MxMIndia

Category: HARD KNOCKS

Anil Thakraney’s view on adland, medialand and more

  • This makes me wonder. Should we in the media broadcast and publish pictures of youngsters cowering with fear and hiding their faces? Is this ethical?

    Anil Thakraney: The party-pooping media

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Newspapers and TV channels have been flooded with pictures of those ‘caught’ at the recent Juhu (Mumbai) ‘rave’ party bust. (We still don’t know if it really was a rave bash, but that’s not the focus of my article.) All these guys and gals desperately trying to conceal their faces in shame. Or, as I believe, because of the fear of being seen by their families and pals in such a tight situation. And each time I watch these images, I get terrified. No, I don’t get invited to many la-di-dah parties (sadly, haha!), and yet that lingering fear… that it could have been me out there.

     

    Imagine going out with friends to a party and being suddenly accosted by cops just because a few buggers had decided to top up their noses. And being treated brusquely all night, and made to go through unhygienic tests at municipal hospitals. It’s a nightmarish feeling. Still, when you look at it rationally, you have to quietly accept that drugs were found at the venue, and so the cops had to do their duty. So far, so bad.

     

    But does it surprise you how the media lands up at such busts in full force? It shouldn’t. Obviously, the cops, who want to project themselves as some sort of heroes, invite chosen reporters and cameramen to tag along. And thus more than a crime battle, this turns into a media spectacle. Leading to more stress and agony for the party goers.

     

    This makes me wonder. Should we in the media broadcast and publish pictures of youngsters cowering with fear and hiding their faces? Is this ethical? Is it not possible that most of them are innocent party goers? Do they deserve to be put under such harsh spotlight? One more issue for all of us in the media to introspect upon. Of course, the reporters have to join in when the cops invite them. Of course, they need to cover the bust. But because, at the time, they don’t know who’s guilty and who’s not, is it correct to put out pictures of the people trapped out there?

     

    My own view is such pictures must never be made public. And only after the police investigation is done, only after the culprits get booked, must we go public with images. That would be fair. Having said that, I know this practice isn’t going to stop anytime soon. Who cares if some drunk revelers are seen squirming? Who gives a rat’s ass if they are seen being treated like trapped animals? The editor wants pictures, you see. Else, he/she will say there’s no story out here. He/She will kick me out of the newsroom.

     

    Let’s do some self regulation, people. Before it comes in from outside.

     

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    PS: Brilliant ad by Prada. It’s directed by Roman Polanski and features acclaimed actor Ben Kingsley. This is the way to expand market share, I say!

     

  • Since the overall television ratings were on the lower side this year, it indicates a strong possibility of audience fatigue having set in

    Anil Thakraney: The IPL diary

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The two month long drama is done and dusted. (I use the word ‘dusted’ hesitatingly… goodness knows if there are more skeletons waiting to tumble out.) It’s a good time to take stock of the IPL and make some suggestions for the next season.

     

    Since the overall television ratings were on the lower side this year, it indicates a strong possibility of audience fatigue having set in. My hunch is there are just too many matches in the tournament… the numbers must be scaled down. I think the IPL should be a one-month event, this would make sure audience attention doesn’t flag. And the tournament doesn’t lose its appeal.

     

    There have to be very powerful and effective mechanisms put in place to rid the tournament of all the scandals it’s associated with. Match/spot fixing, black money transactions with players, rowdy behaviour of some franchise owners, drunk players going berserk at the IPL parties, cheerleaders being hit on, crowd mismanagement at the venues, etc, etc. I don’t know if the BCCI is aware of this, but the IPL carries very little respect and credibility across the world. I was stunned by the constant allegations of match fixing on the social media right through the two months. Clearly that’s not good for the IPL brand.

     

    The auctioning process needs to be made transparent. And the fee paid to all players made public. (We still don’t know how much Sachin and Dhoni get paid.) Since the IPL is not a private party, its financial records must be made public. This will only help the tournament gain some much needed brownie points.

