dhoni and Asin worked well for us in the last two years, we didn’t renew their contract as we thought having regular faces could connect with today’s generation,” said Parwan Sardah, chief marketing officer of Future Group.

     

    Youngsters of below 25 years account for more than 54 per cent of the consumer base in India. The retailer, which is negotiating several divestment and fund-raising deals to pare debt of almost Rs7,800 crore, said its high debt has nothing to do with ending celebrity associations and that the company has spent more than Rs30 crore on the new Big Bazaar campaign.

     

    Titan too has ended its deal with actress Genelia D’Souza for its Fastrack brand. “Genelia’s contract expired last month and we mutually decided not to renew it as after marriage, it would be difficult in relating to college going kids,” said Ronnie Talati, VP and business head of Fastrack & new brands at Titan.

     

    “Even in case of Virat Kohli, we are rethinking as he has been busy with his cricket schedules but still haven’t decided anything yet,” he said.

     

    Overall, however, celebrity endorsements are on the rise. But when it comes to attracting younger generation, many companies now prefer campaigns without their big-ticket ambassadors.

     

    A case in point is Samsung, which uses Aamir Khan in campaigns for its Hero series of mobile phones, but not for Galaxy series. “The usage of the celebrity depends on the key message and the creative route that is used for a particular product,” Samsung CMO Rahul Saighal said. “In the case of the youth-oriented Galaxy series, we are focusing on the use of smartphone and the need to get ‘smart’. So we are using young models.”

     

    ITC, which has Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador, uses the master batsman only for a few variants of Sunfeast biscuits, which has close to 20 sub-brands. “Naturally, different sub-brands require different types of advertising,” said VL Rajesh, ITC’s foods division GM (marketing). ITC is using Sachin for Dream Cream and Milky Magic brands.

     

    Source: The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • But the point I am making is that while I have no love lost for the politicians, the enraged filmi types must also examine the channel’s role in this mess

    Anil Thakraney: Dirty Picture, Dirty Mess

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The movie world is pissed off over the I&B Ministry abruptly stopping the telecast of the raunchy flick, The Dirty Picture. This was scheduled for screening last Sunday.

     

    Yes, they have every reason to be angry. First, because the film had to undergo as many as 59 cuts in order to make the dirty picture ‘clean’… as in suitable for family viewing on television. This is crazy to begin with. All those unlucky kids who were kicked out of the multiplexes (which is a rare occurrence these days), would have made sure to get hold of a pirated DVD, and would have already enjoyed Vidya Balan’s ‘show’. In that context, the cuts make little sense.

     

    The film frat has also reason to get riled because the I&B Ministry’s sudden intervention renders the censor certificate useless. Nothing more than a meaningless rubber stamp. May as well dismiss the censor board and let the politicians decide what we must or must not watch at home and in the movie halls. So far, so bad.

     

    However, in all this din, everyone overlooked the channel’s role in this dirty drama.

    The Central Board of Film Certification’s guideline clearly states that a UA certified film can be shown only AFTER 11pm. In which case, why did the channel slot the film for primetime viewing? Carelessness or lack of knowledge of the rules or pressure from the sponsors and the advertisers? You can decide the reason, I don’t know.

     

    But the point I am making is that while I have no love lost for the politicians and loathe their unwanted interference in our lives, the enraged filmi types must also examine the channel’s role in this mess. Before they tweet off their collective anger.

    Clearly, the picture is pretty dirty from all angles.

     

    * * *

     

    PS: An author has written a horror story on Twitter. No kidding! And he’s picked up a huge number of followers. Amazing and interesting. Makes me think: This could be a medium for putting out fantastic, engrossing ad scripts. Those with engaging stories.

     

    Consider this: Cost: no issues. Production headaches: zero. No need for expensive celebs. And the 30 second duration killed. Copywriters must give this brand new medium a serious thought.

     

    Link: http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/r-l-stine-posts-a-horror-story-on-twitter_b47126

     

     

  • The Publicis group has announced the acquisition of leading digital agency Indigo Consulting which will now run as a unit within Leo Burnett in India

    Publicis acquires Indigo, to run as Leo Burnett unit

    By A Correspondent

     

    Publicis Groupe has announced the acquisition of leading digital agency, Indigo Consulting. Indigo will operate as a unit within the Leo Burnett Group in India and will retain its name. Its founder, Vikas Tandon, will continue as Managing Director, reporting into Arvind Sharma, Chairman of the Indian Subcontinent for Leo Burnett.

