Saif 's Brawl - A Safe Bet for Media

Though dust has started settling on the latest brawl involving the Nawab of Pataudi, media was trying its best to milk the same when the story was its peak. A leading news site had all the headlines devoted to Saif on a day elections were undergoing in the most populous state in the country. See this

After a few hours the SC verdict was out on Baba Ramdev case but Saif was still at the top of the front page though Baba Ramadev had occupied the left hand corner.

Even next day Saif was still occupying the top shelf space - this time with 2 photographs :

Is our media so short of stories or is it pure lack of imagination?

( Photos: IBNLIVE.COM)

Don't Quit

After the iconic judgement cancelling the 2G licenses of A Raja fame, investors have declared their decision to quit the biz and India. It was S Tel yesterday and Etisalat today.
However, there is one player who has decided to fight it out. That is..... Telenor.
It has :
1. started legal process to seek damages from its estranged partner Unitech
2. declared intentions to seek fresh license in auction
3. floated a new entity which will carry on the existing business minus the erstwhile partner
4. aunched a new ad campaign
5. mounted a diplomatic offensive

after all investment of USD3bn is at stake

Hope all this does not turn out to be a case of throwing good money after bad I talked in previous post.

I am sure many heads must have rolled for making this investment and others are awaiting their turn if this strategy does not work out

Good Luck

Loan to Kingfisher

All biz newspapers were screaming impending relief to beleaguered airline Kingfisher courtesy  fresh loans and guarantees from banks. It stumps common sense why would banks give loans to an entity whose earlier loans have just turned  bad. By evening TV channels were asking - Why should SBI bail out Kingfisher? Now it appears SBI has said no to fresh loans.

What was the basis of earlier news that banks are ready to hand over another cheque which was nothing but throwing good money after bad money?

Why did the banks change their mind?

Or did someone else change his mind?

Comics Journalism

I came across this site (www.worldcomics.net) courtesy an article on ibnlive.com . It is about use of comics to bring up important issues.  One small comics on the site highlights the oh-so-common story of lopsided development. The story of India's only uranium mine and the tragedy it has meant for poor farmers.

Ajit Singh's son seen taking cash at UP rally

This election has seen many poll code violations. There is a race amongst certain Congressmen to break the poll code to brighten their chances in the post poll power dispensation.

However, this poll code violation stumps me.

s.As per this report -

Mr. X was given cash ( Rs70,000) by Mr. Y which Mr. X passed on to the party candidate - Mr Z. Mr. Z gave  it back to Mr. X who passed it to Mr. U. Mr. U is the brother -in-law of Mr.X. Mr. X is son of Mr. A. Mr. X was campaigning for a Mr Z who is a candidate of Mr A's party. Mr Y is the functionary of Mr. A's party. 

No wonder our investigative agencies find it so difficult to trace the money trail.

  

Car Accidents

Last 2 days have seen 2 car accidents in Delhi that have grabbed some media space.

First one involved a young real estate brat with a high speed car. Sadly, the driver was killed and a cyclist was injured badly. It seems, the driver was not wearing the belt and he was thrown out on impact.

People forget that they wear the belt not to escape from a 200 buck fine but to protect their own lives.

The other day, I saw the car in front of me stop and the driver wearing the belt just because there was police barricade ahead.  

The other one was even more unfortunate-   the car cleaner took a car for a joyride and mowed down 2 pedestrians.

TV channels got lots of masala to air while the loss of families can only be imagined.  

What got me thinking was that there are so many car accidents in Delhi every year and so many lives are lost but it is the ones with an expensive car in it that get the maximum coverage

Priyanka Gandhi's magic waning

I have come across at least 2 articles that talk about Priyanka Gandhi's  lack of charishma in this election.  It seems that though the people have voted  for the Gandhi family in Amethi and Rae Bareilly yet they have not reaped any benefits that a VIP constituency usually does. Main reason, Congress has not been in power for a long time ( 22 years) in UP. As a result it has not been able to do much for the people who vote for it. In state assembly elections, people will like to go for a party that is able to do something for them.

One of these article was in Outlook  and the other one on rediff.com.  

At the same time I cannot dispute the fact that Congress might do better than last time's 22 seats out of 400+ that are on stake.

So Congress’s spin doctors will find a way to give some credit to the family and the scion.