     

    There have to be clear guidelines laid out for all members who get free passes at the venues. On how they must conduct themselves, and the exact benefits allowed to them. The reason Shah Rukh Khan got into a skirmish at the Wankhede stadium is because no one told him he’s not allowed to take children onto the cricket ground.

     

    Navjot Sidhu, Ravi Shastri, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Danny Morrison and a few others should be given a break from commentary duty for a few seasons. And instead, some old boys and T20 misfits like Ganguly and Dravid must be removed from the field and brought into the commentary box.

     

    Lastly and most importantly, a separate contract needs to be signed between the BCCI and the Royal Challengers team owner, Dr Vijay Mallya. This contract should make it clear that throughout the duration of the tournament, his very bigda hua beta, Sid, shall be barred from tweeting.

     

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    PS: Speaking of the IPL, in case you missed it, here’s SRK’s fantastic speech at Yale. Full of beans and full of humour. This is not the SRK who landed up at Wankhede that night, and indulged in deeply vulgar behaviour. I guess basically he’s a cool guy. But is unable to exorcise theDelhimawaali who still lurks inside of him.

     

  • Anand would make for an ideal brand ambassador for certain types of products… brands that promise mental strength and stamina, and brands that target sophisticated audiences

    Anil Thakraney: Er, any chance of endorsement deals for Anand?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The man has won the world chess championship title for the fifth time. And in my opinion, he’s now entitled to nothing less than the Bharat Ratna. (Sachin deserved what he got… a hot seat in the Parliament.) Also, Vishwanathan Anand is not just a regular world beater, he also happens to be a very nice, decent human being, who lives his life with great integrity and endearing simplicity. Doesn’t that sound like a good enough qualification for advertisers to be queuing up outside his Chennai house, armed with lucrative contracts?

     

    Now, I admit it is possible that Anand has done the odd brand deal in a very long and a very illustrious career. But usually he gets ignored, when even second rung cricketers like Kohli, the Pathan brothers and Rohit Sharma have been bagging loaded deals. Marketers would justify this by claiming that cricket is a passion inIndiaand chess is not. And that cricket is a spectator sport and chess is not. And I have no arguments with that per se.

     

    However, it is equally true that Anand would make for an ideal brand ambassador for certain types of products… brands that promise mental strength and stamina, and brands that target sophisticated audiences, the so-called ‘creamy layer’. And there are plenty of these in the market. Health drinks and foods. High-end watches. Luxury cars. Premium suiting. I could go on. And yet, these brands opt for either movie stars or cricketers, that too at a price far higher than what Anand might possibly charge.

     

    It gets more curious when you consider that casting Anand would help these brands smash the clutter. If Dhoni stands for 25 brands, he stands for nothing in my mind. I’d rather have Anand endorsing one, because he gives me the differentiation. Simple advertising logic.

     

    Here’s why I think Anand gets ignored, despite strong marketing rationale working in his favour: Our brand managers tend to be risk averse, and they usually try to play safe. Okay, let me put it impolitely: They want to cover their backsides by opting for the tried and tested Dhonis and SRKs of the world. So if things go wrong, the boss won’t blame the manager. These safe suits consider Anand to be a high risk proposition. Therefore in reality, the problem doesn’t lie with chess or with Anand, it lies in the heads of our brand managers.

     

    And I am hoping to see this change. At least this time. Fifth time world championship is simply superlative stuff.

     

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    PS: Very interesting. Ten ads that got theUKreally angry. Controversial ads that invited the most number of complaints. Methinks time has come to list down the top ten ads that got Indians really pissed off.

     

    Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2151927/Ten-ads-mad-Nude-Sophie-Dahl-Pope-hard-hat–brought-complaints-50-years.html?ICO=most_read_module

     

  • It's appalling to see the Indian Medical Association and many doctors take offence to the Satyamev Jayate episode on medical negligence, writes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: Doc, Aamir ain’t your PR agent!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I find it appalling that the Indian Medical Association and many other doctors have taken offence to the Satyamev Jayate episode which dealt with medical malpractice. And these docs are demanding an apology from the progamme host, Aamir Khan. I would term their reaction a joke, but we are dealing with a serious issue out here, so let’s just say this sort of a response shows up our doctors in a poor light.

