Comments on: India: Blogger silenced

By: Vijay

Vijay — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:23:07 +0000

Doesn’t freedom of speech include blogging and expressing one’s opinions, political or otherwise freely? Isn’t serving a notice violating a fundamental right? Or is it just plain hooliganism on the part of NDTV/Barkha Dutt?

Shame on Barkha Dutt and NDTV. I think Pranoy should give her the boot. He is to be ashamed for given her so much room.

Such a disgrace to the nation she is.

By: Saumitri

Saumitri — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:28:22 +0000

I watch NDTV and read blogs as well. Frankly, I don’t know enough to say anything against either of them.

But I don’t understand how NDTV and Barkha Dutt can send a legal notice to Cheytanaya when he has the right to express his views just as Barkha Dutt has the right to express her’s.

Barkha Dutt and NDTV are not the only “media”, Cheytanaya’s blog is media as well – infact the media of tomorrow. If NDTV can cover an event and present their views, so can Cheytanaya present his opinion on the coverage. How did this amount to maligning either NDTV or Barkha Dutt? After all as a reader, I am intelligent enough to read both and judge them on their own merits.

It is time the blogosphere is recognized as a genuine media vehicle by governments and provided the same freedom of press, so that opinions posted on blogs can be read without threat from the traditional media vehicles of today.

By: vivekiyer1

vivekiyer1 — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:19:06 +0000

O.k, maybe NDTV’s coverage of the Mumbai attack- to which I, personally, was riveted- was injudicious from the Security p.o.v. However, the rapidity with which they responded and the concentrated attention they gave the unfolding atrocity stood in stark contrast to both the State and the Central Governments ‘hota hai’ attitude. Thus, N.D.T.V, rather than the Government, became the outward and visible symbol of the Nation’s sense of Unity and outrage at this act of war against us.
In this context, much was forgiven them. However, the plain fact is India has lousy News Chanells- even when compared to Pakistan. In the case of NDTV, there is no obvious reason why this should be so. Surely, the Indian talent pool is not as shallow as all that? Why such unrelenting, in your face, unprofessionalism, stridency, self-importance and plain silliness on the part of NDTV anchors- amongst whom Barkha Dutt stands out but, I’m afraid, in no complimentary sense- can it be that these guys, who surely are aware of better models, are now in a race with the political class to see who can be stupider, shriller, uglier, and more strident in endlessly repeating self-righteous nonsense?
For generations, Politics in India has been about proving yourself stupider, more goon like, uglier, less stylish, less capable of a connected thought, than the next guy.
Barkha Dutt is balooning before our eyes. She is becoming a caricature of herself- not in the manner of an Indian Oprah Winfrey- but as the Media’s own home-grown Mamta Bannerjee.
Of course, it must be said, threatening bloggers with law-suits is an action to be commended. Cowardly little shits are all the better for being exposed as cowardly little shits. The outrage other cowardly little shits express on their behalf- though boldly expressed in the usual cowardly little shit manner- is a balm they can lay up agaist their lacerated breast- for such indeed is the Kingdom of the cowardly little shit- they inherit all Moral Outrage- though, naturally, the profit upon it remains in the hands of bullies chosen from the Gadarening swine not just of Politics but now also the Media.

By: Adarsh

Adarsh — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:10:18 +0000

I had read some posts related to NDTV’s sensational journalism earlier also. The lack of professional journalistic standards is very apparent. More than that, the fact that NDTV lawyers have forced a blogger to withdraw his post, is appalling. If the channel has the freedom to air their “VIEWS”, why take that freedom away from a Blogger?

By: Hari Sud

Hari Sud — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:25:24 +0000

I saw the NDTV coverage of Mumbai carnage. But I did not know about Cheytanaya’s blog. I am outraged at first how NDTV covers news especially riots and other special events like strikes, cananage and stampede etc, second at challenging anybody who is crtitical of their coverage. Somebody has to stand up to NDTV and tell them that media is to police itself or be policed by the government. It is very unpleasant to know that NDTV is so powerful that little bloggers are being intimidated.