MxMIndia

Tag: Hard Knocks

  • As the cliche goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Unsubscribing from TV audience measurement might help improve television programming in India.

    Anil Thakraney: Divorcing TAM could be a blessing

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Okay, so a whole lot of broadcasters are busy unsubscribing from TAM’s data. If you ask me, I would say that’s not such a bad thing. TAM’s methodologies have been questioned and debated for years and years, and yet the issues haven’t been resolved, there is discontent in the world of media, nobody seems to be happy. TV audience measurement has been a monopolistic situation, and therefore broadcasters had to simply bite the bullet. So far.

     

    I had met Shashi Sinha for an interview last year (for mxmindia), and we brought up the subject of lack of credibility in audience measurement. Sinha feels this is a problem that can be fixed with moolah. This is what he said: “Someone has to put money on the table, it’s as simple as that. The solutions are all known, I know very bright and talented people in research, what needs to be fixed is known. The problem is: No one is willing to invest. Today, if television measurement costs Rs 20 crores, what if Rs 100 crores was spent on it?” Although I am not an expert on this subject, have to say I am not sure if the problems have to do only with lack of adequate funding. Perhaps BARC will set it right next year, though I wonder if they have such deep pockets.

     

    Anyway, from the looks of it, crores of rupees worth advertising spend will now be decided, at least for the next one year, by many advertisers without using TAM’s data. And speaking for myself, this situation excites me. Because this means that advertisers and media planners will start using common sense and intuitive thinking. Instead of blindly putting massive amounts of money based on questionable data. As far as the Hindi GECs go, perhaps all the money won’t be spent on saas bahu shows, other formats/ideas could find much-needed support. This would put pressure on producers/channels to experiment more. Even on the news channels, advertisers would use gut feel, and perhaps shows whose anchors holler and shriek less will find some ad revenue. And if the decisions are proved wrong, planners and brand managers will be forced to take responsibility for their choices, rather than pass the buck onto TAM. In short, this would result in risky but innovative decisions.

     

    As the cliche goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Unsubscribing from TV audience measurement might help improve television programming in India. And cheers to that.

     

    ***

     

    PS: A photographer managed to get these expressions from bachchas. By giving them an ice-cream cone, and then abruptly taking it away from them. I know that’s mean. But it’s cute too. 🙂

     

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • You have to make your mind steely hard, and the heart shatter-proof. You have to be emotionally tough. So that when things go all wrong, you can simply shrug, down a few tequila shots with your gal pals, and move on. No man is worth dying for.

    Anil Thakraney: Lessons from Jiah’s tragedy

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    It’s a gloomy, rainy Friday in Mumbai, and for a change, I want to take a break from the usual work talk, and instead deal with a human issue. And this is triggered by starlet Jiah Khan’s suicide and the subsequent arrest of her boyfriend, who’s been charged with abetment. That case will collapse in court on the very first day of the hearing, but that’s not what I wish to discuss here.

     

    Thing is, just like the showbiz, the world of media, advertising and marketing is bustling with single women. Naturally, they date, they have intimate relationships, they live-in or they marry. While our industry doesn’t put as much strain on the girls as it happens in Bollywood, the pressures of career success, the longing for a better life, the dynamics of human relationships, etc, are pretty much the same. Being single and often without family support means that the young women have to find a way to deal with stressful situations on their own. I personally know of at least two women from the ad world whose life went downhill because they fell for the wrong guy. One landed in a hospital, another one had a nervous breakdown, she left the country to live with her NRI parents. Thankfully, no one committed suicide, not that I know of.

     

    But it can happen, and therefore this post. Now, I am no agony aunt, in fact, I usually like to spread agony all around. J However, this much I have learnt in life: Relationships will get forged, some will be great, some will be disastrous. You will meet nice guys and you will meet creeps. Creeps most likely, and I say this as a man: Many of us guys are jerks, we will eventually disappoint you. Therefore you have to make your mind steely hard, and the heart shatter-proof. You have to be emotionally tough. So that when things go all wrong, you can simply shrug, down a few tequila shots with your gal pals, and move on. No man is worth dying for, period. Don’t want to hear of a Jiah Khan or Nafisa Joseph tragedy in our world.

