Jency's Nest

Bloggers block

2010-08-24T21:18:00.002+05:30

Suffering from a prolonged phenomenon called 'The Bloggers block'.Have been trying to make myself regular on the blog but not working out.Its not easy to maintain your own site on the web,as i have realised.

Who will protect us?

2009-11-22T16:35:00.005+05:30

Editor-in-Chief of IBN Network, Mr Rajdeep Sardesai and other journalists staging a protest at hutatma chowk.

IBN LOKMAT ATTACKED

2009-11-22T16:31:00.002+05:30

A HOUSE DIVIDED

2009-11-22T16:25:00.002+05:30

Friday's incident of another Shiv sena brutality against IBN lokmat brings back old memories. And how divided the media is even when it comes to protesting against such attacks.

To be fair, this time the other news channels did show some unity and telecasted the news live by cutting into CNN-IBN,IBN7 and IBN lokmat.Surprisingly one english news channel which is known for its sensationalism refused to do anything with this news.Obviously they thought this was not worth reporting and at the cost of missing good visuals and drama, they decided to stay out.The divide is visible.But wonder why do these ego centric editors who talk about ethics and justice day in and day out in their evening shows fail to show unity when one of their own has been attacked.

What was needed was a strong message to these lumpen elements that such incidents will not be tolerated.The police sang their usual line of arresting the accused,the politicians joined in by expressing their protest,the Chief minister and the home minister used their cliched lines of not tolerating any attack against journalists.

No senior journalists from other channels turned up the next day at the Chief ministers residence when IBN went to submit their list of demands.Unless a united media goes and expresses their displeasure against the state not being able to protect the fourth estate, i wonder how seriously the chief minister would have taken them.

The lawyers can unite themselves,political parties can unite,student unions can unite but not journalists... As each of them have elephant sized egos.and despite knowing that one day the attack would be on them, they prefer living like frogs in a well who think that the four walls of their office is their world which does not have anything to do with the woes of another media house.

We do a television broadcasters association.Wonder do they do anything worthwhile apart from meeting once in three months and blocking any attempts by the govt in regulating the media.A statement here and there,some strong editorials here and there and they think their job is done.

How about deciding in unision that you ban coverage to a political party for six months if they attack any journalist or media office.Is this a very difficult decision to arrive at.Yes competition is intense but at what cost?If you cant provide justice to your own,what message are we sending across to our viewers.

Wonder if someone is listening?

GOONDAS GET THE WHIP AT IBN LOKMAT

2009-11-22T16:05:00.004+05:30

this is what journalists will end up doing if the state cannot protect them... Shiv sena activists who vandalised IBN lokmat office at vikhroli got the stick from the staff there who couldnt tolerate the violence anymore.7 of them were arrested and got a taste of their own medicine.. I can bet these jokers will never dare to enter a tv channel office and repeat the act again atleast in the near future.

what are our judges scared about?

2009-11-17T15:14:00.002+05:30

Its become fashionable these days for Supreme court judges to recuse themselves from corporate cases by citing instances of conflict of interest.while on the surface,it seems to be a case of adhering to the highest standards of morality and ethics, i sometimes wonder is there more to it than meets the eye.

If this trend is not stopped or guidelines are not provided by the Supreme court,very soon we may have a situation wherein there will be no judges left to hear high profile corporate cases..As every judge might have investments in equity or indirectly through mutual funds in listed companies.How can that be a conflict of interest.And if we do not start with a basic premise that judges are to be trusted and above board, any aggrieved party can find many such instances of conflict of interest and stall cases that are of national importance and also to the interests of the shareholders.

Wonder where is this headed?

Mayhem at Borivali station

2009-02-04T16:22:00.003+05:30

Train services from borivali came to a halt after irate commuters got onto the tracks to protest lack of trains originating from borivali at peak hours.The already irate commuters vented out their frustration and refused to budge from the tracks.

BEWARE!!!

2009-02-02T12:04:00.004+05:30

Be careful when you blog.It is no longer seen as a simple outlet for harmless and frustrated citizens.

A blogger has been forced to file a apology after he allegedly slandered a television journalist on his website.

A New course

2008-10-30T11:03:00.002+05:30

So its time to say Good bye to CNN-IBN.. a place i loved so much to get up every morning and go to work. the people, the bosses, the channel's editorial line, the systems were all superb..

