MxMIndia

Category: BLOGS

  • There are no tall promises, there can't be for a silly little freshener, so why waste time? They have also smashed the usual ad cliches, and full marks for not throwing in a hot babe

    Debrief: Godrej Aer: ‘No Bakwaas’ route works

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Godrej Aer’s new commercial is a very good example of how keeping things simple helps when you are dealing with a very low involvement, an almost boring product category. Aer is a car freshener, not something one would even give a second thought to.

     

    The TVC features a young chap who’s seated in his little, no-frills car. The voice-over takes you through everything Godrej Aer WON’T do. It will not make your car bigger, better or luxurious. It won’t even turn you into a celebrity. All it will do is to provide some fragrance inside your cheap, stinky car. That’s it.

     

    I like this approach, it makes the low-profile brand immediately break the clutter. Kinda reminds me of Sprite’s ‘Seedhi baat’ campaign. There are no tall promises, there can’t be for a silly little freshener, so why waste time? They have also smashed the usual ad clichés, and full marks for not throwing in a hot babe, something that’s become mandatory for such a product category. Net result: The brand wins big-time. Suddenly, even if my car doesn’t stink, I am interested.

     

    If there’s one negative aspect to this approach, it’s this: After a couple of exposures, the ad loses its novelty. (This did not happen with Sprite.) It’s a direct, logical ad, and there’s very little entertainment value. They must shift the gear very soon, move the ad to the next level, so that the idea doesn’t lose its potency.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wJrjsaaVQY[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Effective ad. Creates a buzz on a low interest brand.

     

  • Marketing of television properties has acquired an added dimension with changes such as the advent of social media. Akash Sharma explains how savvy marketers can make the most of the new scenario

    The Anchor: 5 non-conventional ways of financing and marketing television properties

    By Akash Sharma

     

    #1 Online marketing for television properties has been in the scene for quite some time. But what makes it unconventional is that it can be done for a cost or for free too. Social media campaigning of the property and utilization of online assets of the entities involved can bear fruits in reaching out to the target audience. This is exactly what we did with People’s Choice Awards (PCA). The voting activity for PCA was predominantly online. Hence, apart from on-air and other media, a major weightage of the campaigning happened online through the official website and social media.

     

    #2 Crowd funding & partnership: Getting similar minded people who have conviction in the property to invest in it has been executed in producing movies. A similar principle can be applied to television properties. Also, the broadcaster and sponsor can also be roped in as a partner in the venture. This rouses the parties to bring in more interest towards the project and the execution shouldn’t suffer due to financial reasons. In reciprocation, the format, themes & storylines can be matched with the funders’ market.

     

    #3 Merchandising: This is one of the most nascent ways of marketing a television property in India. During the making of ‘Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain’, Bulldog launched the biggest merchandising program for a TV show ever. From stationery to quiz books to game DVDs, we knew that our target audience was communicated and reminded about the show through the merchandise. We even had a ‘Paanchvi Pass’ ice-cream flavour, partnered with Baskin Robbins. You get to advertise your product to the consumer, and what’s even better is that the consumer is also willing to pay for the same.

     

    #4 Incorporating an unrelated industry which can be a sponsor for the show: Tapping an industry for sponsorship which may not be a direct fit with the property can be a tough task. But, once cracked, this opens sponsorship opportunities for the property and thus for similar properties in the market.

     

    #5 Pre-air distribution: Giving exclusive sneak peek video content to one of the online media partners can also be beneficial. These can be few minutes long or maybe entire episodes. This not only increases the curiosity amongst the loyal viewers towards the next episode, but also interests people who are not familiar with the show to watch it and thus expanding viewership.

     

    Akash Sharma is Co-Founder & Managing Director at Bulldog Media & Entertainment

     

     

     

  • We missed out on all the death tamasha that would have been played out inside the newsrooms and outside the Yerawada jail, amongst other places. Not to speak of all the entertainment that happens when wild speculation goes full-on

    Anil Thakraney: Shucks! We lost the action on Kasab. 🙁

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I am very upset they chose to keep Kasab’s execution out of the glare of the media. We missed out on all the death tamasha that would have been played out inside the newsrooms and outside the Yerawada jail, amongst other places. Not to speak of all the entertainment that happens when wild speculation goes full-on. But instead of drowning myself in sorrow, I shut my eyes and imagined the likely scenes and sounds, behind and in front of the cameras.  Here goes.