     

    I’ll leave you with this quote from Marilyn Monroe, it worked then and it works now: “This life is what you make it. No matter what, you’re going to mess up sometimes, it’s a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you’re going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends – they’ll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything – they’re your true best friends. Don’t let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they’ll come and go too. And baby, I hate to say it, most of them – actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can’t give up because if you give up, you’ll never find your soul mate. You’ll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.”

     

    Good luck to all of you. And keep smiling.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Senior leaders in the party ought to have asked Advani to retire a long time ago. The 86-year-old man is no longer a vote catcher, and his thinking is redundant. They didn't, and now find themselves in a sorry situation.

    Anil Thakraney: Shoot the Old Dog

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Have been watching the ‘Sulking Advani’ drama on television very closely. Not because the man interests me, but because it’s a deja vu feeling, I have seen this before. Not in politics, in the corporate world. It’s the same story: When the grand old man of the organization is past the sell-by date, the board of directors and the young CEO have no idea how to get rid of him, they get badly stuck. I am sure you have witnessed this situation in your own career at some point or another.

     

    I once worked at an ad agency whose creative chief, a few years away from retirement, had failed to evolve with changing times and was stranded in the old school. Basically, he was burnt out. The younger creatives could not connect with him, but were compelled to politely seek his views. The client service people would guffaw behind the old gent’s back, and the clients stopped asking for his presence at important meetings. But the man himself, in complete denial of his loss of relevance, soldiered on, making life difficult for everyone.

     

    The agency leadership could not muster enough courage to ask him to quit. And yet, he was deliberately left out of meetings. Not even, and this is the most humiliating part, consulted on creative department reshuffle. The man was totally isolated, but he would not get the message. Watching it all happen first-hand, I felt very sorry for him. And I entirely blamed the organization for this mess.

     

    Why? Because in this situation, to save everyone the misery, it was the CEO’s job to make that tough call: Amble across to the elderly gent’s cabin, and graciously show him the door. Sadly, this step, which is actually the best and the most professional one, seldom gets taken in many Indian organizations. Which is a pity.

     

    The BJP faces the same conundrum today. Senior leaders in the party ought to have asked Advani to retire a long time ago. The 86-year-old man is no longer a vote catcher, and his thinking is redundant. They didn’t, and now find themselves in a sorry situation. The party, if it lets go of him now, will be perceived as one that does not respect its elders. This directly goes against Indian culture, and could prove costly for the BJP in the coming elections.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Speaking of old dogs, here’s a speech by Dave Trott, a huge inspiration for creative people. Not just for youngsters, for senior creative directors, oldies who have lost their way or feel burnt out.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Fans of bada netas have the right to follow the procession. But was Jiah Khan a leader of the masses? She was just another struggling starlet in an ocean of filmi strugglers. Apart from sensationalizing someone's tragedy, what good did come of this?

    Anil Thakraney: Can we not cover last rites please?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Of course, young Jiah Khan’s suicide had to be covered extensively in the media. She was a member of the showbiz (even if a small player), and therefore public interest would be intense. Also, there’s a ‘lovers’ tiff’ angle to the tragedy, and this makes the incident even more interesting. All very fine, and I am sure this story will be closely followed by the media as the police investigation progresses, which is the way it should be.

     

    However, there’s something not very nice the media did once again, and I am pointing this out with the hope that we don’t indulge in this unfairness in the future. The press covered the dead girl’s funeral, and pictures of her wailing family members were lavishly spread out in the newspapers. (I did not follow the story on television, am certain they did the same thing.)  What is the need for this, what ‘public interest’ does this serve? Performing the last rites of an individual is a deeply personal moment, the family members and close friends are in deep anguish and dazed with shock, why would we want to shove cameras in their faces at this time? I think the media must come to an understanding that the last rites of a dead individual should not be covered. There will be plenty of opportunities at a later time/date to communicate with the family members.