     

    Since its inception in 2000, Indigo has developed websites, software solutions and digital marketing  programs for clients around the world, including Asian Paints, HDFC Bank, HSBC, Loop Mobile, Tata AIG Insurance and South Australia Tourism. The agency currently employs a team of 160 people at its Mumbai headquarters and Delhi office. Their work has been recognized with various awards.

     

    Commenting on the acquisition, Tom Bernardin, Chairman and CEO, Leo Burnett Worldwide said, “From a global point of view, the potential and opportunities that India offers are massive. Over the years we have increased our efforts into this important market. Indigo Consulting, with its strong track record as a full-service interactive and technology agency, is the perfect strategic fit for our aspirations in India and around the world.”

     

    “Our growth strategy for Leo Burnett in India and Asia Pacific is based on two core pillars: digital and shopper-marketing” added Jarek Ziebinski, President of Leo Burnett Asia Pacific. “India is a key market for us, and it’s reporting explosive growth in the digital sector. We want to make sure Leo Burnett has the right infrastructure in place to meet the needs of tomorrow. I also see Indigo Consulting developing beyond India, to become an important player within our network in Asia Pacific and globally.”

     

    Said Mr Sharma: “This is an important step in Leo Burnett India functioning as a fully integrated communications company capable of carrying through HumanKind brand campaigns across all media including digital. We look forward to partnering clients on the digital needs of their businesses and brands as well as planning  and executing fully integrated HumanKind brand campaigns across all media including digital.”

     

    According to Mr Tandon,  the move would mean that Indigo will take its digital marketing prowess to Leo Burnett’s clients, “while also benefiting from additional knowledge and insight on brand and creative communication through cross-training and collaboration”.

     

    The Publicis Groupe aims to double its size by 2015 in India, which is the world’s 16th largest advertising market.

     

  • Every Thursday, Ranjona Banerji will write about a grouse. Either spewing venom or tongue-in-cheek

    [MJR] 40 is new 60 in media

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Every day when I look in the mirror I know that 50 is getting closer. I do not grudge or regret my advancing years – I’ve enjoyed most of those that have gone by. It’s only when I open a newspaper that I get really sad about my age. Given that no one above the age of 40 can get a job in the media any more, the 13-year-olds who work in newspapers have decided that anyone above the age of 40 is doddering and on the brink of senile dementia.

     

    Cross 40 and you can be called a senior citizen, elderly, aged and any other such ageist term that you can think of. To actually avail of senior citizen benefits in India, you have to be between the ages of 60 and 65, so that particular descriptive has some technical connotations. But try explaining those to a 13-year-old who heads a news desk.

     

    Thanks to newspapers, the general public also get influenced. Mid-Day did a very good story earlier this week on how children were arrested for playing cricket in Vashi. The police said that a “senior citizen” had complained and that is why they took action. The senior citizen was 40. That is, at least 20 years before she can get a discount on a railway ticket. Good to know, I suppose, that age still commands respect.

     

    Wednesday’s Times of India tells us that two senior citizens and another person killed themselves. The first person was 71, the second was 34 and the third was 66. You feel for the 34-year-old – had he waited six years, he would have been a senior citizen too. When senior citizens kill themselves, by the way, they are usually depressed. I am guessing from reading newspapers.

     

    Oddly, these same newspapers will run stories about how 60 is the new 30 and 40 is the new 11. Clearly, the nine-year-olds who edit these feature sections are too young to read the rest of the newspaper, so have no clue what their classmates, sorry colleagues, are up to.

     

    Ah well, another day another grey hair.

     

  • No more political propaganda, saas-bahu rona dhona, and flash warnings which vanish in a flash says Madhu Trehan

    The Anchor: Madhu Trehan on 5 things on TV that must be washed out quick

    By Madhu Trehan

     

    1. Remove all partisan propaganda placed by party in power from Doordarshan

    This is a television channel funded by tax payers’ money. It is used as a private channel by all parties in power, promoting themselves and their self serving “news”. It has the largest reach and must be used for public benefit, not for any political party’s propaganda.

     

    2. Remove soap operas that promote women who are subservient to in-laws and husband.

    Kill the demure, sly intrigue and show strong women who stand up for themselves and call the shots.

     

    3. Remove ads that show speeding cars and motorcycles as cool.

    Make it hip to drive slow and carefully.

     

    4 .Remove ads that require “Don’t try this at home”.

    Warning is flashed so fast that you can’t read it and many are too young to read. Too many incidents where kids have tried stunts at home and died.

     

    5. Remove ads which show you can buy affection by giving gifts of diamonds, cars, etc.

    It inculcates a distorted image of what relationships require and degenerates into propaganda that promotes crass materialism. Creates shallow values instantly.

     

    Veteran journalist Madhu Trehan is now Director, Newslaundry (www.newslaundry.com)