The recent Mumbai attacks left a scar on every Indian. It showed how bad the security system in the country. But it also put a question in a few people’s mind. Did media hype the situation for commercial benefits? This is a harsh question but nonetheless needed.
What some people felt is Media on its part is partly responsible for sensationalizing the attacks like cinema to create attention. They featured the events like an action drama, even giving running commentaries like, ‘Look a bomb just exploded into the fifth floor of Taj taking out terrorists inside’. The attacks were reported as India ‘9/11’. These are only a few examples. Media in the name of breaking news and through too much attention actually spread more panic in the minds of people than the terrorists themselves. They took this as an opportunity to lash out on the politicians, getting views from the country elite, rather than concentrating on the events. While the media concentrated heavily on the role of National Security Guard (NSG), Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the police, very few news came of the hotel staff, the announcer at Chatrapathy Shivaji Terminus (CST) and other common people who risked their lives to save others.
The western media on its part, especially during their earlier reports, focused particularly on targeting foreign nationals belonging to USA & Europe rather then giving the whole picture. Sarah Sidol of CNN revealed the fact that she can get very close to the action site, which in USA or in Europe is impossible, thus also revealing the dis-ordering of our security and rescue system.
This clearly shows the effects of commercialization in media. Responsible journalism is the need of the hour, not commercializing it. What it also shows is globalization is not flat, but rather jagged and uneven.
What some people felt is Media on its part is partly responsible for sensationalizing the attacks like cinema to create attention. They featured the events like an action drama, even giving running commentaries like, ‘Look a bomb just exploded into the fifth floor of Taj taking out terrorists inside’. The attacks were reported as India ‘9/11’. These are only a few examples. Media in the name of breaking news and through too much attention actually spread more panic in the minds of people than the terrorists themselves. They took this as an opportunity to lash out on the politicians, getting views from the country elite, rather than concentrating on the events. While the media concentrated heavily on the role of National Security Guard (NSG), Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the police, very few news came of the hotel staff, the announcer at Chatrapathy Shivaji Terminus (CST) and other common people who risked their lives to save others.
The western media on its part, especially during their earlier reports, focused particularly on targeting foreign nationals belonging to USA & Europe rather then giving the whole picture. Sarah Sidol of CNN revealed the fact that she can get very close to the action site, which in USA or in Europe is impossible, thus also revealing the dis-ordering of our security and rescue system.
This clearly shows the effects of commercialization in media. Responsible journalism is the need of the hour, not commercializing it. What it also shows is globalization is not flat, but rather jagged and uneven.