     

    Some of you would argue that funeral processions of departed leaders are routinely covered by the media across the world. I am okay with this, fans of these bada netas have the right to follow the procession, even if via the media. I had no issues, for example, when Bal Thackeray’s cremation was covered on live television. It also helps give their zillion fans a sense of closure. But was Jiah Khan a leader of the masses? Heck, she didn’t even have an adequate fan following in Bollywood, she was just another struggling starlet in an ocean of filmi strugglers (Mumbai’s Lokhandwala Complex alone boasts of tens of thousands). So apart from sensationalizing someone’s tragedy, what good did come of this?

     

    To all editors and publishers reading this article: Can we agree that funeral processions of people like Jiah Khan will be kept away from public glare? Can we agree that even in the mad chase for readership and eyeballs, we will show respect for basic human dignity?

     

    Or, am I asking for too much from the savagely hungry Indian media?

     

    ***

     

    PS: I know, things have gotten a bit serious today. So let me leave you with a smile.  Here’s a cool way to demonstrate the start/stop function in a car, a warm way to humanize technology. Even I bawl like a baby when the traffic light turns red.

     

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Only one word comes to mind for Balki: Respect. For taking a tough stand, for making a powerful statement, for finding an honest way to reward his employees.

    Anil Thakraney: Lowe Lintas Awards: The Scam Free Zone

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    In my interviews with Balki, I give him stress for not willing to take part in the Abby awards. I have even called him stuck-up and arrogant. Of course, these are tricks one uses during interviews… in my heart, I have always admired the man for keeping away from meaningless award shows. And with each passing year, as GoaFest gets hit by fresh scandals, this view has only got strengthened. I am now convinced Balki’s got it absolutely right.

     

    However, the agency does (given the talent pool) continue to produce good work each year, and the creative folks need to be recognized and honoured. Enter the Lowe Lintas True Show. An event where the agency rewards itself on work they consider to be brilliant. This is not held annually, I suppose Balki decides which year is appropriate for the event, when he feels enough outstanding work has been put out by his agency. The burning question is this: What value can an award have if it’s not judged by an independent jury? This ‘minor’ issue is irrelevant to Balki, because he doesn’t respect the jury members Goa Fest usually appoints.

     

    The result: No controversies, no bad blood, and most importantly, no scam ads. Everyone has a good time at the event, as did I on Tuesday. I caught up with long-lost buddies, and because I have worked with Lintas in the past, it was almost like homecoming. I was present at the previous True Show event as well, and that was a smaller gathering. This year was a mega affair, the venue was grander, and it was packed with Lowe’s employees, creative directors from rival agencies, members of the press, and some Lowe clients. With such a large turnout, and after a few Patiala pegs, it was difficult to locate people you want to meet, I missed saying hello to many. Booze bottles as trophies is an idea I most liked. Suddenly, after all these years, I want to win an award, hic!

     

    But the most touching part of the event was Lintas honouring its rivals, for work that Balki and his team envy. And what this does is make the show bigger than just the agency, it turns The True Show into an industry event. The award given away to O&M on their work for The Hindu was richly deserved. I am not sure if the work for Gujarat Tourism deserved to be honoured, but that could be because of Balki’s soft corner for Amitabh Bachchan, the state’s brand ambassador. Scam award chhe, Balki! Haha, just kidding.

     

    Net net: Only one word comes to mind for Balki: Respect. For taking a tough stand, for making a powerful statement, for finding an honest way to reward his employees. And most importantly, for having a blast in the process.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Mahi was at least transparent in his dealings. Maybe this wasn't about honesty, maybe it was about financial naiivete. Either way, the truth is, he put his own name on record. The media must acknowledge this.

    Anil Thakraney: Mrs Dhoni should have invested in Rhiti

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Well, now that the dust has settled on the N Srinivasan saga (for the moment, that is), the media is going after Dhoni on charges of conflict of interest. Apparently, Captain Cool, at some point, held a cool 15 percent stake in a sports management company called Rhiti (what an odd name!), and this constitutes what we call ‘unfair trade practice’. This is because there are a few other cricketers managed by this company, and it would be in Rhiti’s interest if they got selected to play for India. The conflict arises because as captain, Dhoni has a say in team selection.