So many ask me why did i quit. There are no simple answers for it.. maybe i wanted to break the comfort zone that i was living in. To challenge my own boundaries and see if i have the strength of character to work in a unknown territory.

I have always beleived that when you trust God, He will do the rest.

Come November 3rd,I will be taking up a new role at one of India's finest Business channel, NDTV Profit.After 3 years i will be getting back to full time business news. And i would say that this is one of the most tumultous times for a business channel with global and indian markets crashing, fears of a recession gripping India.

Lets see how it all pans out. Keep watching this space for more from me.

TORAL TRYING TO MATCH OUR HEIGHT

2008-04-15T11:12:00.000+05:30

MY NEWSROOM

2008-04-15T11:00:00.000+05:30

This is the Mumbai CNN-IBN Newsroom where we work sometimes for a change:-)

WILL WE GET A MODELLING ASSIGNMENT?

2008-04-15T10:57:00.000+05:30

Look at the pose. We are professionals :-)

STUD BOYS OF CNN-IBN

2008-04-15T10:50:00.001+05:30

Dont we look cool

Bukkad group

2008-04-14T16:41:00.001+05:30

Office Mango party

2008-04-14T16:32:00.003+05:30

This is Summer Mango party.Look at the glee on everyone's face. Inflation or no Inflation. Being a journalist atleast ensures you get free mangoes to eat:-)

School pic

2008-04-14T16:29:00.000+05:30

College days

2008-04-14T13:14:00.002+05:30

Kaha gaye woh din... Carefree life and the freedom to roam around like vagabonds in the huge sprawling campus of Bhavans,Andheri.

Toothpaste Ad

2008-04-14T10:43:00.003+05:30

My son Ryan

2008-04-14T10:00:00.002+05:30

How sweet to hold a new born baby.These are the lines from a gospel song. I realised the true meaning of this line when i held my son for the first time.

Don Moen God is Good

2008-04-14T09:56:00.001+05:30

A lovely meaningful song.

RAKSHA'S LAST VALENTINE

2008-02-14T13:47:00.001+05:30

Poor Raksha. She looks so happy with so many guys fighting to give her roses.She is enjoying her last few days of being single with marriage fixed on 24th February.

Enjoy girl... And shame to you guys!!!! She is parayi now. Take your eyes off her:-)

Divide and Rule

2008-02-13T09:57:00.000+05:30

If Raj thackeray's violent tirade against the northindian community in the last one week was not enough, he has now embarked on a new agenda. Divide and Rule the media. The last one week, Raj faced heavy criticism from media across the board. Some called him and his politics "Goonda Raj" while others chose to attack his new found agenda as an attempt to checkmate the rival Shiv sena. But the feeling was common across journalists from both mediums. Violence against innocent men is not the way to score a political point.

So if you cant beat them, divide them. Raj Thackeray feeling the heat from both national and regional media did what the Britisher's did best.Divide them and watch the fun. He sent out signed invites to select regional media houses and kept Hindi and english news channels out of the list. The message was loud and clear to sound byte hungry channels."Either toe my line or face boycott from my press conferences".

But the question that needs to be asked is very simple. When has Raj thackeray become so important in Maharashtra politics that journalists need to wait at his door uninvited. In many ways, the media disgraced itself by not being able to unite and boycott his press conference. Unlike the Shiv sena, Raj thackeray does not have a regional newspaper to take his message across to his voters. In the face of unity, Raj thackeray would have realised that he is still a "infant" in Maharashtra politics and he cannot play divisive politics with the media.

Raj Thackeray's attempt to term Hindi news channel reporters as"UP-Bihar reporters" is enough indication of the kind of politics that he wants to promote in the state.It was shameful to see journalists listening to Raj Thackeray and not having the courage to ask a single tough question.In many ways, Raj thackeray succeeded in his plans of taking his message across without any tough questions being asked. Probably the national news channels need to pat themselves on the back for atleast being something to be feared about as compared to regional media that they are now being boycotted.

Network 18's office(CNN-IBN, IBN7) in mumbai today resembles a fortress with police personnel guarding the office. Twice IBN7s OB vans were vandalised. A sad reflection on the government of the day which has given a free hand to Raj and his men to subdue the collective conscience of a liberal society with the use of violence.The mask has been cast away. Raj thackeray is back to the same tactics that he practised in his earlier party, Shiv Sena... the tactics of violence and fear.

