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Tuesday, February 8, 2011

A LETTER TO THE EDITOR THE TIMES OF INDIA NEW DELHI


Sir:
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Please consider the reports with the following headlines published in The Times of India today (February 7)--
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(1) "OMAR PULLS UP ARMY FOR VIOLATING RULES LEADING TO THE DEATH OF INNOCENT YOUTH IN VALLEY" (Bold headline in block capitals on the top of page 7 along with a photograph of the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister).
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(2) "Omar slams Army for youth's death" (Three-column report on page 8 with a snap of the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister).
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Earlier, on February 6, you had carried the reports headlined-- (3) "21-yr-old J&K youth shot dead by Army" (Page 1 of the newspaper).
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(4) "21-yr-old J&K youth shot" (Unnumbered "ADVT." page on top of page 1).
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(5) "Valley tense after Army kills an innocent--Family Alleges He Was Shot In Cold Blood; Omar Rushes To Prevent Protests" (Top of page 7 in a five-column report along with two photographs of the mourners). Of course, what the Army spokesman had said about the incident leading to the sad demise of the young man was consigned to the fine print in the rambling text of the news report!
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The story listed at (2) above has been shown by you as originating from PTI. This is patently incorrect. It is an almost word-for-word copy of the news that has appeared today (February 7) in the newspaper "EARLY TIMES" published from Jammu!!!!
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Faux pas pertaining to the material carried/not carried in the newspaper under your stewardship have occurred on many occasions and have also been at times pointed out to you over the years.
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This is not only against journalistic ethics and norms issued by media watchdog bodies but also extremely unfair to PTI--a news agency enjoying high credibility among the citizens--and the readers, particularly the Military personnel, both on active duty and veterans.
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What are your compulsions, if any, Sir?
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Does your management know about the harm you are doing to the trustworthiness of The Times of India? We sincerely hope that you are not being made a "whipping boy" (sic)!
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Or, are we in the midst of an ongoing endemic campaign to knowingly/unknowingly insult, belittle, humiliate, demonise, degrade and defame--also to seek to demoralise and weaken--the Armed Forces of this country?
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Or, Freedoom of the Press--what all crimes are often committed in thy name/wake in India!
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Be that as it may, for this serious lapse, Sir, an apology to all concerned is genuinely and inexorably called for and will be perfectly in order. The sooner it is done, the better.
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I strongly recommend--and request--that it be kept an in-house exercise for obvious reasons.
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This is not to gloss over the very unfortunate and untimely death of Manzoor Ahmed Magray. Our most heartfelt condolences to his parents. We do understand their indescribable grief, anguish and heartache at the loss of their son in the prime of his life. May the departed soul rest in eternal peace.
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Should we expect to hear from you, Mr. Editor?
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Warm regards--and good night.
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Sincerely,
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Wing Commander SC Kapoor (retd)

1 comment:

  1. ON the street the CREDIBILITY of News Papers especially T o I, is definitely LESS than the credibility of the Army.
    NOBODY swallows what is trotted out by the Media.

    Everyone, including the youth know how they are manipulated to fulfil a political agenda

    Stories instead of Facts trotted out by the media that makes people take media speak with a bag of salt.

    Your taking on the media is laudable, it also serves the purpose of exposing the media's fairy tails.

    NEWS TV is entertaining & give Cartoon channels run for their money.

    Parvez Jamasji
    parvez1942@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete