Dynamics of news...

NEWS... Earliest memories of news for me is on television.. Doordarshan... at night... We had to stop talking, stop fidgeting. Very formally dressed news presenters used to read from notes on desk and looked up in between to make eye contact with the viewer. News of the whole 24 hours, headline followed by a brief report and it used to be a half an hour programme. Each Sunday, there was a news programme for the deaf and mutes, where there was a lady using hands to build a language unique and attractive to our little eyes. 

Oh those were simple days!! News was a window to the world, slotted into official, serious, good, entertainment, and sports sections. A little bit of everything packed into the half hour. Unbiased and straight.  I remember me playing the news reporter with my school books and even trying to make hand gestures of the news reader of Sunday. 

Then came "THE WORLD THIS WEEK". Oh we were glued to it. It gave us material for tea party discussions, gained our general knowledge to be able to brag at school, even gain good marks in Limca Book contest and Maggi Quiz Contest. 

With the globalisation and private channels, we were introduced to news 24*7. Now the content of news changed. The presenters wore western, more like global dresses, presentation became informal. News was now a color and music and fun affair. We were excited being able to get instant news about the event. Highlight was the Kuwait war , being able to watch live war on television.

But slowly, this excitement was overtaken by different concerns. News were said to be sponsored, manipulated, it's a money game, they are not authentic.... All kinds of rumours one could hear. All elders were heard saying that good old Doordarshan was better. No fringe simple authentic news they said. 

And now our phone has become the breaking news source. Every time we pick our mobile, we can easily sort out the latest minute by minute information of happenings around the world. How long we have come. And technology is thus that they show you the news according to your interests, in the language you know. You can read just the headliners, or the ten second reads or main news of all daily newspaper compiled in one place.. Oh I actually find it so convenient, informative and easy. And with these phones we ourselves can become "citizen journalists".. so cool. 

Oh it's time for my tea... See you soon in next article... Till then enjoy the news..