Black and white and read all over
May 5, 2009 at 7:39 pm | In India, comparison, internship diary, journalism, journalism ethics, newspapers, trends | Leave a Comment
So everyone’s naturally been asking what’s different about journalism in India than here in America. Well, for the most part it’s the same. There are only some differences I noticed:
As I mentioned in an earlier post, there is a clear difference in the way photojournalism is approached. In fact, I don’t think I can even call it photojournalism, because many times, newspapers don’t care to tell a story or further it with a picture. A picture is simply a colorful space filler on the page. However, since that post, I think I’ve come to understand why so many of the events covered have such bland photos.
One thing I noticed while in India is that many people consider themselves important. This idea is accentuated through the felicitation ceremonies, at which guests are shown that they are, indeed important. Thus, when its time to capture the moment on film, photographers naturally crowd around what they believe to be the most important subjects, the people, and focus their shots accordingly….and the product is usually a grip-and-grin handshake photo with the dignitary.
Journalism ethics is also a bit different, not to say that one is wrong and the other isn’t. Two different cultures, two different codes of ethics. When it comes to direct quotes, Indians are more lax about the words put in between quotation marks. I think this also stems from the fact people speak a mix of Tamil and English, so flavorful parts are selected and translated accordingly. But what would normally be paraphrased in the U.S. could possibly be found in between quotes in an Indian paper, and it is not considered unethical because the person still “said it,” in effect.
In the same way, in television media, blood, guts, and scandals sell just like in the U.S., but there’s bit more “acting” done than “capturing.” From what I gathered, this doesn’t seem to be breaking any ethical code. In fact, to tell the subjects to “do” something rather than wait for the action is almost considered a standard.
Newspapers in India are still flourishing, or at least, facing only minor cuts, because there is still a certain part of the population that is starting to emerge as literate (which was not previously the case) and it will still take some time before these people start turning to online resources for their news. In contrast, I was very depressed when I arrived in L.A. Airport and purchased a much slimmer, narrower copy of the New York Times. I was even more depressed to find the Gainesville Sun, the local paper in my hometown had followed the same format (as it is affiliated with the Times) and was reduced to a mere few pages.
I know today people find it easier to surf the web for their news and have updates sent to their email and Smartphones, but you have to agree — the content in newspapers is juicier. You get a lot more details, background information than you can with little tidbit tweets or spots on t.v. You have the chance to mull the subject over, think about what you’re taking in. There’s a certain thrill I get when I feel the weight of the paper pull apart as I open the pages in the morning to find long editorials and articles….rather than ads that take up most of the space now.
While there were only some superficial differences that I noticed about journalism in India, one this is certain: the papers aren’t facing the same dismal fate as the papers here in the U.S. and I don’t think they will unless the “recession” worsens or is prolonged. Sure, there has been some consolidation and effort to not waste space, but there hasn’t been major chopping of material or of staff.
I came back to the U.S. because my internship ended and I plan to settle here, but if journalism continues down this path, I may just have to reconsider and head back to the heat of Chennai.
Scribbed in the margin: Indians: leaders or laborers?
April 22, 2009 at 4:31 pm | In Chennai, India, brain drain, internship diary, jobs, labour, success, super power | 2 Comments
Perhaps we’ve all been fooling ourselves under the impression that India will dominate as a world super power within the next 50 years…..Some others feel India is doomed to forever remain a slave to the West.
I went to the book release ceremony today of Krishnan Arunachalam’s “Indian: An Ideal Labour or Slave.” The title itself might shock some people, but as I skimmed through the pages (just an initial glance) it seemed like the author made some good points. From the comments other readers had to say about the book too, I was convinced it’d be a pretty interesting read. Of course, I myself have still got to read it to form a true opinion.
The author thinks Indians, at the most basic level, are programmed to serve the West. He says Indians have a fundamental “psychological weakness” to please the West and be accepted. History has shown that India’s labor history “is not all that great.”
After noticing several advertisements by European companies seeking Indian employees over the years, Arunachalam was 
inspired to research the management models that place the West in superior positions and Indians in submissive, serving positions. Arunachalam’s account dates back to when Indians were traded as slaves in international markets during medieval times. However, he argues that not much has changed since then, now that “IT coolies” (*cringe* forgive me for using the term) are being outsourced in India.
Some facts and ideas that are presented in the book may be hard for many Indians to accept, but Arunachalam’s point is that today, the best of India’s IT professionals are content with working as outsourced employees in the BPO’s. This itself is acceptance of a form of indentured servitude, he says: “We are blindly proud of something that doesn’t belong to us.”