     

    To understand why Aamir did no wrong, let’s first understand the format of his TV show. SJ is not a ‘breaking news’ format, the show isn’t highlighting stuff that we don’t already know of. Female child murder, dowry deaths, honour killings… they all exist in our society, they are a sad reality. And so is medical malpractice. There are many doctors and hospitals that do dhandha rather than practice, and this too is well known. The objective of the Sunday morning show is to bring the rats out from under the carpet, and to discuss them and introspect on them. It’s as simple as that.

     

    Nowhere in the episode on medical ethics did Aamir suggest that ALL doctors are corrupt. Rather, I vividly recall him assuring the audiences that he isn’t pointing a finger at the entire medical community. Just as all of us don’t ask for dowry or indulge in foeticide, obviously all doctors aren’t corrupt. That’s a given. But for the rats to be brought out, naturally the show will discuss issues where criminal minds have been involved. This makes people aware of their own rights and alerts them about the safety precautions they need to take in various situations. The show won’t work if the entire duration is spent featuring all the good guys of the nation, will it? Who will deal with the rats then? In addition, SJ did invite the good Dr Devi Shetty (and a few other good men) to the show, so I just cannot understand why the med frat is up in arms.

     

    Here’s what I suspect has happened: The doctors, who are almost always treated with huge amount of reverence in this nation, aren’t able to deal with a situation where suddenly someone has decided to openly discuss medical malpractices on a public platform.

     

    Dear docs, hire a PR agency if you want paeans to be sung in your honour. And dear Aamir bhai, please bash on regardless.

     

     

    P S: Now THIS is what Mr Nandan Nilekani ought to be doing to get the junta interested in his Aadhar card yojna. The Aussies have created a simple little film to encourage citizens to participate in the census collection process. Notice that it’s basic level, entertaining and is packed with cool graphics. Even the lowest denominator would get it. Nilekani should sanction a film like this. So much better than all that confusing, complicated talk on TV chat shows.

     

     

  • The moment they positioned it as the 'poor man's' car, they took the sex out of the equation. No one wants to be perceived as a loser when it comes to his car

    Anil Thakraney: Nano: Manufacturing success, marketing failure

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Last night, I watched a very interesting documentary on Nat Geo. No, it wasn’t about lions or elephants, it was about all that went into the making of Ratan Tata’s dream car, the Nano. The programme was fascinating, as the producers went through all the challenges and problems the Tata group faced to bring the so-called ‘one lakh’ rupee car to life. And they also spoke to the designers and the engineers as well as to Ratan Tata himself. (A quick aside: Why Shri Tata prefers to speak only to firangi journalists and production teams is something I’ll never understand.)

     

    Must say I was left quite impressed with the manufacturing marvel little Nano is. Okay, so it isn’t really a one lakh rupee car on the road, but at its price point it does pack in a lot of goodies, is reasonably comfy for four passengers and is hugely economical on fuel consumption. And most importantly: because it’s tiny, the Nano can slip into any little parking space… a huge bonus in city conditions. And yet, the car hasn’t taken the market by storm. Sales have been below expectations, in both urban and rural areas. Strange? Well, not really. Because Tata’s marketing team screwed up a really good thing.

     

    The moment they positioned it as the ‘poor man’s’ car, they took the sex out of the equation. Even at a low cost, a car’s association with status and pride must be maintained. No one wants to be perceived as a loser when it comes to his car, a person’s most visible possession. This simple little consumer insight eluded such highly paid and experienced marketing minds.

     

    The bad news is that the damage is done. Whatever tricks the Tata Nano marketing guys have up their sleeves, it will be very difficult to erase the ‘poor man’s car’ image. I would like to meet Mr Tata and discuss this, but he seems to be allergic to desi journos.

     

    But here’s the good news for Tata. After watching the Nat Geo documentary, I have decided to buy the Nano. Because it’s a real value for money gaadi, and what people think of me has never mattered anyways. All that the Tata group can hope for is there are more misfits like me in this nation.