     

    Reporter: “Kasab has ordered tomatoes for his last breakfast!” Anchor: “Not mutton biryani? This is breaking news stuff! Does Islam permit this diet for a death row prisoner? Viewers, we’ll shortly connect with some Islamic scholars on this sensational development.”

     

    Anchor: “It’s exactly two minutes to go for the hanging. Ms Human Rights Activist, please tell our viewers if death penalty should to be abolished.” Human Rights Activist: “Yes, yes, yes! This is against god, against nature, against humanity, we must stop this execution right now!”

     

    Anchor to reporter: “Our expert says death penalty is wrong. Will you grab some sound bytes from those hanging around outside the Yerawada jail?” Reporter: “Will do, gimme a moment, right now I need to cover the bloody hanging.”

     

    26/11 survivor Bhimshan Mansukhani: “Kill the bastard! Kill the m……r  f……r!”

     

    Reporter: “Think we just spotted the hangman entering the jail!” Anchor: “Quick, quick, ask him if he’s suffering from guilt pangs. Also ask him what’s his fee, and if he’ll go on a pilgrimage soon after pulling the lever.”

     

    Anchor: “There’s talk of the body being shipped to Pakistan! We must debate on how the body will be dispatched. By air, road or sea?” Production Head: “Okay, but I need a few hours to assemble the experts. Right now only Prahlad Kakkar is available. Will he do?” Anchor: “Yes, yes! He’s good television.”

     

    26/11 survivor Bhimshan Mansukhani: “Kill the bastard! Kill the m……r  f……r!”

     

    Reporter: “Oh! I just heard a loud sound! Must be Kasab’s skull cracking!” Anchor to production team: “Raise the audio level, zip up the bass, and play that sound effect in continuous loop until further instructions.”

     

    Anchor: “Ladies and gentlemen, we announce the death of Ajmal Aamir Kasab. And remember, you heard it on this channel first!” Production Head: “Er, what should we put on air now? Will they let us cover the burial?” Anchor: “Damn, I didn’t think of that! Okay, forget Kasab and put Afzal Guru’s file pictures. Let’s get after him now!”

     

    26/11 survivor Bhimshan Mansukhani: “Kill the bastard! Kill the m……r  f……r!”

     

    And of course, that quintessential TV question when the OB vans managed to gherao Kasab at the Yerawada gate. “Kasabji, aap kaise mahsoos kar rahe hain?”

     

    Alas, dear fellow television viewers, we were deprived of all the action. Grrrr.

     

    ***

     

  • Even if the ads had boring scripts, which in fact most do (thanks to risk-averse clients), someone like Chopra would have made them look pretty

    Anil Thakraney: Ad world needs a Yash Chopra

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I write this immediately after watching Yash Chopra’s ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’. And must say I quite liked it, despite the obvious little flaws in the script. And that’s because Chopra was the one director in Bollywood who, apart from having the guts to experiment with stories, was blessed with a sharp eye for aesthetics. Every shot is made to look beautiful, many of them can be frozen into paintings. And this isn’t the first time one has noticed this in a Chopra film. As I walked out of the multiplex, it occurred to me that his death is a bigger loss to the film world than they imagine. Directors will come and go, but it’s rare to find one who combines good storytelling with great art direction.

     

    Which then made me think: What if Yash Chopra had chosen to be an ad filmmaker? I can only imagine the wonderful ads we would have got to watch. And yet, ads that would have stayed true to the storyboard. Indeed, this is the sort of talent the desi advertising world lacks today. We have enough directors who cater to the client’s needs, but they lack an eye for beauty. Yash Chopra would have been the sort of director who would have effortlessly bridged the two worlds. Exactly as he did with his movies.

     

    And here’s what would have happened: Even if the ads had boring scripts, which in fact most do (thanks to risk-averse clients), someone like Chopra would have made them look pretty. The problem with ads, and I now speak as a viewer, is that the same dull, ugly ones keep getting repeat play. And many of them end up testing your patience. Just imagine if they at least looked beautiful. Would we then mind repeat exposures? I believe not. And wouldn’t that be great news for risk-averse brand managers?

     

    Inside the same multiplex, I watched two very boring ads. One, for Vicco Turmeric, which looked so ugly, it made me want to puke. Another one was a straightforward commercial for a brand called Forest Essentials, a skincare product. But it was shot aesthetically, it looked pretty. Therefore, despite nothing happening in the commercial, I enjoyed watching it. But such commercials are very rare.

