Telugu News Channels did not follow up on Pawan Kalyan

The recent telecast of Film Star Pavan Kalyan's assertions and opinions after meeting the farmers having lands in AP's New Capital Area, many must have felt disgusted about the capability of our Telugu News Channels.

We found the same stuff in all the channels as if all of them are craving news and finding it difficult to stuff their news programs. This has been the practice with the following rotten practices:

• Showing the Graphic Text "Breaking News" again and again
• Telecasting the same clip again and again
• The dearth of capability to ask pertinent questions
• Crazy about hiring young people who can not - by virtue of their age and experience - show maturity in asking questions, giving comments and facilitating the debate, etc.
• It is sickening to watch news channels with these run-of-the -mill type programs.

Our Telugu News Channels adopted this pattern as it does not ask for more funds, no investigation, no research, no field work, no study, no risk and no more work!!!

Another feature of our Telugu News Channel is to crave for sensationalism and once the news become stale never attempt to do any follow up. For instance, what after Pavan Kalyan's recent articulations. No channel contacted him on this to know his next step and logical conclusion of his earlier outburst. Thus News Channels do play irresponsible role.

Here is a greenfield for the Telugu News Channels to plow, provided they are open to inducting real talent irrespective of Age, Looks and focus only on the subject knowledge and ability to be assertive:

The following are SOME OF the facts that impact the school going children and common men day in and day out:

• Roads with pot holes, diggings, spine breaking speed breakers, drainage overflowing, drinking water pipeline leakages, garbage spreading and accumulation - The future citizens of this country feel disgusted about the Municipal Administration and wonder when can our country become a developed one.
• Lakes and other water bodies that wear a garbage dumping yard look and places of open defecation
• Streets with no avenue plantation at all and plots becoming breeding grounds for dogs, pigs and other micro organisms.
• Cows being seen eating posters, domestic waste, garbage, etc.
• Uncivilized behavior of shopkeepers, residents even when they can do like watering saplings, dump some earth to fill the pot holes, keep complaining to the civic body about problems they see just before their shops and homes, as responsible citizens.
• Flex banners tied to electric poles in the median of the roads causing disturbance to commuters and their disposal. Upkeep of Govt open lands, open drainage canals like the one in Kukatpally.
• Slums in the towns, cities and their present state of affairs. The responsibility of corporator, councilor, ward member for the people living in these slums.
• The Govt Schools, colleges, universities and the student : teacher ratio, physical facilities, quality of all aspects
• Govt Departments one after the other and their goals and achievements so far along with the infrastructure and staff details - Police department is a classic case in Telugu States.

Take up issues like the above and bring them to their logical conclusion and report the progress achieved or impact made. Thus news channels can really become most valued among Telugu People.

News channels can also seek support in terms of donations for the above causes in a most transparent way so that with their donations they can help many have-nots and bring an observable change in them or in the institutions/ environment.

What is needed is the will that is just lacking to be different, unique and responsible. Because of this no News Channel can claim to have had a great past or a great archive to show case its performance as a responsible news channel adding value to the lives of the people. I have not come across a news channel showing how it had followed up a social problem and facilitated its logical conclusion.

Is it true that our News Channels are there to perpetuate the problems and keep them as problems in connivance with the political parties? Elimination of Poverty is still on the agenda of Govt of India and its states because it was either perpetuated or kept alive with CONCERTED EFFORTS!!

By Dr. IVNS Raju

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and does not necessarily reflect he opinion of the organization.