India’s unbearable tv news channels

Millions like me are absolutely fed up with India’s 24/7 news channels .

 Why on earth are they shouting and shrieking all the time into the peace of our homes and our quiet lives .  

 Why are they giving the false impression every now and then that doomsday is around the corner .

 And as if they are focussing on the grim issues of this country. On the contrary they seem to be a world away from the real problems facing the nation .

 Worrying problems like rural poverty , naxalite uprising , farmer suicides and unemployment are hardly covered . How many care to take on state governments for poor governance and corruption .

 But I suppose these issues are not worth selling . So they look for more glamorous topics . Like cricket , films , celebrity gossip and urban crime .

Often there is a kid just out of college reporting from a venue or news scene within Delhi(where the OB van can reach fast) or a reporter by phone from a state capital.

The instructions to them from the editors seem , “Just talk as fast as you can , don’t stop until you’re asked to or else you may lose your job.”

So often these twenty something kids talk nonsense , acting experts on everything in the world.

The moment the reporter shuts up the equally raw and young tv anchor girls continue with the shouting and urging the viewer “Hum is khabar pur apni nazar lagataar banaye hue hain , aap bane rahiye hamare saath .”

And if you switch channels you see all of them covering the same topic which could be Tendulkar’s form or an unheard politician asking for the PM’s resignation , or the IPL gossip .

So naturally all anchors end up being repetitive , clichéd and always screaming at the viewer as if we are all deaf and dumb .

If you switch on any news channel at prime time , particularly Arnab Goswami’s Times Now , one suspects the guests are in a torture chamber and a nasty general is shouting orders at them .

These guests , often eminent people must fall in line with the channel’s view point at once as Arnab thunders , “The nation wants to know , the nation tonight wants answers.”

But friends if you have suffered enough and want relief from the aajtaks , indiatvs and timesnows switch to Rajya Sabha , Lok Sabha or DD news .

They are not hard to find on your crowded tv channel list , besides they are free to air .

Once you switch to these channels you will realise to your relief the world is not on fire all the time .

Rajya Sabha tv is easily India’s best news channel with a variety of programmes including  national and international news , lively balanced discussions . In-depth interviews . Coverage of arts and entertainment .

If you’ve missed a programme don’t worry they are repeated a few times . Or simply go online to the RJTV and watch a live or old programme.

And you always have the option of watching  BBC and CNN . And National Geographic , Discovery and Animal Planet .