Introduction to Media Smut

Heralding the dumbing down of the Indian media in general has yielded a rich harvest to the Slimes of India; the infamous City Supplement, a euphemism for soft porn was the trendsetter. It is a tribute of sorts to the Slimes’ onslaught on the readers sensibilities that other news houses were forced to follow suit to remain in business. Hindustan Times is a case in point. It scores over Slimes in the soft porn department. Today’s Yesterday’s City Supplement of HT shows among other things, this:

It’s nothing new if I say that the Slimes’ shamelessness is matched only by the brazenness with which it has butchered every principle and ethic at the altar of money. This has predictably brought in the result it wanted: power via money. From shrinking edit columns to ugly price wars, the Slimes has “done it all.” While its detractors–chiefly the HT–cry foul, they are no white lillies either; just a case of sour grapes.

Slimes Ignored Long Enough?

Apart from writing some furious pieces, none of the other media houses did anything to stem the rot. No media house will write nastily about other media houses for fear that the coin may return to them sometime in future. Also as this excellent article says,

But along with that success has come a dumbing down of the news as large mega-media corporations have gained control of newspapers — and have even invested in each other’s stock.

It is a truism that while the media is quick to claim journalistic freedom to criticize everybody, it shouts foul when that principle is (justly) applied to it. Independent media-watchers are born thus. Media watching is almost non-existent in India where the press almost has a monopoly over dissemination of news. It is naturally hostile to anybody who attempts this.

In this light, the Slimes has been ignored for a far longer time than it deserved.

Mediaah! started, closed, restarted, and re-closed by Pradyuman Maheshwari deserves applause for being one of the few stray voices in this direction.

Slimes Turns Dictator

The media especially, the Slimes didn’t take it kindly. I’ve been an infrequent reader of Mediaah! and admit enjoying his often humourous, and sarcastic commentary on the state of–and happenings within–the Indian media. The Slimes, true to their reputation and the crap they publish in the name of news, sent him a slimy legal notice that reeks of oppression. Clumsily worded, and openly threatening, the Slimes has yet pulled off another stunt to muzzle freedom of expression. For your benefit, here’s the notice–make yourself what you will of it.

“You are constantly engaged in criminal conspiracy against my Client, its employees, and business which has resulted in grave harm and loss of reputation to my client and its employees,” reads the legal notice in part, under Manan’s name. “It is clear that published material is injurious to the reputation of my client, which is done intentionally with ulterior motives or done in criminal conspiracy with someone as a proxy war. My Client reserves its right to take any criminal or civil legal action as it may be advised …”

(Source: Online Journalism Review)
As Ravikiran says, this kind of stupidity would be thrown out of court. But the Slimes’ intention behind sending this notice seems hardly to pursue the matter to court. It was a threat. And it worked. Mediaah! shut down. If you seek the source of Mediaah’s “criminal conspiracy” or “proxy war” you find 19 blog entries, all preserved here. Pradyuman Maheshwari confesses–probably wisely–that he cannot afford to take on a huge conglomerate like the Slimes:

While I would like to thank you all for the support, I would urge you to appreciate my predicament. As a solo performer, I don’t have the time, energies and monies to fight a biggie. If I would delete the posts and continue, the guys could still pick on everything I write, and slap a hundred notices on me.

While I may be in the right with all of them, the thought of harassment is distressing. Yes, I am aware that I have written in the past that if you’re in the kitchen, you must be ready to face the heat. But what happens if there’s a fire? Do you run or get burnt? Yes, I have run away from the big fight, but I can tell you that it was a very tough decision.

What came across as surprising to me is the Slimes’ thin-skinnedness. This from a porn paper newspaper, which regularly serves generous doses of skin packaged as news. Or is it insecurity? Or is it some kind of self-righteousness that has deluded the Slimes into thinking that it is above criticism?

The Blog World takes Notice

Does anybody remember the Anupam Kher Slap incident that happened a few years ago? The journalist worked for the same group that publishes the Slimes of India. The entire journalist fraternity was “up in arms” against poor Kher; slogans ran amuck, “Bald is ugly!” “Kher hai hai!” “Kher apologize to (slapped journalist name)” The poor actor finally did apologize. He became cattle fodder for the media who gleefully badmouthed him for months on end. But few asked what prompted Kher to slap the journo. Apparently the journo trod farther than he was supposed to. That aspect was totally masked out. “Anupam Kher slapped a journalist!” screamed the headlines.

The Slimes’ whose “reputation” is tarnished because of Mediaah! will do well to recall this incident. Because it has unleashed a flood of fury in the Blog world. I got wind of this first via Shanti. Hours after it appeared on Instapundit, it was picked up by others. The Politicker’s words are worth quoting here:

I have this to say: in the blogosphere, there is no here. We all are part of the same blogging community, and when you threaten it, any part of it, be it Indian or Iranian or British or American, we all should fight for our rights and freedoms. Remember, freedom is not free.

And so, in the words of Shanti and the Politicker, War is declared.

What can be done?

It’s all fine and dandy to rant about the Slimes on our blogs, but does anybody have pragmatic ideas on what should be done? I don’t remember where, but someone suggested Google-bombing the Slimes. Remember the Rohan Pinto episode? The man finally apologized for his actions. While my intent is not to open old wounds, I chose this example to demonstrate success. Any ideas, suggestions, solutions?

Postscript:

1. And has anybody read this about blogging. Published in the Slimes on Feb 21, 2005, its title proclaims, Flog the Blogger?
2. Oh! and I’ve created a new category to file this post under: Media Watch. Thanks, Slimes for inaugurating it.