     

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    PS: ‘A Step From Zero’ is a cool web idea from Coke. The film features a youngster who turns his sad life around by practicing a new dance move. The film’s gone viral and the dude’s become famous. This was a web project where people were invited to shoot videos of their dance moves and submit them for selection. Nice web idea from Coke. A good case study for marketers struggling with the digital space.

     

  • Why can't citizens of our free country be given the option of analogue or digital, asks Anil Thakraney, wondering how all the money that set-top box makers will be earning will be divided.

    Anil Thakraney: Dude, who moved my analogue?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Today morning my maid asked for a loan of a thousand bucks. And when I gently enquired about the reason behind the urgent need, she very sadly replied: “Sir, set-top box lene ka hai. Nahin toh TV band ho jaayega.”

     

    Yes, she’s alarmed. Because the threatening ads keep pouring in. And as the D-Day gets closer, their frequency has shot up. We in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are warned that if we don’t go digital by the end of this month, there will be a black out on the idiot box. And as you can imagine, there’s a mad scramble for the set=top boxes. Given the wayIndiaoperates, there will be mayhem in the last week of June, because most of us do things at the last moment, that’s our culture. And I shan’t be surprised if cable operators start hawking the boxes in black. That too is our culture.

     

    Here’s the link to the detailed story on this subject done by mxmindia, which indicates the threat may be pushed by a few months:

    http://www.mxmindia.com/2012/06/ready-steady-go-or-delay

     

    On the face of it, the government is desperate for a switch from analogue to digital for technical and aesthetic reasons. And because the very sensitive government of ours (ROTFL!) wants us to enjoy better picture quality. (To be honest, it’s best to watch most of our heavyweight netas via inferior quality transmission.) And all this even as a vast majority of the people in this nation is quite cool with the analogue signal. Not just that. The poor are struggling to pay for the set-top boxes. And the elderly citizens are worried about having to learn new tricks in their sunset years.

     

    Now, I don’t quite understand the technological reasons behind digitization becoming mandatory. What I do want to know is this: Why can’t the citizens of this free country be given the option? So that people desirous of better picture quality can switch to the digital mode. And those who are happy with analogue, can stay with it. As far as rate structures goes, surely the concerned ministry and TRAI can work out rate cards in consultation with the various cable operators.

     

    Here’s my own feeling: I suspect digitization is being made compulsory because the set top-box makers are about to run into some serious dosh. How all that moolah will be divided, I leave for you to imagine.

     

    PS: A fantastic way to demonstrate the might of the aam junta. Created by TBWA Paris for Amnesty International, the film highlights how signature campaigns work effectively in fighting crimes committed by those in positions of power. Hard hitting!

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist, commentator and adman. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own.

     

  • The sooner the fossil ministers of India accept that technology has outsmarted them, the better, writes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: You can’t curb the Net, Mr Minister!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Do you know what is similar between terrorism and technology? It’s impossible to control either. You can do all you can to put curbs on them, but these folks will eventually find a way to outwit you. We have all heard about how a banned terror outfit in Pakistan simply changed its name and returned (literally) with a bang. The same thing is happening with the movie download sites that were recently blocked. The pirates have changed the site URLs, and are back in roaring action. I am not kidding about this… you can download the latest Bollywood film, Shanghai, which got released only this weekend! Such is the audacity of technology. Which is why this whole ‘site blocking’ business is a bloody sham.

     

    Likewise, you will recall, very recently, the portly Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Shri Kapil Sibal, was threatening to curb the social media. What triggered the mantri’s outrage was not that people where generally misusing freedom of expression, but that some sods had been busy illustrating funny cartoons of his bosses, Soniaji and Manmohanji. So, not law and order, but loyalty seems to be at the core of Sibal’s anger. Well, the debate immediately died down because as Sibal (and everyone else) knows: It’s just not possible to gag technology. It’s seamless and flows like a river across the world, continuously re-inventing itself.

     

    In a sense, I suppose it’s a battle between the old world and the new world. The old worlders, used to living a controlled existence, aren’t able to deal with the rapidly changing world. And the new world, armed with its technology weapon, is determined to smash the shackles the old world is desperate to impose. And this is one battle the oldies are bound to lose. Because technology has outsmarted them. And sooner the fossil ministers of India accept it, the better. Now there’s no going back.

