Sunday, November 17, 2013



THE NUISANCE HOUR SHOWS


"Cigarette smoking is injurious to health" . This is a statutory warning printed on Cigarette boxes. I don't think much changed after this warning was begun to be printed. It arouses more curiosity, I feel. So smoking might, in fact, have increased. 

And then we have these "cookery" programmes. Anchors invite "chefs" and 'housewives' to cook variety of foods and they do it enthusiastically. At least in one such programme I noticed a fat dietician lecturing about the effects on the body of eating the items cooked that day. More often than not we find they are unsuitable for health. We wonder why the items were allowed to be cooked and shown on the channel.

Then there are U/A pictures. "Children above twelve should be allowed to view the picture under parents' surveillance". This is the biggest joke that need not be elaborated.

So, when I see on social media, frenzied reactions about the 'talk shows' on TV, I feel why, in the first place, viewers view these shows that they know are mostly biased. There lies what is called the temptation. Like the 'cookery' programmes are bad for bodily health, these shows are injurious to mental health. The only difference is these 'talk shows' are not judged by a "psychiatrist". Like a cigarette smoked and butt thrown away,  like an item cooked, tasted, judged and forgotten or like a U/A picture seen and enjoyed by the entire family, each in his/her dream world, shell life of these talk shows is one hour. Anchors shout, panellist moralize and counter shout, threats of defamation suits fly like sixes in a 20-20 match, BP of viewers increases by leaps and bounds and when we wake up next morning, we won't find even a passing mention of the issue discussed hardly twelve hours back. 

So, this one hour show can be termed "nuisance hour". It should, in fact, be News Sense Hour. But we do not find any sense in the topic or discussion. A few days back, a jailed IPS officer in Gujarat wrote a letter openly castigating the Home Minister and Chief Minister of the state. The letter lacked conviction, prima facie though the content might have run into pages. And the 'nuisance hour' debate raged on. And the anchors predicted a 'huge controversy' and 'fierce political battle' in the one hour available and judged the whole issue and concluded that the two would face serious consequences. The issue was lost in the din of more "huge controversies". 

Today, it was the "snooping" allegation. Congress, unable to take on Modi politically and unable to convince the voters positively, took to the studios naturally on an issue that is, at the most, a state and a citizen issue. There was no complaint from any aggrieved party. Nor the state denied the act. But, the 'nuisance hour' hosts thought it fit to discuss the issue threadbare, present irretrievable evidence, fix responsibility and send the culprits to gas chambers. The website that claimed to have conducted a sting operation or obtained tapes by means best known to them, claimed they do not vouch for authenticity of the tapes. But, relying on the same tapes a discussion is raged and blood pressures increased. Those who demand an SC monitored investigation can as well approach the SC for such investigation. They don't do that. They know, once it goes to court, it is sub judice, and there is no scope for shadow boxing. 

The intent is clear. It is to defame a leader whom the public view as the future Prime Minister. And the ruling party knows it is losing ground very fast. They are already in deep sea searching for moorings and an anchor. They know, at this rate, they don't find the shore and might drown in the middle of the sea. So, instead of trying to save their ship, they started firing empty shells on a fast sailing ship ahead of them. Most of these empty shells misfired. And the Captain and Vice Captain of the ship are very distressed. 

And in their anxiety to find an anchor they found  anchors of the "nuisance hour" show. May God save them! My advice is "enjoy' this one hour with your family. They need your BP under control. If anybody tweets about the show read and enjoy, as I do and blog if you wish. Spread smiles. 

                              
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2 comments:

  1. It is no so-so but very good post indeed. You have got remarkable ability to hit with humor.
    Keep writing as writing is catharsis too.

    ReplyDelete