I love this song by Anne Murray, “A little good news”, I wont go ahead to recite it word by word, the inner meaning of this song in gist is she will be very happy to see one fine day that no newspaper has any thing sad to publish, or no TV channel has any thing sad to broadcast, in place of that they are broadcasting all the parties in the town. What a blessed day that will be! I know you are also agreeing with me.
I know it’s the duty of the media to show us the truth, but is it necessary that it would be shown in such a horrifying manner, unnecessarily? I don’t know how many of you will agree with me, but those of you who are sensitive and have respect for life will agree that it sends a chill down our spine and screws up a long portion of our day when we see on the front page or any page blood smeared lifeless bodies, its irrelevant whether it belongs to human or animals.
If the idea is to deliver the news, that can be done without these horrible displays, and if they want to spread some message against violence, that can be done by words instead of gory illustrations. It doesnot makes one detest violence, it makes one habituated with it.
Will I be too wrong if I assume that its done because we have ceased to care for life? So many time we are forced to pass by dying people on pavements not because we are heartless but because we are extremely busy with earning our own bread. The same mindset is reflected in media, all they concentrate on is catching attention, doing their job. I have seen my father reading newspaper while eating but I never touch the newspaper before bracing myself up, or switch on the tv news when I am having dinner or breakfast or enjoying myself.
I know truth is often harsh, but the question which arises in my mind, after getting almost daily dose of my shock, is it really necessary to present these in such a harsh manner? I don’t know why, but I somehow feel that it is disrespect to the departed soul and torment to us.
We, who already have enough friction and turbulence in our personal life to make us distressed. These open display of morbidity only changes that distress to gloominess.
In the end, I too really would love to see a day like Anne Murray when no news media will have any thing sad to show, all they will have to do is spread a little happy thoughts.
Kingmaker 14 on 16th Jan 2011
13 years ago
I have always thought that the news media prey on the disastered... people seem to like a car wreck from a distance. If you want to make a difference you can't change the world, but perhaps you can help one disastered person with kindness... very honest and thoughtful insight Trisha.
ReplyDeletedear wendi,
ReplyDeletethat is my motto too,to start with the woman in mirror, then one person at a time.
that makes the picture a little prettier.
this one was written at a time when there were too many blasts happening all over india, and you can guess how any mentally healthy person will feel when she picks up the newspaper in the morning or logs in in any website.
glad that you share my view too.
warmest wishes,
Alright! Another, off the beat goodnews is that this day -- 26th June, 2009, was my birthday, dear Trisha! On this pretext, I wish you all the best in all your pursuits...Cheers!!!
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dear z,
ReplyDeleteI missed your birthday!!! :) but advance wishes for the next one.
have a beautiful year ahead, and let every year add greater, and greater happiness to your life.
dear z,
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warmest wishes.
I really enjoyed reading this piece. It made me think about how the news is presented and I would have to agree with you that it could be presented a lot differently. Although it may be necessary to report the happenings, it is not necessary to post the heartbreaking images. But the media will report in a manner where they get the most views, whatever that may take.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see, in the newspapers, on television, a section at least to start, of reports on good deeds, or acts of kindness, or any kind of uplifiting news.
Thank you for opening my mind to that thought. A really wonderful post that I truly enjoyed.
Trisha-I stopped reading newspapers about thirty years ago. They were making me pessimistic and misanthropic. They're pure sensationalism, and their one true purpose is to sell themselves. They create panic and disgust with every article. Like others have stated I believe true reform begins with oneself, examining one's own actions and motives. If you don't change yourself nothing around you will change.
ReplyDeletedear QWR,
ReplyDeleteI two hundred per cent agree with you. Glad to know there are more people who feel exactly as i do.
warmest affections,
dear NP,
ReplyDeleteI too agree with you, though i read newspapers every day but i avoid the pix. still they sometimes just pop up like nightmares.
i too stopped watching news on television years ago.
i also prefer starting with the woman in mirror and try to spread my point of view in my immediate circle.
warmest wishes,
Everybody do their job in their own dirty manner. I also do not like to read newspaper or view news channel while eating or relaxing. Life is harsh to me to an extent, that doesn't let me like to view inhuman acts of people through the media.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your views. You are not alone. :)
thought,
ReplyDeleteI agree and I myself try to keep as far as possible from listening, watching, and reading the news on current news media. While, I had been much found of reading news paper and listening to the news at atleast night time since I was in grade 6 of my school life. I even used to read serious articles on current issues.
But I don't do this anymore for I don't want to be depressed and hopeless with so many sad and shocking news.
thought, thank you very much for sharing healing thoughts.
dear shankha,
ReplyDeletei am really happy to know that all my friends share my view.
i just sometimes wonder how can people be so disrespectful to others.
warmest wishes.
dear ibne hanif,
ReplyDeletei too had a habit of reading newspaper from beginning to end, which i have slowly stopped over last ten years.
when our lives are non complex we can toler these things, or ignore them,but once we are out in the real world we start to avoid them.