After a few weeks of being immersed in Disaster Risk Reduction – thanks to the documentary, Farmer Suicides and the way out – thanks to our Marathi feature film “Jhing Chik Jhing”, and politics & elections – thanks to the elections; I am back to my normal reading. (disclaimer: my normal and other people’s normal may be two different things ).
Some interesting articles / blogs / analysis ? opinions i read last week :
a) Hindu Divided Family – by Sudheendhra Kulkarni in Tehelka.
For me, Mr.Kulkarni is the acceptable face of the Right in India – more economically and politically right of centre than in a relgiious nationalistic sense; which, readers of this blog know, scares me. He says, in this brilliant piece of introspection,
the BJP could not convince the voters that they should vote in favour of change. Rather, the truth is that the people wanted change but were not convinced that the BJP or the BJP-led NDA assured the kind of change they wanted.
The BJP’s failure to convince the people on this score is rooted in a combination of structural, political, ideological, organizational and campaign-related reasons.
He also takes a long hard look at “Hindutva” and the reasons for defeat – and takes on the Sangh Parivaar. I predict that just as the old style Communists in the Soviet Union or the pro Apartheid regime of South Africa used to exile people, Mr. Kulkarni is in for a long period of political exile. But, i really don’t think that he minds. I hope that he and others can lay the foundation for a right of centre party that provides a genuine alternative to the Congress.
2) A Wish List For New I&B Minister Ambika Soni: The CEO’s Agenda – from Social “Media India” – interests me as a media professional.
The list includes issues as varied as a single tax window, clarifying the Content Code, FDI, etal. To these i will add my two wishes :
a) Terrestrial Broadcasting - Doordarshan sucks. it really , truly does. Doordarshan is supposed to be a Public Service Broadcaster. However, the way it is run, it has become a money making machine which is neither Public, nor Service, the only thing that it is is a broadcaster. Free up the Terrestrial media – allow private sector entities, lay down rules that ensures Public Service Broadcasting; and finally remove the chains from DD that allows it to compete. It cannot spend its time selling slots that can only be monetized if you make a programme at zero cost.
b) Rating Services – the media rating services have to be more representative, both at the top & bottom ends of the audience. It is as important to have a metric that looks at what 25 year old graduates, who have a disposable income of Rs.25 k, watch – as it is to have one that looks at what someone who earns 4k a month watches. the current system is geared to the latter. And while, the numbers are there – you can’t sell too much beyond low value products..In the interest of diversity, audiences, and clients – it would be good if the minister took the lead in guiding the system away from its comfort zone – into something that offers choice.
A Note on Identity Politics by Paul Krugman in the NYT Blogs – What interested me was the dilema of the conservatives
The thing that is really driving conservatives crazy, I think, is that their identity politics just isn’t working like it used to. Their whole approach has been based on the belief that Americans vote as if they live in Mayberry, and fear and hate anyone who looks a bit different; now that the country just isn’t like that, they’ve gone mad.
replace Americans and Mayberry, with Indians and Ahmedabad, and you could be talking about the BJP.
4) Doc Soup – Fund Raising Woes – how documentary film makers worldwide are impacted by the recession, and what are the steps that they are taking to continue making their films.
5) Free gold ring for babies with Tamil names -
It is so interesting to a government give economic incentives to change behavior, rather than impose blanket bans or take to the streets in violent protest.
Others:
1) Media Neutrality in India -problem and solution by Chakresh
2) To RSS with Love: The Real Story of 2009 Elections – by Aditya Nigam in Kafila
And finally,
3) Rope A Dope Soap by Amrita – rotfl – so true
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