Plus, as he says, “until you recognize there is a problem, you cannot find a solution.”
Though the man who reviewed the book, M.R. Venkatesh, said the author himself provides no solution to the questions he raises, Indian Express columnist, S. Gurumurthy, noted that Indians should not completely abandon their involvement in international markets, either: “The pool of talent India has is an important medium for India to connect with the world,” he said. Instead, one guest suggest Indians become solutions providers rather than business seekers.
One thing is certain: Arunachalam stressed that the West is not to be blamed for the exploitation; Indians, he said, must change their fundamental psychology and abandon their “slavish” tendencies. Citing Leo Tolstoy’s letter to Gandhi, Arunachalam said it was the fault of Indians (200 million at the time) to have given into the clutches of the East India Company, a single commercial enterprise. Indians have only themselves to blame for their own servitude.
Along these lines, Venkatesh added that 2 % of Indians who live outside of India amass a GDP of one trillion–equivalent of the entire GDP generated in India as a whole. “It means something is not right here,” he said.
So I ended up buying the book when the function was over. (Published by Pentagon Press. Sold for Rs. 595).
I’ll keep you posted on how it really fares.
(Flickr photos by gopal1035 and harpreet thinking, respectively.)
Worth a thousand words?
March 31, 2009 at 4:48 am | In India, U.S., comparison, dignitaries, felicitation, photojournalism, structured | 1 CommentI’ve picked up a lot of new terms here in India: biodata, visiting card, “good name” (meaning first name), etc…..but if there’s one term that I still can’t get over it’s “felicitation,” which in my mind has come to mean “the arbitrary exchange of mementos and shawls at a highly structured ceremony on stage.” At these felicitation ceremonies, prominent people usually distribute awards to other people, or the graduates of a college are recognized for their hard work, etc. They are ceremonies held to honor people, but in the process, the dignitaries who are bestowing the award on someone else, are also honored for taking time out of their busy schedules to partake in the event.
But the thing I’ve noticed is that these felicitation ceremonies have influenced the concept of photojournalism employed by the papers (I’m speaking only of newspaper photographers). In the U.S., we’re told to avoid “grip-and-grin” photos. Here, I’ve noticed that’s the bread and butter of a photographer’s work. They are what I consider “flat” photos though, becuase they do not add any dimension to the story or extra information if it’s a news item.
Indians have a knack for writing, expressing, storytelling, reporting…..their English vocabulary is unparalled because they have been taught by the British. But when it comes to telling a story through photos or capturing an event on camera, all the photographers uniformly horde in front of the dais for the handshakes and shawl exchanges. I feel like they aren’t doing justice to the SLR cameras they hold in their hands.
I know they are sent out on assignment and the “felicitation” part of the ceremony is pretty much the guts of the event, but there are still interesting ways these moments can be captured… Otherwise, perhaps these are news items which could run without a photo.
A photo may be worth a thousand words, but for now, Indian newspapers seem to be capturing only one: “felicitation.”
At The Hindu: Two legends, two nations and one great ideology
March 17, 2009 at 6:04 pm | In Chennai, India, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., The Hindu, U.S., civil disobedience, freedom, internship, non-violence | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: Two men from opposite sides of the world transformed their countries based on the same precepts: non-violent protest can spark change, not only within a nation, but around the world.
To mark 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr.’s pilgrimage to India, the U.S. Consulate General here inaugurated an exhibition at Sri Krishna Sweets on Monday, featuring the ideological exchange between India and the U.S. The “Journey Toward Freedom” exhibit focuses on two legendary leaders in particular: Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
He came to India in 1959, 11 years after Gandhi’s death, wanting to see the sights and the country wherefrom the Gandhian thought originated. India was the only country to which he said he would travel as a pilgrim, not a tourist.
“King did use what he learned here and he imparted those methods to the U.S.,” said Frederick Kaplan, U.S. Consul for Public Affairs.
Seeing that Gandhi was able to catalyse India’s freedom struggle from Britain, he used the same method to fight for the rights of black Americans in the U.S.
U.S. Consul General Andrew T.Simkin said “today, we can see some of those ideas influencing U.S. President Barack Obama.” He said Obama has not only read the writings of both thinkers, but has also demonstrated their struggles were not in vain.
“His election as President shows the fight by King Jr. has reached its height, a new historic landmark.”
The ideological exchange is something that continues today and will only continue to flourish, Mr. Kaplan said, as interactions between people of both nations have become more frequent.
Mr. Simkin said the exhibit is a reminder of the links between Indian and U.S. thinkers: “We take away the value of non-violent struggle for justice in a diverse society.”