     

    While technically speaking the media has a valid point, and Dhoni is answerable for this direct investment, I really think we should go a bit easy on the guy, we should give him some breathing space. For three reasons. One, apart from doing commentary, cricketers don’t really have a solid career post retirement, and they have to look for investment opportunities while the going is good. Dhoni can start a restaurant or a hospital or a dance bar, but perhaps these things don’t interest him, his heart may lie in an activity he understands most: Sports. Therefore investing in a sports management company isn’t really out of place.

     

    Secondly, sports is a totally performance based activity (unlike many other professions in India, especially Bollywood, where failed sons of stars keep getting fresh opportunities), and even if Dhoni got Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja (Rhiti clients) an entry into the cricket team, these blokes have to quickly deliver. Or perish. So this so-called ‘conflict of interest’ has a very small role to play in this case. N Srinivasan’s situation is entirely different. He headed the BCCI and owns Chennai Super Kings, that’s a Deadly Dodgy Deal.

     

    Thirdly, we have to admit Mahi was at least transparent in his dealings. Like some of our respected netas, he could easily have invested benaami money in Rhiti. Or even invested in his wife’s or cousin’s or chacha’s name. But he chose to put his own name to it. Maybe this wasn’t about honesty, maybe it was about financial naiivete. Either way, the truth is, he put his own name on record. The media must acknowledge this.

     

    In short, fine, let’s cover this story. But please don’t crucify the man, he deserves better. There are enough big fish swimming in the dirty Indian Ocean to go after.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Haha. Totally cute ad from Taco Bell to push their Dollar Menu. What I like most about this one is how nicely they’ve sold their low price offer without damaging the brand. Rather, they’ve made it rock.

    http://www.fastcocreate.com/1682903/a-spunky-senior-channels-christopher-walken- in-new-spot-for-taco-bells-dollar-menu?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • In the advertising context, Pawar's return sends out a strong signal to the rest of the ad world: Take your chances, buggers. Keep encouraging scam ads, you will be rewarded.

    Anil Thakraney: And, Bobby Pawar is back.

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Good for Bobby Pawar. The Ford scandal during his last job at JWT doesn’t seem to have dented his reputation one bit. He’s now been lapped up by Publicis, and life goes on as usual. Hopefully this time around, Pawar will set up tight controls within his agency to monitor ads created solely to win awards.

     

    Incidentally, right after the Ford howler, I had a drink with a few ad pals, and as it often happens, we ended up talking shop. Everyone unanimously agreed that Pawar will be back in action, very soon, at another large agency. No, this wasn’t the consensus because the man is talented (which he must be), but because we all felt this is what happens in India, somehow the powerful people manage to survive scandals. Look at politics, for example. Despite a series of scams, the tainted leaders remain untouched. And the few who do get sacked, find their way back into the power corridors in good time. India is a forgiving nation. So that explains it.

     

    The negative outcome of this situation, of course, is that it encourages rubbish behaviour. In the advertising context, Pawar’s return sends out a strong signal to the rest of the ad world: Take your chances, buggers. Keep encouraging scam ads, you will be rewarded. And if you do get caught with your pants down, chillax for a while, take the much-delayed holiday to that exotic location. Sooner or later you will find yourself back in the saddle.

     

    Before I wrap up, two quick points on Bobby Pawar: I don’t know the man at all, have never worked with him, haven’t even had the opportunity to say hello to him. So I have no personal grouse with him, it could have been any other creative director in his place. It is also quite possible that he had no knowledge of the controversial Ford ads created by his juniors, and therefore wasn’t personally responsible for them. Perhaps Pawar’s a great guy, and good luck to him on his new assignment.

     

    My only little problem: That it will be business as usual in the Indian ad world. Like nothing ever happened. Sad.

     

    ***

     

    PS: My shortlist for the next season of Bigg Boss. Feel free to add your recommendation: S Sreesanth, Gurunath Meiyappan, Pavan Bansal, Phaneesh Murthy, Chandresh (Jupiter) Jain, Ankeet Chavan, Mrs Ankeet Chavan, Ajit Chandela, Suresh Kalmadi, Niira Radia, A Raja, Sudipta Sen, Abhijit Mukherji, Vindoo Dara Singh, Kshitij Thakur, N Srinivasan, Varun Gandhi, Justice Katju.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • What's the IPL minus all the high drama? After all, it is just a glorified, modern day nautanki

    Anil Thakraney: No effect on Brand IPL

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    There is a lot of chatter going on over the impact of the latest scandal on the IPL’s brand value, and the possibility of advertisers ditching this ‘sinking ship’ next year. In response, let me first put up a daily life situation: Have you noticed how the chana vatana sellers suddenly land up when you are stuck at a traffic signal? In fact, they usually arrive when there’s a nasty traffic jam (somehow these chaps come to know of it!). Also, even as the bad jam leaves us in a foul mood, many of us do purchase the goodies from these boys.