     

    Yash Chopra, sadly, is gone. But he has left behind a big lesson. For Bollywood. And for advertising.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Super idea from a Los Angeles artist. Change the way hoardings are constructed, make them out of environmentally-friendly, well-watered bamboo gardens. We MUST ape this one in Mumbai. So that even if the yucky faces we are compelled to watch make us cringe, we can at least breathe easy.

     

    Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/stephen-glassman-urban-air-la-billboards-bamboo_n_2103099.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

     

     

  • Okay, there are these delightful destinations, and the ads do look great, but why must I choose Emirates? Funnily, that one most important question isn't dealt with

    Debrief: Emirates: Too generic

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Emirates Airline has launched a television blitzkrieg. The objective is to communicate that they fly across various continents. Each TVC features a particular continent: Europe, Africa and America.

     

    The creative idea is to promote tourism. Each ad highlights the lovely touristy stuff the continent has on offer. So, for the Africa ad, we get to see the famed wildlife, the mountains, the bazaars, etc. Things we usually associate with that continent. The treatment is the same with other zones.

     

    Now, I am a little flummoxed on this one. Because I am not quite sure how, at the end of the communication, Emirates fits in. So okay, there are these delightful destinations I want to travel to, there are these magnificent sights and sounds I wish to absorb, and the ads do look great, but why must I choose Emirates to fly to these locations? Funnily, that one most important question isn’t dealt with. Quite obviously I will have a choice of other airlines as well, and as a traveller, I am more interested in wanting to know about Emirates.

     

    My guess is the advertiser and the agency have tried to keep away typical airline advertising (delicious food, on-time departures, pretty air hostesses, etc), and have chosen to focus on destinations. But in the process, they have compromised brand saliency. I will watch these ads, get excited by the places, and then surf the net to find which airline offers me the best deal. In short, it’s ended up becoming generic advertising.

     

    Surely there’s a way to bring out world beauty without diluting the brand? That’s why creative people get hired.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C51-DL25qA4[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2. Pretty ads. Weak branding.

     

  • Ranjona Banerji reviews the fare on News TV and the morning paper… and various websites and the social media

    Ranjona Banerji: Must-watch Network

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    RP Singh, former director general of the telecom department and the auditor for the Comptroller and Auditor General who prepared the 2G spectrum analysis report for CAG, has led the media on a very merry dance. Suddenly, he was the man in news for being a “whistle-blower” – that Parliament Accounts Committee chairman Murli Manohar Joshi had influenced the CAG report on 2G, that he (Singh) had not allotted that mind-boggling number of Rs 1.76 lakh crore, that he had objected but the CAG had not listened and other such juicy stuff. Then he came on TV and waved lots of papers and booklets about but since we couldn’t really see what they were, they could really have been dhobi lists and household accounts.

     

    Two days later, all the newspapers – except the Indian Express – told us that Singh had retracted his statements on BJP leader Joshi. Promptly Singh appeared on TV and said he had never retracted his statement about Joshi and waved more pieces of paper about.

     

    By now, everyone was so confused that newspapers got bored of running around in circles and all we know is that Singh was not happy. Surprisingly, it is TV who has stuck with this story and done some hard work (produced some papers of its own to wave about) while newspapers have just left us without our usual trusted interpreter of TV hysteria.

     

    **

     

    It is something of a massive coup for Arvind Kejriwal that he actually made it to a Times of India editorial on Tuesday. In the last month, every new revelation from this self-conscious crusader had got less and less media attention. The launch of his new party, its name and method of functioning has not produced the sort of high octane excitement he must have become accustomed to. Tuesday saw this front page staple on the inside pages of most newspapers. And while CNN-IBN did have a debate on the Aam Aadmi Party, other news channels were less impressed or more likely just bored. The funniest bit on the show was when Mani Shankar Aiyar accused Rajdeep Sardesai of being a cynical promoter of economic reforms with no cares for the unfortunate. Sardesai’s face set like a jelly and he could barely contain his annoyance.

     

    As for Kejriwal, he better do something quick because his fledgling party cannot possible survive with breathless 24 hour TV coverage.