At The Hindu: At Bala Mandir, happiness is the right of every child
March 15, 2009 at 6:02 pm | In Bala Mandir, Chennai, India, The Hindu, anniversary, education, internship, orphans, school, service | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: A sea of smiling children sang out in unison, “Happy Birthday to you!”
It was their wish to sing at their alma mater’s 60th anniversary celebration scheduled for Saturday, and because happiness is the right of every child at Bala Mandir, Maya Amma granted them permission.
“As adults, we often forget what children want,” said honorary secretary of Bala Mandhir, Maya Gaitonde, ‘Maya Amma’ to the children. But, from the looks of it, she’s been doing her part to secure not only the happiness but also the success of her children.
Since 1949, the Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust has provided children with holistic care. Established by the former Chief Minister, K. Kamaraj, and S. Manjubhashini, Bala Mandir has kept its doors open to children below the age of 5 and, in some cases, the staff have nursed infants back to health.
The medical unit provides paediatric, homeopathic, allopathic and Ayurvedic services, and there are several 24-hour counsellors on the staff to cater to the children’s emotional and mental well-being.
“If you see a child smile, that’s the greatest thing,” says Chitra, a Bala Mandir social worker.
Now Bala Mandir, described as a “banyan tree” by Ms. Gaitonde, may open branches in other districts of Tamil Nadu.
Children are usually admitted from poor or dysfunctional families, and in many other cases, they have been abandoned altogether. Chitra says initially they are emotionally disturbed, but, through unconditional love given by the staff, they learn to trust adults again. It’s the job of the staff to provide children with that missing piece of their lives — family — as many of them come back to visit ‘ammas’, ‘akkas’ and ‘annas’” they grew up with.
“They all have a sibling relationship with each other,” says Chitra. After school and marriage, some girls even return during pregnancy, as per Indian family tradition. The staff conduct ‘Valagappu’ and ‘Seemandham’ ceremonies on request.
The day begins with prayer. Lakshmi Krishnamurti, employed at Bala Mandir for more than 30 years, says they recite a sarva dharma prayer, acknowledging all faiths. Then the children proceed to school.
Bala Mandir recently started targeting two special groups — girls who have dropped out of school to babysit younger siblings, and working mothers who have not wanted to institutionalise their children.
In the evenings, they take part in playtime and extracurricular activities — music and dance lessons, vocational training and chores.
Ms. Krishnamurti says all of the children have to shoulder responsibility, from cleaning to cutting vegetables and cooking. “Though there is a cook, if the girls do not know how to cook, they will not be prepared for their life after marriage.”
Bala Mandir also offers vocational training in computers, carpentry, tailoring and laundering, so the students can land jobs after leaving school.
The trustees hope to implement foster care and vocational training for the empowerment of women. Indian society has warmed up to female children and adoption, but Ms. Gaitonde says there’s more to be done.
On its 60th birthday, staff and students celebrated ‘Service to man, service to God,’ but Bala Mandir seems to have provided much more than service to its children; it has provided them with family and a future.
At The Hindu: 60 years of harmony
March 12, 2009 at 5:55 pm | In Austria, Chennai, India, The Hindu, Vienese Chamber Orchestra, international relations, internship | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: At a concert by the Vienna Chamber Orchestra Wednesday to commemorate 60 years of Indo-Austrian diplomatic relations, Honorary Consul of Austria B.H. Kothari said ties between the two nations were strong.
“Austria is very supportive of India,” he said. “The two nations are part of a whole cultural exchange.”
Since the former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru supported Austria’s wish to have foreign occupational forces removed in 1949, bilateral relations in trade, tourism and intellectual collaboration, had been amicable.
Indian Council for Cultural Relations Director N. Rajappa said that though Indians were steadfast in their traditions, India had opened its doors to foreign cultures.
And the Chennai audience enjoyed the performance, asking for an encore of more pieces by Austrian native Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The Vienna Chamber Orchestra, founded in 1946 by conductor Philippe Entremont, has received worldwide renown, performing frequently in Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, the U.S., South America, and now in India.
But the orchestra’s India tour this year is only one on a list of initiatives taken by both the countries to recognize and nurture the cultures of each. Austria has hosted several classical artists of India.
“It is beautiful to know that one country is friend of another and working together,” said Orchestra double bassist Gustavo D’Ippolito.
As part of the cultural exchange, the seven orchestra members who performed Mozart’s pieces said they also visited the KM Music Conservatory school of the Mozart of Madras—A.R. Rahman. They conducted a workshop for demonstration of the Western instruments.
“The children’s interest is the most important,” said Orchestra violinist Balazs Csonka. “It was new for them.”