     

    Why am I giving you this strange example? Because it’s the same story with branding and advertising. Think of the car passengers as audiences, the traffic jam as the mega event, and the chana sellers as the advertisers. The chana sellers will only go where the crowds are, regardless of the poor emotional connect between the traffic jam and the passengers. And the latter will buy from these guys because they (the hawkers) have nothing to do with the traffic jam. In much the same way, as long as the IPL continues to draw in the audiences, the advertisers will be there because the numbers is all that matters. Regardless of the scams that engulf the tournament. None of the zillion controversies have dented the IPL’s mass appeal in six years, nor will the latest one.

     

    And equally significantly, the viewers will not hold the IPL’s dirty deeds against the brands advertising their stuff during the tournament. This is because the junta isn’t stupid. Even the layman knows that Vodafone, Star Plus, Pepsi, Yes Bank, etc, have nothing to do with the spot fixing mischief by certain players, or the betting by bookies and some shady team owners. Therefore there’s no question of advertisers giving up on the IPL. As a case in point, news channels have been continuously running footage of Sreesanth and gang while they were busy spot fixing. As a result, the logo of the Rajasthan team sponsor printed in their jerseys, UltraTech Cement, keeps leaping out at you. Would that affect the sponsor’s image or their sales in any way? No chance!

     

    As for the IPL itself, as I mentioned in my previous post, this tamasha is here to stay. The format has won the hearts and minds of the Indian masses, and all the ugly controversies over the years don’t seem to have affected its popularity at all. Even if the BCCI, which is under pressure, finds a way to prevent spot fixing in next year’s edition (a very, very tough ask), IPL 7 will throw up its own set of fresh scandals, and it will be business as usual. In any case, what’s the IPL minus all the high drama? After all, it is just a glorified, modern day nautanki.

     

  • As Indian television's biggest annual reality show draws to a close, there are five pressing questions left unanswered. Let me try to deal with them

    Anil Thakraney: IPL 6 FAQs

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Okay, so as Indian television’s biggest annual reality show draws to a close, there are five pressing questions left unanswered. Let me try to deal with them.

     

    Does the IPL have a future following the fixing scandal? Will it shut down?

    There’s no way this tamasha is going to close shop, even if more skeletons tumble out of the stinking cupboard. Frankenstein BCCI has created a huge monster, and there’s no taming it now. The masses adore this monster because the IPL is fulltoo entertainment for the full family. It’s less about cricket and more about all the natak that goes around it. The TV ratings for this year have been good, and the stadia packed to the gills once again (the Delhi cricket ground was full house for the two play-offs despite the home team having been knocked out). And, Sreesanth & Co’s antics had zero effect on popularity. The IPL is here to stay. Period.

     

    Will we see a clean IPL season next year?

    Nope. T20 cricket is a fertile hunting ground for spot fixing, all it takes the bookies and their agents is a few dishonest players to co-operate. And this is particularly easy with the IPL because it’s teeming with players who have either been kicked out of the Indian team or aren’t talented enough to find a place in it. Also, India is a vastly corrupt nation, so to expect all our cricketers to be blessed with squeaky clean genes is being downright stupid. Some boys will sell their souls again, but I suspect they’ll behave more smartly than the three idiots: Sreesanth, Chandila and Chavan. Fixing will continue, the procedures will get refined.

     

    Can’t the tournament host, the BCCI, clamp down on fixing?

    Well, according to media reports, the BCCI boss’s darling ghar jamai is allegedly involved in the betting racket, haha. So to expect that organization to follow Gandhian principles is like expecting Phaneesh Murthy to practice celibacy for the rest of his life. It ain’t gonna happen. Therefore what I predict is hyperactive policing next year (match fixing seems to bother our cops more than rapes) and various sting operations by the maha excited media. And yet, the show will go on.