     

    So deal with it, people! This is the new world order. Where videos, opinions, news, cartoons, etc, flow like a smooth stream, across the globe. And no dam will be able to control their movement. The various mantris only make fools out of themselves when they talk about curbs. They should instead spend all their energies monitoring terror activities. Though even there they will find the going very, very difficult.

     

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    PS: Interesting read on which book to rush to when you feel creatively burnt out, and want to throw in the towel. When the ideas aren’t coming. Some of the global ad industry’s best minds tell you which book inspired them and made them start firing on all cylinders all over again.

     

    Link: http://creativity-online.com/news/whats-the-best-book-on-creativity-youve-ever-read/234040

     

     

  • And that new flick called 'Shanghai' is the last time I shall go by the critics' verdict. Frankly, I couldn't sit through the film. It was boring, wannabe, pretentious and very laboured

    Anil Thakraney: Film critics cannot be trusted

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I was once having a conversation with Mrs Jaya Bachchan on film criticism. And she made a valid point, and this is also the reason I have steered clear of taking up film review assignments: It is important for columnists who review cinema to take part in a film appreciation course. So that even if they aren’t completely familiar with the job of making movies, at least their basics on script writing, editing, background score, art direction, production, etc, are in place. And they are able to dole out insightful observations to their readers. Very true. And since I haven’t done such a course, I am reluctant to review cinema. Don’t think I am qualified enough.

     

    And that new flick called ‘Shanghai’ is the last time I shall go by the critics’ verdict. Although wary of these guys, I did get carried away into believing this must be outstanding cinema. After all, almost every single desi reviewer was wildly gushing over it. Frankly, I couldn’t sit through the film. It was boring, wannabe, pretentious and very laboured. And even the story offered nothing new; every kid knows this nation is very corrupted. Self indulgent cinema at its worse, where the director gets carried away with his/her own sensibility, and forgets that movies are meant to engage and entertain the junta above all else. And no, in case you are wondering, I am not a fan of ‘Rowdy Rathore’ or ‘Dabanng’ sort of trashy cinema. In fact, I avoid Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar films like the swine flu. So this isn’t about my lack of ability to enjoy ‘refined’ cinema. I may not be an expert but I can tell fraudish work quite easily.

     

    So then what’s going on? What’s gone wrong with the critics? There have always been hushed allegations of sycophancy and corruption in this trade, but I will choose to discount that. Instead, I would urge editors and programming heads to do what Mrs Bachchan suggests. Enroll your film reviewers for a good, reputed film appreciation course. You will see the results immediately. And pretentious films like ‘Shanghai’ will end up with a completely different review.

     

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    PS: My time is now. Another wonderful ad from Nike. This one is set inside a barber shop, and it’s interactive too. What I like most about Nike’s advertising is the jehadi zeal with which they stick to the established brand personality. The Nike attitude is always a constant.

     

  • Yes, it's costly to build a brand mnemonic and it takes many years to make it a powerful brand associator. But the long term benefits justify all that expense

    Anil Thakraney: Need more Amul girls

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Amul baby has turned 50. And what a super brand representative she’s been for so many years. The babe’s lost none of her spark, wit and zip. And unlike heavily paid celebrities, she can live on forever. And guess what… she doesn’t charge a penny! I must tell you, I have been strictly advised against butter consumption due to my high BP. But once in a while, unable to resist the charms of the little girl, I do smuggle out a pack from the department store. Such is the pull of a human brand mnemonic.

     

    This makes me wonder. Why don’t we see many more such powerful human brand symbols in Indian advertising? One would have thought Amul’s example would inspire many brand managers. Yes, it’s costly to build a brand mnemonic, you have to invest in it, and it takes many years to make it a powerful brand associator. But the long term benefits justify all that expense. Surely, movie stars and cricketers cost a lot more and they can never be exclusive to a brand. And long term association is out of the question. Even Taj Mahal tea had to eventually drop Zakir Hussein saab after using him for many years.