     

    Last week, I watched Sidney Lumet’s brilliant 1976 film Network again. A major TV station decides to go with a deranged news anchor’s ramblings on prime time to raise TRPs. What unfolds is an “amorality” tale about the dehumanisation of TV that still contains lessons for today’s world of TV. It should be made compulsory viewing for today’s journalists. I have to come clean here: there is no singing and dancing in the film.

     

    **

     

    India lost to England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. You might be happy that cricket is back to centrestage. Or you might have thought that the Mayan predictions of the end of the world in 2012 had come a few weeks early. It is now congenitally impossible for Indian cricket fans – and this includes the media – to have any balanced perspective about cricket and India. CNN-IBN (Sardesai again) did a show on whether Sachin Tendulkar’s time was up and then answered its own question by saying one should not blame Tendulkar when the whole team failed. In newspaper terms, that’s like contradicting yourself in your own editorial. Why bother, no?

     

  • Ganapathy Viswanathan lists reasons why memorable tunes help connect brands

    4 reasons why memorable tunes help connect brands

    By Ganapathy Viswanathan

     

    1. Attention-grabbers:  By creating a unique or refreshing tune you try and catch the consumer’s attention on the first go. Some time you will not have a great commercial but if you have a memorable tune it can still help you connect your brand. Brands like Britannia and Titan have such great tunes that consumer can easily connect with the brand. While tunes play a significant role in enhancing the brand or product but it will work well only when it blends well with the overall communication of the brand.

     

    2. Differentiates the communication: The originality of the tune helps you differentiate your brand. So therefore it is important that the tune is composed keeping in mind the product offerings, values attached, the personality of the brand and of course the target audience. You can differentiate your tune to break the clutter by starting from using different musical instrument and to the way it is sung. Now let’s take an example of Airtel where the ringtone is an important element of the product offering. This was very well leveraged by Airtel using ace Music composer A R Rahman to compose the same. The tune became so popular that it became the ring tone for many Airtel customers and the brand connect was further strengthened.

     

    3. Memorable tunes become a brand property: Many trusted brands like Lifebuoy have created tunes many years back which is still popular. Today it has become a brand property for Lifebuoy. Even without any visuals you just play the tune and people can connect with the brand. Great and memorable tune is what brings in the extra embellishment to any jingle or song. So it is important when tunes are composed they should be thought with a solid vision and as a long term property.

     

    4. Memorable tunes become part of brand identity:  In the past when you think of brand identity the focus was more only on the design, colours and font as the focus was only the print medium. But with the popularity of TV and internet memorable tune with a combination of music, audio and words are composed and then integrated as part of a brand to be its identity for easily connecting the brand. This brand tune is created based on the overall values of the brand and its target audience. Going forward when brands will revisit their brand identity they will also look at the sign off tune for the brand to match the overall look, feel and personality of the brand.

     

    Ganapathy Viswanathan is Vice President Optima Response

     

  • A N Chorrea on 5 international soaps Indian general entertainment channels and look at acquiring and adapting

    The Anchor: After acquiring ’24’, 5 international soaps Indian GECs must adapt

    By A N Chorrea

     

    Okay, so Colors and Anil Kapoor are bringing us the mega-serial ’24’. Here’s a list of other serials that we think should be adapted for Indian conditions:

     

    Big Bang Theory:

    It’s geeky, there’s some physics thrown in, but, heck, it’s funny. Very. Question is who will play the role of John Parsons as Sheldon Cooper.

     

    Castle:

    We like our ACP Pradyuman and CID and we’ve had our Karamchand, but nothing to beat a comedy drama like Castle. Question is who will play Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion)… someone like Navin Nischol of the new age?

     

    Grey’s Anatomy:

    Okay, it’s not that we’ve not a soap based in a hospital (remember Sanjeevani in the good ol’ days?), but surely we could do a classic on docs, nurses, patients and interns.

     

    Glee:

    This one is the easiest to replicate, methinks. The musical comedy-and-much-melodrama series can be much fun in a song-and-dance crazy nation. And replicated in not just Hindi, but various Indian languages!

     

    Friends:

    Okay, okay, this is not really a ‘current’ television series and we’ve tried doing similar things in the past, but possibly the time is right now to have an easy sitcom like Friends… how about tracking the life and loves of  six friends in Bandra. What men?