     

    Aren’t sponsors and advertisers furious over the various IPL scandals? Should they not put pressure by threatening to pull out next year?

    Well, ideally they should, but they won’t. That’s because the corporate suits aren’t out to make India a better place, that’s not in their mission statement. The advertisers are only and only interested in one thing: Eyeballs. As long as the IPL continues to draw in the audiences (which it will), the money will keep getting pumped in. In fact, secretly, some of the sponsors must be elated with all the scandals, they help keep the tournament buzzing on the news channels. That’s a much bigger bang for their buck.

     

    Will Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sachin Tendulkar announce his retirement this Sunday?

    No. He’ll be playing IPL 30 too. Am willing to, er, bet on it. 🙂

     

  • Just when you thought the Sanjay Dutt media circus is done and dusted, that he will now be left alone to atone for his sins, the madness rages on

    Anil Thakraney: Dutt teri ki!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Just when you thought the Sanjay Dutt media circus is done and dusted, that he will now be left alone to atone for his sins, the madness rages on. And it’s back to…. yes… ‘Sensational’ news of food arriving from home for the criminal star, and his displeasure with the choice of the cell allotted to him. We already have full details of the ‘perks’ allowed to the macho man inside the prison: Mosquito repellent creams, soft pillows, toilet rolls, etc, etc. Line diagrams of the Arthur Road Jail are being published once again. Soon, ditto will happen with the Yerawada Jail. Is this going to continue right till the time Dutt is inside prison? I fear it will.

     

    Guys and gals, please leave him alone, treat him like just another convict serving out his sentence. The Indian media has to grow out of this insane celebrity obsession, at least when it comes to crime. And we must remember that special attention to one criminal is not fair to the rest of the prisoners. I am quite certain the other convicts, after reading about or watching all the fuss over Dutt, will start demanding mosquito lotions and home-cooked biryani. Perhaps a Jacuzzi too. The jail is a tough place to survive; it’s supposed to be that way, it’s not a holiday resort. The whole idea is ‘punishment for crimes committed’, and that’s the way it should be. In any case our hero will be out sooner than expected (there are enough powerful people holding the candle for him), so kindly leave the dude to his elements for now. If for nothing else, please respect the feelings of the survivors of the 1993 blasts. Some of whom don’t even have a leg left to apply mosquito cream on. Let them feel at least some justice has been done, and that Dutt is being treated like an ordinary criminal. This is important.

     

    On another note, the IPL scandal continues to rock and roll, as the Mumbai cops try hard to go one up on their Delhi counterparts. But the crowds continue to surge into the stadia regardless. And that’s because people want entertainment, they don’t care if the masala being dished out is real or scripted. On the first day of the fixing news break, some over-enthusiastic young journos went on air with the ‘news’ that huge sums of cash were found in the rooms of bowler Shaun Tait and a few other players. Should the channels concerned not issue an open public apology to these guys? They should, if these channels wish to retain at least a modicum of credibility.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Life and times of apna ad agency folks, all captured through graphics and illustrations. Very accurate and quite funny. Enjoy!

     

    Link: http://digitalsynopsis.com/advertising/a-closer-look-at-agency-folk-and-their-habits-infographic

     

  • I don't think a few rotten eggs will spoil the big IPL party, it will carry on as usual. Too many people make too much moolah from it, the show will simply go on. The IPL is used to surviving scandals

    Anil Thakraney: IPL: Show will go on

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I write this post at 1pm on Thursday. The latest IPL scandal is still unfolding, and by the time you read this piece, we would have learnt a great deal more, and perhaps more skeletons would have tumbled out of the dirty closet. However, here are my thoughts as of now:

     

    S Sreesanth needs urgent medical help. I said this recently, and wish his family members had paid attention. I am sure they’d rather see this idiot on a shrink’s couch rather than in a police detention room. From what I have gathered so far, the Delhi cops have direct evidence against Sreesanth, which means his cricketing career is finally cooked. But here’s the pity: The man will be invited to take part in the next Bigg Boss season (they love hiring such losers), and therefore Sreesanth will continue to earn revenues from showbiz. Sad.