     

    Incidentally, the Amul girl’s story reminds me of two other memorable desi brand figures. Both, unfortunately, died along the way. One is the Air India Maharaja. He was much adored for many decades, and His Royal Highness actually did not deserve to be killed. Brand Air India has deteriorated badly in recent times, and perhaps the guardians realized the Maharaja doesn’t fit in any more, that they don’t deserve him.

     

    The other one is Asian Paints’ Gattu, the cute little painter boy. Although I once handled that account, I am not entirely sure why they wrote his obituary. I suspect it happened when Asian Paints launched their luxury emulsion, and found Gattu to be too ‘down-market’ for premium imagery. I personally think it was a mistake, a knee jerk reaction. Gattu could have lived on for many more years and served the paint company well.

     

    Anyways, here’s hoping to see at least a few brand managers take a cue from the Amul girl in the near future.

     

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    PS: I am aware a number of media, advertising and marketing professionals read my blog posts. But now I have discovered that politicians like Mamata didi and Mulayam bhaiyya are also my fans! As early as last month I had written a post suggesting that Dr Manmohan Singh be made Prez. Well, the two seem to agree with me! 🙂

     

    Here’s the link.

    Link: http://www.mxmindia.com/2012/05/anil-thakraney-mms-for-prez-puhleez/

     

  • Dear Dilli news channelwallahs, please get this: You are not running a local city station. You are supposed to be running an Indian news channel

    Anil Thakraney: Wake up, Dilliwallahs!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Ever wondered why TV studios identify their location as ‘News Centre’ (or similar words) instead of the city of broadcast? Well, they don’t want to declare ‘Delhi’, which is where most of the news TV headquarters are located. Because, I suppose, they desire to project themselves as being pan-India. And yet, they often find their Dilli bias hard to dilute, and it shows up again and again.

     

    That’s exactly what happened with the breathless, 24X7, carpet coverage of the ‘Kaun Banega President?’ reality TV show. Ball by ball account, blow by blow detail was being dished out on the presidential race. Anchors and reporters just couldn’t conceal their excitement. It gets worse: Most of the coverage consisted of wild speculation and unconfirmed reports. This was like a gang of retail shop owners in Lajpat Nagar hectically discussing politics over aloo chaat and sweet lassi.

     

    Now, when you live in Delhi, politics becomes a part of your DNA. That’s well known and it’s fine too. But that is certainly not the case with the rest of India. If a new government was being formed at the Centre, some of us non-Dilliwallahs would take part in at least some of the discussions. But so much gas over the selection of the President? An ornamental post that, at best, is a dummy designation, and at worst a parasitic ‘job’ for which we tax payers pay through our noses. Just for the record, in case it hasn’t occurred to my friends in the capital: Finance Minister to Rashtrapati is a demotion, a VRS scheme, actually.

     

    I know that a whole lot of people in Mumbai disconnected from the news channels all of last week, as we were left with a feeling of alienation.

    And I am sure this was the case in the rest of the nation too. Because we had more important things to worry about. (Like Mr Dhoble’s sensational antics in Mumbai.)

     

    Dear Dilli news channelwallahs, please get this: You are not running a local city station. You are supposed to be running an Indian news channel. And you are meant to take into account the sensibilities of a billion desis. I know it’s tough, but a sense of balance and proportion is critical in this business.

     

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    PS: Poor poor Rajat Gupta. He’s been convicted by a US court on charges of insider trading, and now faces many years in jail. The gentleman must be sorely regretting not having done his number in India. Here, he would be out on bail in a few months, and then would chill at home for 30 years. And if he was still alive when the conviction happened, he would file a clemency petition on account of old age.

     

  • Some have paid a huge price for being Twitter-happy. Relationships have broken down. Posts have been used as evidence in courts. People have lost their jobs

    Anil Thakraney: The ten commandments of social behaviour

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Tweeters and Facebookers often get into strife, and find themselves with their feet stuck firmly in their mouths. Some have paid a huge price for being Twitter-happy. Relationships have broken down. Posts have been used as evidence in courts. People have lost their jobs. A few like Lalit Modi have turned into fugitives.