     

    AN Chorrea is a senior industryperson writing under a pseudonym

     

  • A picture tells a thousand words but a pilfered picture tells a thousand lies, writes Anil Thakraney, commenting on the Gujarat Congress child malnutrition ad fiasco

    Anil Thakraney: Gujarat ad: Work of a lazy art director

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Congress’s chances of making any sort of impact in the upcoming Gujarat elections already appear less than feeble. And to make matters worse, they’ve gone ahead and scored a self-goal.

     

    The Gujarat Congress party workers released an ad in the local dailies to highlight the rising incidence of child malnutrition in the state. Nothing wrong with that, but the image of the child they used in the ad wasn’t shot in Gujarat, it was pilfered from a Sri Lankan refugee camp! Haha. Mota bhai Narendra Modi must have guffawed so loud, children in his state would have momentarily forgotten all about their hunger pangs.

     

    The Congress reps have been doing the only thing they can do when egg has hit the face very hard: To try and justify the ad, by suggesting that the visual was only a ‘symbolic representation’. Of course, no one’s gonna buy that. I actually feel sorry for these guys, because the culprit in this case is the advertising agency that created the ad. And that agency needs to be punished.

     

    Here’s what must have happened, and I can say this with some degree of confidence, having worked in ad agencies before. Art directors do lift visuals from various sources for presentation purposes. These visuals are only used to give an idea to the client of what the end product will look like. Once the concept is approved, the art director is supposed to carry out a fresh shoot.

     

    Now, either because of laziness or perhaps because of the desire to cut costs, the art director in question Photoshopped the Sri Lankan picture and ran it as an original. In his/her mind, sure that the little chori will never come to light. After all, how many of us keep an eye on Sri Lanka’s food problems? And the client, in this case the Congress party, must have assumed that the pic is original. Well, someone did spot the cheating, and now the Congress netas have to pay for no fault of theirs.

     

    And I must add here that this is a wakeup call for all lazy art directors. Guys, it’s never a good idea to Photoshop. Always shoot, even if the client is in a tearing hurry. Because a picture tells a thousand words. And a pilfered picture tells a thousand lies.

     

    PS: Marc Jacobs has pushed the indecency envelope even further. They have featured a male model masturbating in public. And this is an ad for their sunglasses, which has nothing to do with the man’s ‘activity’. Shock for shock’s sake? Or brand attitude? You choose.

     

    Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2233663/Marc-Jacobs-shocks-new-advert-showing-male-model-pleasuring-public.html

     

  • Men are increasingly buying higher quality branded watches to express their individuality, writes Arjun Sekri

    The Anchor: 5 reasons why luxury watch market is on an upswing in India

    By Arjun Sekri

     

    1. A stylish and elegant luxury watch is a man’s only and ultimate personal fashion accessory: Unlike women who have many choices among personal accessories to show off their personality and sense of style, a man has only one, his watch. As the concept of a watch being more than a utility device gains wider acceptance in India, an increasing number of men across the age and income spectrum are buying higher quality branded watches to express their individuality. This trend is only going to accelerate with the growing urbanization and higher incomes.

     

    2. Rapid increase in the number of fashion and lifestyle magazines and blogs leading to higher brand recall: Advertising creates desire and luxury watch brands are known to be among the most active and omnipresent advertisers across the print media and online. As the number of glossy fashion and lifestyle magazines and blogs keeps rapidly growing in India, and with the arrival of many international glossy periodicals, the brand recall and exposure of branded watches in the mind of the consumer has gone up rapidly, creating a strong desire to purchase and own these brands.

     

    3. A luxury watch is a relatively more affordable status symbol: While a luxury house or luxury car may remain the ultimate status symbols in today’s increasingly materialistic society, these remain out of reach for most except the highest income group. An elegant luxury watch on the other hand, is a powerful status symbol and is within the reach of a much larger middle to upper income segment of society. With higher incomes and wealth creation in the metros and second tier towns across India the desire to own a luxury watch has rapidly grown.

     

    4. Rapid increase in range and variety of imported branded watches: As the sheer number and variety of imported watch brands continues to explode in India with the arrival of new fashion, sports and luxury brands every month, the choice of brands, designs and price points available to the consumer goes up significantly attracting a new generation of customers to purchase different types of watches which catch their fancy.

     

    5. Growth in gifting market due to commercialization of gifting events: With the increasing commercialization of so many traditional festivities and memorable personal events, such as Diwali, Christmas, Eid, Engagements, Weddings, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, Graduations, Corporate Events, etc, the occasions, requirements and budgets to purchase gifts has gone up tremendously over the past few years. A stylish and elegant luxury watch remains one of the most desirable and prized gifts an individual can get and can be worn proudly for lifetime. Hence the gifting market for luxury watches continues to grow at a healthy pace.