     

    As you’d expect, the media has gone into frenzy, and as always, there are unconfirmed reports being put out on air, and wild speculation indulged in. We can crib and complain as much as we want, our news channels will never mend their ways. Anyway, lots of easy meat ready for Arnab, Rajdeep and others, am sure they are sharpening their claws even as I write this.

     

    Many trigger happy tweeters and some ill informed TV reporters and anchors have been ranting against the latest ‘match fixing’ scandal in the IPL. Please be corrected; this isn’t match fixing, this is spot fixing, and that’s a different thing. For fixing a match, you will need to take the captain into confidence, and the Rajasthan Royals’ leader is a gentleman called Rahul Dravid. Over his dead body will the high-integrity Dravid allow anyone to cheat with the game.

     

    Regular readers of this blog would know that I have no love lost for the tamasha that is the IPL. Even if I was given a free VIP pass by Dr Mallya, with a guarantee that the RCB cheerleaders will dance on my lap throughout the match, I would refuse to go, and would instead watch Balika Vadhu at home. That’s because the IPL is everything but cricket. And yet, I humbly accept that there are millions who enjoy this ‘entertainment’, and therefore I support its existence. And I don’t think a few rotten eggs will spoil the big IPL party, it will carry on as usual. Too many people make too much moolah from it, the show will simply go on. The IPL is used to surviving scandals.

     

    And yes, looking forward to watching Sreesanth in Bigg Boss. Such is the world we now live in.

     

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    PS: All journos must read this article carefully. It’s about how to use (and more importantly, not to use) Twitter during a national crisis. The way some people tweet without thinking, I shudder to imagine what might have happened if Twitter was popular during the 26/11 carnage.

     

    Link: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/04/boston_marathon_bombing_all_the_mistakes_journalists_make_during_a_crisis.html

     

  • The Gujarati tourists are back, and so are the Bollywood filmmakers. However, we are very aware that all it shall take is another massive terror strike to move things back to square one, Kashmir is such a fragile state

    Anil Thakraney: Media should highlight Kashmiri achievers

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The last time I went to Kashmir was nine years ago. This was for the shoot of a Nestle Polo commercial (I was employed with Lowe, Delhi, at the time). One morning I woke up late for an early shoot, and missed the last Gondola cable car, which was to take me to the hills of Gulmarg, the shoot location. This compelled me to hitch a horse ride, and this one-hour-long journey gave me a chance to have a detailed conversation with the horse owner, Mohammed. On the state of things in Kashmir. What he told me was heart breaking. Let me skip the gory details and get to the main point he made: Most Kashmiris felt a terrible sense of detachment from India, there was absolutely no sense of belonging. This feeling got further reinforced in my conversations with the other locals.

     

    I believe things are far better now, the Gujarati tourists are back, and so are the Bollywood filmmakers. However, we are very aware that all it shall take is another massive terror strike to move things back to square one, Kashmir is such a fragile state. It’s been a long time now and the politicians have totally failed to deal with this mess. Which is why the role of the media becomes crucial. Two recent success stories from Kashmir caught my attention. One is about the Kashmiri cricketer who’s currently playing in the IPL: Parvez Rasool. And the other is about a lady doctor, Ruvaida Salam, from the strife-torn Kupwara district, who has managed to pass her IAS exams against all odds.

     

    These are fantastic stories, and I would urge the nation’s media (both, print and television) to not report them as regular snippets. The media should help turn these two (and others like them) into national celebrities. We must run a series of huge stories on their achievements so that Rasool and Salam become household names in India. This will inspire other Kashmiri youth to forget about militancy and Pakistan, and instead aim to become successful professionals. If this happens, over time, it will help demolish the one thing that keeps the Kashmiris from kicking out the militants from their soil: The sense of alienation.

     

    I do think these success stories are a superb opportunity for the media to directly affect the fortunes of this nation. And we must not allow them to slip by.

     

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    PS: Evian has revived the dancing babies that were such a rage ten years ago. Simple, cute idea: Find a baby version of yourself in the mirror. Purity of water, purity of thought. Nice.