Motive of Media Mischief?

There are some newspersons in Tamil Nadu, who at times, unaware of what they are doing, perform some non-constructive works. Approaching some political leaders and asking something, and instead of publishing their reply as a whole, distorting it to the extent possible to create maximum confusion and publish the distorted version, exaggerating such distorted version, they approach some other political leaders asking for their reaction and then exaggerate and magnify the ‘news’.

For instance, even early in the morning on the birthday of DMK President Kalaignar, the very first callers on him to share their happiness and seek the greetings of the veteran were his family members M.K.Alagiri, M.K.Stalin, M.K.Tamilarasu, Selvi, Murasoli Selvam, Amirtham, Kalanidhi, Dayanidhi Maran, Udayanidhi Stalin, Gunanidhi, Dayanidhi Alagiri, Arulnidhi Alagiri and others and their group photograph along with Kalaignar was published in the eveningers on the day. But the flash news and topical news in all the bulletins of the 24X7 English news channel ‘Headlines Today’ on the day was that M.K.Alagiri did not attend and boycotted Kalaignar’s birthday function. So many leaders came to greet Kalaignar, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Tmt. Sonia Gandhi greeted him over phone, Union Ministers, all the party leaders, DMK functionaries et al., lined to greet him. Leaving aside all those things, why should they telecast a false news that Alagiri did not come? Why should they cover up the attendance of so many leaders and try to create a confusion? What is their motive?

Similarly there was a demonstration organized by the DMK condemning petrol price hike and the ADMK regime imposing hikes in bus fares, milk prices and power tariff. Addressing the demonstrators in Chennai, Kalaignar did not at all utter the words that the DMK would withdraw from the UPA government at the Centre and he only spoke about DMK’s attitude towards coalition parties in the past. But the same ‘Headlines Today’ reporter, even before Kalaignar finished his speech, reported to the channel in haste that he warned of DMK withdrawing from the UPA government. As that news was topical believing the channel’s news as true, all other TV channels telecast it immediately as a ‘flash’ causing huge confusion at the national level. Even before Kalaignar completed his speech, there were calls from New Delhi enquiring whether he threatened to withdraw from the UPA. Thereafter Kalaignar explained the truth to newspersons who met him at the DMK headquarters Arivalayam.

But after two days, a senior lady newsperson from the ‘Headlines Today’ channel came to the residence of Kalaignar and said they wanted to convey regret for telecasting the news wrongly.

Similarly on 15.6.2012, prior to the reporters meeting Kalaignar, nobody knew about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee thinking of Abdul Kalam as presidential candidate. Only when reporters asked him about Mamata Banerjee proposing Kalam’s name, he said, ‘the word kalam in Tamil also means ‘confusion’ (kalagam). Somehow, even in Presidential election confusion has happened’ What is wrong in it? Has he said anything to mean that scientist Abdul Kalam had created confusion or giving any other wrong impression? Did he say anything discrediting APJ Abdul Kalam? Further on 15.6.2012, when reporters again asked him that Abdul Kalam had disassociated himself from the race Kalaignar said, “What Thiru Abdul Kalam has hold is his opinion. But when the same Abdul Kalam was in office, I met him in the Rashtrapathi Bhavan at the fag-end of his career and asked him whether he would like to seek a second term, he said he had no such desire. I can’t understand how he again sought the position now.” It was Kalaignar who went to his place and enquired about his wish to continue for a second term as President.”

But some people who want to create some confusion and misunderstanding in this, without realizing the true meaning of Kalaignar’s statement and in their usual itch to create some sort of clash of opinion, have issued statements. Some dailies in their craving for causing some chaos over this, have published their statement.

But neither those who issued statements nor those who published these statements prominently nor those who eagerly await to create some confusion over this, know the relation between Kalam and Kalaignar.

It will be proper to recall the poem penned by Kalaignar ten years back on 13.6.2002 greeting Abdul Kalam assuming office as President in 2002.

(Murasoli 18.6.2012)

This is a part of the beautiful poem written by Kalaignar about Abdul Kalam!

Not only that. After reading “Tholkappiya Poonga’ of Kalaignar, Abdul Kalam wrote a letter to Kalaignar in which he praised his writing. From all these things, truth can be realized.

But it still eludes common sense as to why the newspapers and television channels go out of the way in attempting to discredit the DMK and its leadership by fabricating news, even one year after it was removed from power because of their misinformation campaign. What is the motive of the media-mischief? Who are their benefactors benefiting from it?