     

    Arjun Sekri is Founder, Promoter and CMD of Chrono Watch Company

     

  • After the huge mistake of being projected as the poor man's vehicle, the commercial now positions the Nano as a fun car for the trendy youth

    Debrief: Tata Nano: In the right direction

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    At last, the lost little Nano seems to be finding its way. It’s taken the Tata guys a few years to realise an important truth, but as they say, better late than never. In the past they made the huge mistake of projecting the Nano as the poor man’s vehicle. This strategy was never going to work, because it scares the aam aadmi away. A car is the single most visible possession of an individual, and its image rubs off directly onto the owner.

     

    Course correction seems to have been done in the latest commercial. Nano is now being positioned as a fun drive-out for the trendy urban youth. In fact, they make it a point to tell us the protagonist is an engineer, so there must be something special about Nano’s performance. Mr Engineer is seen exploring the countryside, helping damsels in distress, playing tour guide to foreigners, etc. And he ends up on a beach with his friends.

     

    This is not the sort of creative that would send award juries into a tizzy, but it does manage to dilute the Nano’s ‘poor car’ image. In fact, they need more such ads. The TVC also brings out all the usual car benefits: toughness, mileage, manoeuvrability, etc. So all the boxes can be checked.

     

    But it’s the change of strategic focus that will bring the Nano dealers some much needed footfalls. This was very critical to happen. Sure, the creative needs a spark, but that can be dealt with along the way.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc1x8LY1yVg[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Gets the right image. At last.

     

  • If the media turns corrupt, there's very little hope for the nation, writes Anil Thakraney, dismayed by all the scandals being reported

    Anil Thakraney: Law needs to be tougher on journalists

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Since I am not a television anchor, I shall refrain from speculating on the Zee versus Jindal case. We have courts to decide who’s the guilty one and who’s the victim, therefore we must leave that task to the judges. I have only one comment to make on this particular issue, and this too I state purely from a journalistic standpoint: If the Zee News journalists were indeed out to entrap the Jindal managers, then common sense suggests sting operation cameras and audio devices would have to be employed. Else, there is no evidence of the ‘expose’.

     

    However, I want to make a broader point: It is often said that if the entire nation is corrupted, why must we expect the media to be any different? The media, after all, hasn’t descended from Mars, it’s an offshoot of the same rotten system. This is a logical explanation, therefore one can’t refute it. However, my own view is that BECAUSE the nation is so corrupted, it’s critical that the media, which is the only voice ordinary citizens have, must remain clean. We have to create structures and processes that encourage and reward integrity. If the media turns corrupt, there’s very little hope for the nation.

     

    In that context, I have to say I am deeply dismayed by all the scandals involving the media. As long as sponsored ads were being palmed off as editorial entertainment pieces, one didn’t really mind. But then we got hit by the scourge of paid news, and this was really alarming. If editors are doctoring news in exchange for money, then it is pretty shameful. In fact, it’s a criminal act because such media outlets are playing with the nation’s future. Radiagate, to me, was the last straw. Because it told us that senior, much respected journalists were busy betraying the profession. And now comes the Zee/Jindal scandal of epic proportions.

     

    So what’s the way out? Well, there is a lot of talk going on about media regulation, either from within or from without, but I am not entirely sure this will help. The news media boom has attracted many businessmen to the party, and some of them treat news as a commodity that needs to be traded for profit. So these worthies aren’t going to be keen on cleaning up the mess. But good luck to those who believe in the idea of regulation.

     

    My own belief that fear factor is probably the only thing that will reign in corrupt media practices. Journalists have to be worried about the ramifications of their shady actions. If the court cases are allowed to drag on for decades, this fear isn’t going to happen. The judiciary, in conjunction with the executive, must evolve a process whereby judgments related to trials involving the media are done and dusted inside one year. That alone will put the fear of God in the media. If Britain could deal with Murdoch’s phone hacking scandal so quickly, clearly we can do it too, if the will exists.

     

    Net net: The legal process must be swifter on us journalists. Even more so than on hardened criminals. Because criminals are a threat to an individual or to a group of people. We journalists have the power to damage an entire nation’s future.

     

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