Will the Media stand in unity... Atleast for once.

Sleepy Reporter

2008-01-16T08:33:00.000+05:30

So this is what happens in the morning shift of CNN-IBN. Raksha Shetty, Special features reporter is already tired at 8 am in the morning.Look at her jacket.She is all equipped ... tapes, pens, candles ... Wonder who shot this picture .. Was it George:-)

Favourite whipping boys!

2008-01-04T11:51:00.000+05:30

So yet again, the electronic media is the insensitive, senseless devil who only understands the language of TRPs and hence chose to blow up the Mumbai molestation incident out of proportion. No, I am not saying this… It’s the self appointed TV critics who think its fashionable to blame media for all the ills in the society.

Dear Politicians, please be happy .. You are not the only whipping boys for a frustrated society. The media will now give you company.

The context

Two couples out on New Year night get hounded by drunk hooligans whose hormone levels were on a high. They groped the women and pulled their clothes, pushed the men who were accompaning them and refused to let them go. Until two responsible photographers from a mainline newspaper arrive at the spot and click pictures while also alerting a nearby police van on their night rounds. The police with great difficulty manage to control the crowds but surprisingly fail to catch hold of even one guy from the crowd.

And yet it is alleged that the media blew it out of proportion.

The photos as expected are flashed as national headlines but the police fail to act. The city police commissioner goes on record to say "Why are you making a mountain out of a molehill. These small incidents happen everyday". The custodian of the law is more interested in protecting the image of his force rather than taking corrective action and giving an assurance that the guilty will be brought to book.

And yet it is alleged that the media blew it out of proportion.

Yes we blew it out of proportion. Since it shows that our society suffers from a combination of ills.
a) Strange men who cannot respect women and keep their senses when they are drunk.
b) Bystanders who will watch the fun but not bother to help for fear of getting caught in the mess.
c) Reluctant police who will not file a complaint since the case will then have to be investigated.
d) And even strange victims who refuse to file a complaint and blame the media for blowing it out of proportion.
e) And self appointed media critics who will sit like couch potatoes clicking the remote and make idle comments about how the media is to be blamed.

Maybe this country does not need a vigilant media. One who takes up causes, one who takes up issues on behalf of powerless citizens. Maybe all they need are daily soaps and saas-bahu serials which can satisfy their hunger for entertainment.

No point blaming the News channels for showing trash. The content shown on the news channel is just a reflection of the society around us. We get what we deserve.

For the record

The police swung into action and arrested 14 men only after pressure from the media. Otherwise these men would have gone around boasting to their friends about how they had a wonderful New year celebration by groping women on the streets of mumbai. They will come again next year … maybe to grope a lady known to you and me. The reaction I am sure would be much different then when it’s a lady from our family.

Ruksh and Karishma's Christmas

2008-01-01T12:38:00.001+05:30

Christmas celebrations at Ruksh's house. This bureau has only been partying and no work ... Get back to work guys :-)

Rajeev Masand ki Shaadi

2008-01-01T08:23:00.000+05:30

Let me welcome all of you in 2008 with the picture of Rajeev's wedding. This famous film critic and CNN-IBN entertainment editor is now in knots in the true sense:-)

Lazy existence

2007-12-30T21:34:00.000+05:30

The worst thing one can do is to create a blog by taking all the pains to understand how it works and then abandoning it for over six months. I lost direction in between. didnt know what to fill this blog everyday.. whether pictures,funny anecdotes or serious stuff ...

I am still debating .. any ideas.

God's own children

2007-07-01T15:53:00.001+05:30

These are the less fortunate ones who are left to fend for themselves on mumbai roads. You can find them in the trains,on platforms, at traffic signals but what struck me about these kids, especially the one in the red dress is her bright expressive face. Look at the pose and her eyes. As if she was posing for a photo shoot.

These pictures were taken by Toral varia who has let herself loose on mumbai roads with a new digital camera. Maybe she is searching for an alternate profession. She definitely has a good future.

