Making a mockery of Journalism in Live Television

In the News hour in Times Now, Arnab Goswami asks the questions “Would you pay more when they strike?” The whole question itself is lopsided. The question has a pre conceived angle. (For that matter any debate conducted in the channel is lopsided). The question clearly puts the blame on the employees without even going to the root of the problem. The whole issue started with the management violating the constitution of India which protects the employees to get unionised. The management stand is completely unjustified in not allowing the employees to get unionised.
Further Arnab puts forth his view that “Can Pilots who earn 1 lac or 3 lac to 7 lac per month be called as workers”. Now what kind of question is this? Remuneration does not decide who a worker is. How does remuneration stop one from being a part of the union?

Then he brings the president of passenger association into his show who says that “Customer is king... and we in India believe that customer is God”. Why do we pass such a blanket statement? Why do we just need to assume that customer is King, which is an explanation given by the companies to strategise their own benefits.

Leading by example!
Arnab then goes to his next question for debate. “Should MPs travel by business class?” He was putting forth an idea that in these recessionary times MPs should show austerity. It seems that Arnab Goswami was making a big fool of himself!!! Arnab doesn’t even confirm the facts before starting a debate. He is holding a government dossier and questioning the MPs travelling on business class. He doesn’t even understand that government order does not imply to the MPs, but the MPs are answerable to the Speaker of the Parliament of India. He does not even understand the difference between government and parliament. Before hosing a show please brush up your basics.

Time and again he was repeating that MPs should lead by example. I think that everybody in their own profession should lead by example in their field of expertise. This also means that Arnab Goswami who claims to be a journalist must also lead by an example by not framing question with a one sided intent (of just increasing TRPs). Empathy with drought? Austerity?? It is not only for MPs but also for the media.