What is news?

I had put this question to a senior journalist friend of mine and straightforward that he is, he replied with an analogy: "in Mumbai millions travel by local trains everyday most of them start on time and reach back on time, that never becmes news. But if one of them falls from a train and dies, that is news". I must admit, given the brilliant analogy even a child could have understood what news was. And I must admit that unlike other journalists facing the question, my friend had not callously replied "whatever the masses like is news". Nonetheless, i was no more wiser after his reply.

But as they say, there are people who learn from others' experiences and there are fools who learn from their own eperiences. This is how I realised what news was through my own experience.

Just read in the newspaper the other day that Kingfisher Airlines had to part with 15 crores on account of misuse of online payments for tickets. It is a lot of money for an airline that is true to its colours still in red. This unfortunate news was not uncommon among other airlines too. Hence it was newsworthy. Of course, everyone is interested in online payment frauds, online gambling, online pornography and etc. So all the more reason to highlight the darker side of human behaviour.

But the fact that the same airlines in an offline card swipe charged me twice for the same ticket will never become news. Money involved was small, it does not highlight darker side of human character [it was a mere clerical mistake] so it is not newworthy.

That's how I learned what was news.

I stand no chance of recovering my 4,500 Rs from an airline which has paid 15 crores on account of false online transactions. My bad luck

Schools, Ur baby and U

If you are a parent of a 3 year old and jostling, fretting and fuming to get your child into a "good school" in Delhi, it would be useful to read one particular chapter in the famous book by Steven Levitt "Freakonomics".... At least it will keep you from being hassled too much. The central thesis of the chapter is whatever you had to give in terms of genes and social environment you have already given to your child by the time she is born... rest is left to her peer group...

The first premise should obviously desist you from "traning" your child for those nasty intereviews where exceptionally nasty teachers ask equally nasty questions to your toddler and the godlike saviour high court of Delhi religiously asks those nasty teachers every year not to ask those nasty questions [I wonder why the same court allows a rape victim to be asked details about the incident in full view of packed courts, is a three year old in the presence of parents more vulnerable than a rape victim under cross examination? But I digress]

The second premise will reiterate the need to put your child in the right schools. Here is where you need to do your homework well based on your imagination of the future of the child. The problem is really yours and your expectations from your child and what she is going to be in future.

Here is a guide to select schools in Delhi: a) Noveau rich b) Rich but Shy to confess c) we make them wizards or idiots the risk is yours d) we do not sell our brand but provide wholesome education d) we are there just because of our brand and alumni. Go to the market with this criteria and u will make the right choice.

Please remember the interviews are not as bad in some schools and they really interview you and how you want to bring up your child. You should at least know that......

Cheers

TV 2.0! Oh Ho

Have you heard of web 2.0? I am sure you have. If you have not, let me explain: broadly speaking this is the version of web, opposed to web 1.o where the users put the content. It is the user generated content. Easy, eh? provide a platform and watch the fun... Whereas in the first version you had to provide the platform as well as the content.
In this version what content are people adding? it could be anything really, but self expression in terms of blogs, podcasts, videos, groups etc etc are the man constituents.

It is expected with some justifiable and some way out expectations that such sites, driven by the primordial urge among men and women to be seen and heard, are set to rock... and ring in the cash soon... Be that as it may [or may not in the future] the purspose of this blog is not to expound the virtues and vices of web2.0.

It is to bring to your notice TV 2.0 [not to be mixed with TV 18 the famous TV company in India and by the name of it very futuristic too having gone upto 18 while we are still in version 2.0]

While the internet guys have been talking from rooftops about web2.0, TV 2.0 have slowly and securely cropped into our living rooms and is actually rocking.... Quite literally rocking all over the screen in all shapes and sizes.... Yes From Naach Baliye 2 to Jhalak Dikla Ja to MOMMY's Boogey Woogey to probably many more in the future. Not to forget the ever green The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Dwitiya [Second].
It all began really in poor taste many years back, kids dressed up in adult clothes, mouthing adult songs and gyrating like adults in Boogey Woogey.. It took some time to catch on and now it as spread like wild fire.... Every celebrity (?), every yongster, every mom and dad wants to dance on TV. TV companies are drawing new crowds and new ideas [inspirations from more foreign shows] coming up every day.
We now have several dance shows, several laughter shows and several, one reality show [Big Boss, the original english version had i think a it of sex too, this one in the true Indian tradition, only titilates without the real thing]....

TV has rediscovered itself folks... while the internet guys are still debating the relative virtues of web1.0 and web 2.0... By the time the debate is over, TV will reach version 18.....