MxMIndia

Tag: Salman Khurshid

  • Aditya Sinha quit DNA as editor-in-chief last week amidst rumours that the move had linkages with the Zee News controversy. While he denies the coincidence theory, do read the between the lines to figure what could be the reason

    Jaldi 5 with Aditya Sinha, former editor-in-chief, DNA: Coincidence that quitting timed with Zee News controversy

    When Aditya Sinha announced his decision to quit DNA as editor-in-chief last week, the move surprised especially since he was rumoured to be getting along well with Zee group chief Subhash Chandra. On Saturday, he tweeted: To those who asked: I have resigned DNA to focus on writing novels. First book being reworked, second just started. For wishes, many thanks.”

     

    When asked to reconfirm this, he told MxMIndia that he had submitted his resignation on December 6 and has moved on from immediate effect. “I have been hanging around, however, merely to drag out my goodbyes,” he said.

     

    On when his first book is going to be published, he corrected us. “My first book, non-fiction, was published in late 1995. My first novel will be published once we find a publisher, so I cannot currently give you a date,” he said. Indeed: Death of Dreams: A Terrorist’s Tale was a book on a Kashmir youth’s ascent as the head of a terror outfit.  He also wrote a biography of Dr Farooq Abdullah in 1996 and as he mentioned in a column in the DNA, he has ghostwritten a 1994 book by Salman Khurshid.

     

    When asked on his replacement, Mr Sinha also informed us that: “Ravi Joshi, the recently appointed Mumbai RE, suddenly finds himself incharge. Bhaskar Das may find an alternative if he can convince someone from his old place of employment to join.”

     

    It may be remembered that DNA has seen a rehaul of its A-team in the recent past, and Mr Sinha’s exit completes that. CEO K U Rao moved out last month to join parent Zee group as CEO of WWIL (SitiCable). In September, it hired Sorbojeet Chatterjee, as Vice-President – Marketing from Neo Sports (and marketing head at the TV Today network prior to that). Earlier, it appointed Varun Kohli, chief monetizing officer with Mogae Media, to head revenue (as Executive VP – Sales).

     

    Since there has been much speculation about Mr Sinha’s reasons for quitting, given that it comes in the wake of the controversies around the arrest of two senior Zee News executives and his strong defence in his column last week, we asked him a few questions. While he denies the coincidence theory, do read the between the lines to figure what could be the real reason:

     

    01. Your resignation happens at a time when the Zee group is embroiled in a controversy, with the chairman Subhash Chandra also subjected to questioning and the pressure on the arrested editors to name him. Coincidence?

     

    Coincidence.

    a. Couldn’t you have pushed your decision to some other time?

    It could have been done at some other time, but why should I follow other people’s timelines?

    b. Your decision to move is also untimely because DNA’s CEO has moved to Zee and the new regime under Dr Bhaskar Das is just about settling in. Couldn’t you have stayed on more?

    Please see answer to 1a.

     

    02. You’ve been very candid in your columns. Last week saw you defend Zee and present the group’s standpoint? Could your resignation also be construed as that you are against carrying pro-Zee reports, or should one say: compelled to carry?

    I have never been compelled to carry reports. If a family member is accused of something, it is natural for a person to speak of their point of view, not to condemn them. I believe in what I write, and no one has ever forced me to hew to a particular line.

     

    a. Just to clear the air on the Zee-Jindal controversy. Since you would know the real story, and since one knows that you will not fudge things:

    – Are the Zee editors really innocent?

    – Was there no quid pro quo?

    Innocence or guilt, I do believe, are established by courts of law. And whatever the Zee News Editors may be, it is laughable to think that my resignation is a quid pro quo for them.

     

    03. Your highs and lows as Editor-in-Chief of DNA? Something that you would’ve not liked to see happening if you had to relive your tenure.

    My two-plus years as an Editor-in-Chief  have been great. Each day was a learning experience. The greatest satisfaction was when colleagues did work that was notable, which was often. Of course, it is a stress-filled job and each morning begins with some irritation or other. The only lows were realizing that people working in the company did not even read your newspaper! It shows you that most non-journalists in the media industry have zero passion for their jobs.

     

    04. We’ve heard that the paper is going through a redesign? And the edit page may be back?

    The paper is going through a slight redesign because Bhaskar Das wants to change the look-and-feel of the paper to a template that is familiar to us all. He is keen on an edit page, so I guess my departure strengthens his hands in some ways.

     

    05. What next after your books? Writing isn’t really a financially rewarding vocation. Are you going to continue to stay on in Mumbai?

    I honestly don’t know what the future holds. If I could, I would write books for the rest of my existence. Mumbai is an expensive place to live, but I do like living here.

     

  • Editors and television content chiefs need to introspect on India Against Corruption activists using the media to build their own brand, writes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: The media is being used

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    During the 26/11 carnage, terrorists freely used the electronic media to their advantage, and (hopefully) some hard lessons have been learnt post that incident. Now, it’s the turn of the politicians. It is obvious that the India Against Corruption (IAC) guys are regularly using the media to build their own brand. And once again, editors and particularly the television content chiefs will need to introspect on this.

     

    In their mad quest for ‘Breaking News’, it isn’t occurring to news channel folks that they are being hired as a convenient ladder. What the IAC team is doing is to create scandals based on half-baked information in order to malign the big-name political leaders. This information isn’t enough to pronounce a person guilty in a court of law, but the idea is to fling some mud and, given the mood of the masses, most of it sticks. People on the streets have already pronounced Robert Vadra and Salman Khurshid guilty as charged, nothing can save these men now. All thanks to the breathless coverage on television.

     

    It is not my case that these people aren’t guilty. But the correct course of action would be to cross-check and verify all allegations before putting them out on air. Indeed, that’s the way journalists are supposed to operate. But in the hunger for sensationalism, and in order to beat the rivals, news channels aren’t bothering with such trivia. They are going on air the moment an accusation is hurled. I find this situation quite unfair. This means anyone can malign anyone he wants based on all sorts of wild allegations. And clearly, that can’t be the way forward.

     

    Much as though one would like the new political party to come to the fore, it can’t be done by smashing basic rules of ethical journalism. If, along the way, the courts dismiss these allegations, who becomes responsible for the individual’s sullied reputation? It won’t just be the accuser, it will be the media that broadcast the ‘story’.

     

    I really think the time has come for TV channels to ponder on this issue, and apply the brakes on such unfair coverage. No one should be allowed to use the media, however noble that individual/organization’s intentions might be.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Haha. An art director has designed a superb typeface, exclusively for doctors. Serves them right, I say. If they are going to write their prescriptions in Greek, they may as well use designer lettering.

     

    Link: http://stocklogos.com/topic/typeface-designed-doctors

     

  • Salman Khurshid conducted himself so shabbily that as a viewer, one was left wondering if one had erroneously switched into the Bigg Boss mad house

    Anil Thakraney: Mr Khurshid, you screwed up!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Watching Mr and Mrs Salman Khurshid in action at a press conference on Sunday told me how little even an exalted minister is aware of how to hold a successful press meet. He was responding to accusations of forgery and corruption involving an NGO he heads. Recently, a corporate friend told me that some organizations hold workshops on how to deal with the media. This is a good idea, and our politicians must also organize such training programmes for themselves.

     

    Khurshid conducted himself so shabbily that as a viewer, one was left wondering if one had erroneously switched into the Bigg Boss mad house. Although I don’t participate in these gigs, here are some commonsense tips on how to hold a successful press meet. And how not to make a bungling fool of yourself, as Khurshid certainly did.

     

    One, never, never, never lose your cool, no matter how agitated you are in the head, no matter how serious the charges are. Demonstrating anger in a press conference shows you in a very poor light, the public opinion directly goes against you. Always be in control.

     

    Two, be coherent in your statements, do your homework before you arrive at the meet. You already know the type of questions that will come your way, therefore keep your answers ready and keep them pithy. If you fly off on a tangent (as Khurshid frequently did), it will confuse not just the journalists but the public who will eventually consume the event. And when that happens, the entire purpose of the conference is lost.

     

    Three, do not be rude with journalists, no matter how provocative the questions are, no matter how aggressive their body language is. Definitely no ‘You there, shut up!’ The moment you speak crassly at a press conference, you have already lost the battle. In Khurshid’s case, he has an axe to grind with the India Today group. But behaving politely with their reporters would have scored the man some easy brownie points.

     

    Four, never, never have an entourage of chamchas and groupies stand right behind you. This shows you are not confident, and are using your minions as a crutch. This enhances the perception of guilt. Stand in the line of fire all alone. Particularly so if the accusations are personally targeted at you.

     

    Five, and this is specific to Khurshid (therefore, dear militant feminists, please spare me the knives). Do not invite your missus to sit next to you at a press meet. Even if she happens to be the co-accused. Be a man and deal with the heat on your own. And I say this also because, if your partner happens to be an edgy and a restless soul (which Mrs Khurshid clearly is), she will mess up your show more than it already is.

     

     Anil Thakraney, Editor-at-Large,MxMIndia, is a senior journalist and commentator based in Mumbai. The views here are his own