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This post is part of the Global Voices coverage on the terror attacks in Mumbai, India on November 26, 2008.
Anger at the media for their coverage of the terror attacks in Mumbai is apparent on the blogosphere. For one, the mainstream media appears to have taken the approach of “shock and shake”, as opposed to verifying rumors before reporting them. But the nation appears glued to their television sets, as it is probably the most “live” source of information at this point in time. Kalyan Varma writes:
In tough economic and global times like this, we will win only if we move on with out lives and keep this behind. This is how we fight terror, not overreacting to this, not invading countries and giving up our freedom. Bad enough the security guards check my car and bags each time I enter a mall or hotel here in Bangalore, I do not want to give up any more of my freedom.
and someone please shut up Barkha Dutt of NDTV. She is causing more damage to the country by FUD than the terrorists themselves.
And from the perspective of a media man, Smoke Signals writes a poignant post on news and the self.
The rational corner of my mind tells me that there is no security measure, no multi-crore security ‘plan' that can permanently inoculate me and my fellow Mumbaikars against what is becoming a gory ritual. But who, listening to a colleague call in with details of grenade explosions and the rattle of machine guns and mounting body counts or watching images of the Taj Mahal Hotel – more, to me and my fellow Mumbaikars than a ‘hotel'; its facade is as much a part of my Mumbai-ness as is vada pav and cutting chai and the boon-granting Ganesha of Siddhivinayak – can stay rational? That other me, the irrational me that showered and dressed and drove to work today, watches news reports of the Prime Minister talking to his wannabe successor to work out travel plans [Shall we go to Mumbai together or separately? Prime Ministerial plane or commercial airliner? Window seat or aisle?] and wonders, don't you guys have anything more important, more immediate, to do? Does Mumbai really need, want, either or both of you to regurgitate the cud of banality, to trot out prefabricated statements on the order of ‘The country must come together to resist this threat to its security?
Falstaff comments on the relentless media coverage, and if someone has stopped to think about how it might end up helping the attackers:
It's a particularly bad idea because it seems to me that most media channels are too busy trying to sensationalize the news to bother thinking through the consequences of what they're saying. It's not just that much of the coverage seems to be designed to amplify the general hysteria and panic, it's also that watching journalists describe what the police are doing or report on who is still trapped inside the hotels, I find myself wondering whether anyone's considered that at least some of that information might be helping the attackers.
I am shocked,i am shattered and i am upset and it should not be surprising for any indian even after knowing i am from Pakistan.I have travelled a number of times to India and i have always felt there is something about the city which fascinates me and watching the hotels burning where i use to stay on my trip wasnt a good sight.This is not a Pakistan India war,this a war on terrorism,a war Pakistan has been facing since a long time now.Its a war forced upon our region and instead of blaming each other its the time to unite and fight for the right.I know this little email of mine is not going to make a difference but its a request to indian authorities that everything that goes wrong in india doesnt have involvement from Pakistan.We are already on war,we are not politicaly established yet since the last election and on top of that we are facing crucial economic threats.What has surprised me the most in whole situation is that why are the letting people die inside hotels,why not negotiating with terrorists to see what their motive is,what their task it.For Godsake its the time we stop blaming each other for our faults,its the time to unite and fight against terrorism,not for being an indian or pakistani but for humanity.
Nitin, I am continously watching CNN Here there no such statement from these guys blaming Indian Group. Infact they declared that FBI, Scotland Investigations and CBI would do joint investigation. FBI already flied from here (USA). Its declared as world level Investigation.
The non-stop coverage of the Mumbai terrorist attack on CNN is monotonous with little or no new information being put out for hours together; all I could see for hours after the crisis unfolded were replays of earlier footage played over and over. To air old footage and call it LIVE is an affront to the intelligence of sane persons with a little knowledge of geography and timezones.
In addition to the monotony, they bring in terrorism ‘experts’ who proclaim this attack as “India’s own 9/11″, as if the 9/11 attack (tragic as it was) is the standard against which all terrorist attack ought to be judged. Little do these so-called experts know that India and Israel have endured countless terrorist attacks long before 9/11. But the US sat up and took notice of the terrorism problem only after 9/11 hit home.
I notice that many of your bloggers, especially many from India, have been highly critical of the TV news reports in India. You have my sympathy but, as an Indian living abroad and planning to visit Mumbai next week to see family, I can only say that for us this has been absolutely critical information, even if you think it is sensational. We are all watching any news items on the terrible events and are grateful for them. We add our own filters to sift through the mass (mess?) and can at least arrive at some “truth”. Some of you seem to be critical because the news exacerbates the situation? – For us outside India, concerned deeply for loved ones and feeling utterly helpless at the loss of life in this terrible event, any news is better than none. Please continue to blog – but give people like me stuck outside India more information too.
I’m an older U.S. citizen, writer/artist,a non-Muslim, but continue to be appalled by the newscasters use of the term “Muslim” and to immediately place terrorist blame there. “Muslim” is a religious term, just as is Christian, Jew or Hindu. Terrorism and terrorists are nationals of various countries and may or may not have loyalties to those countries; terrorism must be financed; who is financing this? terroist must be recruited, how, and why?
We are also too ready blame everything on anger at the U.S., or the west (including Europe),(rather like blaming murder on one’s “hood.”), rather than analyzing the why of terrorism, and who is supporting them, and the profiles of those who are recruited. We have to shift (the television talking heads) need to shift, from their assumptive pronouncements about which religious persuasian, or nation is “at fault,” until we see proof that such actions are motivated by either religion or national interests.
International community needs to understand, if america was justified to retaliate against terror groups after 9/11 , India cannot keep excercising constraints at behest of the lives of their people. Pakistan needs to be cleaned up of these terror groups to make Asia and the world a safe place to live. If you are still not convinced then sit and wait for this to happen to your family in your country till you realise the enormity and gravity of this issue.
Bottom line : 27/11 is for the Indians as 9/11 was for Americans.
I wonder where the sons of soil and what are they doing now, covering under thir wives/mom’s sarees. yes, am talking about maharashtra navnirman sena and shivsena.few weeks ago, raj thackery asked a top cop official to shed his uniform and come to streets to fight with him. what is he doing now? why didnt he go fight with the terrorists or his party? same question to bal thackery and his partymen. we have lost 4 top cops in this war and there’s no word how sad iam.
I believe this attack is intented to hit the economy of India and reduce its global economic influence. The reasoning for this hypothesis is the attack on soft targets like top hotels frequented by foreign financial big wigs. The perpetrators are trying to sow fear and doubts in the minds of foreign investors and they will now question the security of their investments in India. You might temporarily see a withdrawal of foreign direct investment from india till india can convince them through greater security measures
This attack will have effects on the indian stock market similar to that of NYSE after 911
The meda has mentioned that the terrorists are trying to single out Americans and Britishers but that is more to indirectly hurt the indian economy rather than send any message to the US or British governments