     

    Here are my commandments for social media usage. Strictly obey them so that you can have fun, make new pals and remain trouble free.

    1. Thou shall think before posting. The problem with social media is that there’s no editor whetting your content, you are on your own. Instant accessibility and the urge to be the ‘first out there’ is too strong to curb. And this can lead to trouble. I suggest you delay your post/tweet by at least 10 minutes. That will give you a little margin of safety. Mama said ‘look before you leap’. In today’s context that reads ‘look before you tweet’.

     

    2. Thou shall try to familiarize yourself with the basic laws of the land. Social media is a public platform, it’s not your private spittoon. No defaming people, no communal slurs, no porn stuff and definitely no negative comments on Mamata Didi.

     

    3. Thou shall NOT post pictures of you partying wildly with buddies from the opposite sex (or the same sex if you are gay). This can and will be used against you at an appropriate time.

     

    4. Thou shall not befriend colleagues from your organization on Facebook. Some of them will use your posts at the opportune time to stab you in the back.

     

    5. Thou shall not post boring tweets. If you aren’t born witty, steal someone else’s updates. Or quote Abraham Lincoln or Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Teresa or Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Always works.

     

    6. Thou shall not beg movie stars to retweet your garbage. That’s like admitting to lakhs of people what a dull and desperate moron you are.

     

    7. Thou shall not post cho-chweet utterances and playful deeds of your little kids. Remember, just as in real life, only you find your bachchas cute. Deal with it.

     

    8. Thou shall promote your work. But only once a month. If you do it every hour, you will find yourself sad and lonely in the virtual world. Unless you look like George Clooney or Angelina Jolie.

     

    9. Thou shall not post holiday albums. No one wants to spend time watching 1000 pictures of you and your family posing near a little waterfall at Khandala. Unless you are wearing really skimpy clothes, of course.

     

    10. Thou shall not troll anyone on Twitter. It’s the most offensive form of social behavior. (PS: An exception can be made for Mr Chetan Bhagat. Go after him!)

     

  • No wonder the quality of writing is so low in many publications and web portals. Because the editors/content heads offer peanuts, they end up with monkeys

    Anil Thakraney: Freelance writers need to be paid more

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Although I haven’t suffered the same fate (so far at least!), freelance journalists/columnists I know still crib about very poor payments. They have been cribbing about this for many years, and it hasn’t changed. Despite the so-called economic boom, the media explosion and the killing inflation. Even those publications that are doing pretty well for themselves, and don’t think twice before splurging on photography, travel, technology, and so on, get suddenly hit by poverty pangs when it’s time to negotiate with freelance writers. It’s still that pre-historic, measly ‘per word’ figure.

     

    And this amazes me, really. One would have thought with the increased competition across various media forms, quality of content would be given maximum priority. Which means ensuring that the best writers and reporters are assigned to do stories or write columns. And these people are paid handsomely to keep them engaged and fired up. But that’s not how it seems to have panned out. From what I hear, freelance contributors continue to get step-motherly treatment.

     

    This then results in quality writers who are unable to survive on freelance assignments being compelled to seek other options. Some get married to loaded partners, some turn into full time authors, some migrate to the corporate world and others simply fade away. And who loses in the process? The media, of course. No wonder the quality of writing is so low in many publications and web portals. Because the editors/content heads offer peanuts, they end up with monkeys, as the proverb goes.

     

    So then why is this ancient mind-set not changing? Why are freelancers still being put at the bottom of the food chain? I think it has got to do with the mind block most editors suffer from, it’s a legacy they have carried over from the past. This must change very quickly. Media brands that continue to dish out sub-standard content will find the going tough. Because quality contributors will move away to greener pastures.

     

    I must also add here that this mind-set has changed in the Indian film industry. In the past, story and screenplay writers were paid shabbily and this resulted in so many pathetic flicks being churned out. In recent times however, writers have come to the party and they command good remuneration. The overall quality of our cinema has also improved. If it can happen there, there’s no reason why the media must remain frozen in the ice age.

     

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