At The Hindu: Need to dispel misconceptions about organ donation
March 10, 2009 at 5:50 pm | In Chennai, India, The Hindu, internship, organ donation | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: A brain dead patient whose body is clinically and legally declared dead can live on only through organ donation, said R. Surendran, head of surgical gastroenterology, Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital.
The main reason families decline to donate organs is that they believe the pumping heart and breathing lungs of a patient are signs of life—a common misconception, according to Dr. Surendran.
He was speaking at a seminar organized here on Monday by the Rotary Club of Midtown Madras. The team of doctors of the hospital, led by him, which conducted south India’s first successful liver transplant in the public sector, was felicitated.
Dr. Surendran said a family’s emotional turmoil and the sense of miracles that Indian culture fosters led people to distrust the doctor when he or she declared a patient brain dead. But the only way for the patient to live on was by donating organs to those whose lives could be saved. “We don’t have a spare parts shop for these organs.”
Organs which can be donated include eyes, liver, kidney, pancreas, heart and lung. When one of these organs suffers disease “beyond the point of redemption,” the only option for a patient is organ transplant.
“Organs are scarce,” says nodal officer Rosy Vennila, “and God only knows who’s going to require an organ in future.” Dr. Surendran said that at his hospital alone, 155 patients were awaiting a liver from a donor.
Currently, the statute allows organ donations with the informed consent of the family, so even if a brain dead patient holds a donor card, he or she cannot donate organs without the consent of the family—a husband, a wife, or parents if the patient is a minor. Donating organs through a living will is not suffice under the legal conditions. Until the family approves harvesting organs from the cadaver, the patient’s body remains intact.
Surgical gastroenterology assistant professor S. Jaswant said the family should understand that doctors conduct a clinical exam first to verify the loss of consciousness and the absence of brain stem reflexes. A patient’s family may spend between Rs.25,000 and Rs.50,000 a day, keeping the patient on life support, whereas donating an organ is free for the donor’s family.
At The Hindu: Campaign against complexion complex
March 8, 2009 at 5:41 pm | In India, The Hindu, complexion, gender issues, internship, women | Leave a CommentChennai: “Indian groom, 28, auditor, seeks bride, 20-25, complexion: very fair,” reads the matrimonial ad.
…And there’s much more where that came from.
For the tanner, qualified woman, the future of marriage possibilities seems dark—shades darker than it does for the Indian male, says Kavitha Emmanuel, founder of Women of Worth (WOW), a network of women across Chennai that works to empower them in social, professional, and personal spheres.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, WOW launched a campaign geared at an issue still facing women looking to get married: complexion. The week’s events, which included entertainment by seven all-female bands, a seminar on personality building, and an art contest featuring this year’s theme, ‘Dark is Beautiful,’ came to a close on Saturday.
The message behind all of the events was the same: a woman’s skin colour should not determine her worth.
“There’s a lot of emphasis on how women look rather than what they do,” says Ms.Emmanuel. “God has helped me,” says Joy Christina, her friend. “If He has created me as what He considers beautiful, then who am I to say I’m not?”
Emmanuel says the purpose of the contest was to give people an outlet to express their sadness or frustration regarding discrimination based on skin colour. But she says the fair ideal is not one that realistically depicts the Indian image. Children often get confused when waiting in the beauty parlours with parents because the images of perfect skin and hair–fair skin and blonde hair– reflect the Western look, she says.
It’s the correlation between fairness and success promoted in fairness cream advertisements that her organisation is trying to dispel.
“Why should you be anything other than yourself?” she says.
Meanwhile, Ms.Christina says the standards by which a single woman is measured up for marriage are stricter than those for men, especially with regard to complexion. “Somehow,” she says, “they get away with it.”
Many women agree with her. Abigail Paul, student of the Hebron Boarding School in Ooty, says since childhood, she has witnessed discrimination only against women with dark skin, including herself. Ms.Paul’s artwork, which inspired the campaign, will continue to be on display at the British Council until March 12, along with several paintings, photographs, short stories and poems that were part of the contest.
Columnist Sharanya Manivanan, who co-judged the poetry entries of the contest, noted that, as pleased as she was with the writing, many of the works expressed ‘dark is beautiful too.’ She said through awareness and the spread of this campaign, the message should go further: “We can say, ‘Dark is beautiful.’”
The next world power?
January 18, 2009 at 5:02 am | In India, problems, progress | 1 Comment
Perhaps my view of India thus far has been far too simplistic. A recent conversation got me thinking……
me:
Find me on
Blog at WordPress.com. | Theme: Pool by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.