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Arun and his love talks

2007-06-17T20:26:00.000+05:30

Arun Gopalakrishnan alias GOGO ..... sitting outside and having a romantic chat with his fiancee .... This star reporter is planning to get married in August and he really seems to be enjoying the courtship period .... Look at the way he is blushing .... Carry on GOGO ....
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Ruksh trying to avoid the camera

2007-06-17T20:25:00.000+05:30

Was ruksh upto some mischief with the women as shown below ... He was trying hard to avoid my camera .... But i eventually got him ...CLICK CLICK ....
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Colleagues on the gossip mode in the canteen

2007-06-17T20:21:00.000+05:30

This is why i say girls will always be girls ... We went for a quiet lunch .... But there landed the girls, Raksha and Toral and started gossiping with Ruksh .... Ruksh is unsure whether to concentrate on his Ghar ka Khana or at the giggling girls .... Bechara Ruksh .... Chain se khana bhi khaana naseeb nahi hain ....
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What happens at CNN-IBN on a lazy SUNDAY

2007-06-17T20:12:00.000+05:30

">Link Very soon you will see this newsroom of ours in a hindi movie ... film technicians are giving a makeover to our swanky newsroom for a film shoot .... Good they landed up ... I got the excuse to run off early since there was practically no place to sit in the office ....

Lazy existence

2007-06-17T19:45:00.000+05:30

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Yet another lazy sunday passes on without much to do .... In many ways i like to work on sunday ... Less pressure with all the trouble newsmakers on hibernation ..... so all journos decide to take a break and reflect on their stressful life .... i could take time out to write a few words here which will be saved for posterity and also add some photos that my friend toral varia had clicked at Worli Sea face .... It was also raining heavily outside ....so the climate has also cooled down .... that means more trouble is on the way ... with flooded streets, late trains and aam junta compalining about BMC inaction .... oh my goodness ... trouble is around the corner for us jholachaps ...

Rains finally hit mumbai

2007-06-17T17:12:00.000+05:30

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CNN-IBN Think tank discussing serious editorial matters

2007-05-31T20:15:00.000+05:30

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Hungry kya?

2007-05-31T20:04:00.000+05:30

Now you know why Domino's Pizza is doing good business in Mumbai.

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THE HOGGERS

2007-05-31T19:56:00.000+05:30

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The latest heartthrob of CNN-IBN

2007-05-31T18:26:00.000+05:30

Girls in CNN-IBN can never appreciate the latest new look of Ruksh Chatterji who could earlier be seen in jackets searching for investigative stories. Today he can be seen wearing designer suits running in and around the office. He is the latest reporter to succumb to the thrills of becoming an anchor. Last heard: Girls in our sister channel swooning over the latest cute look of Ruksh.... Be careful man....You are ruffling lot of young hearts with this deadly smile:-)

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Working in the Wild

2007-05-31T17:41:00.000+05:30

This is the chameleon "Chimpu" who daily pays a visit near the window adjacent to my desk. If my colleague ruksh would have had his way, he would have opened the window and welcomed Chimpu. But i have preffered to keep the window closed and say hi to him without getting too close for comfort.

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UP ka naya DON

2007-05-16T16:24:00.000+05:30

This is Kanhiya singh, Crime correspondent with CNN-IBN....But he is also trying his luck with modelling...got some offers from Bhojpuri cinema(for which this picture was shot).... But then he was selected for UP election coverage and his life changed....He is now planning to start a new party to counter Behenji (Mayawati)......
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Caste Your Vote or Vote Your Caste !

2007-05-15T15:17:00.000+05:30

Mayawati has won the elections in Uttar Pradesh with a thumping majority and once again analysts say it’s the caste factor and maybe the `Tilak Tarazu Talwar’ equation that has played a major role in deciding the fate of over 400 assembly seats in the largest state in the country. One feels happy that in this country we finally have a Dalit lady becoming a Chief minister without support of some other party. But why should there be a caste equation behind her victory.. Why can’t she be elected purely for her performance as an adminstrator or as a politician…Caste seems to be the deciding factor in politics…But is it only in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana that caste plays a major role in politics ? Is a state like Maharashtra truly progressive and secular in it’s sociopolitical fabric and it’s electoral politics ? Well not really as one finds out time and again… It’s the caste factor that rules here in Maharashtra too…And who’s to blame for this…No not the politicians but its the voters ! They are the once who will vote candidates that belong to their caste.

As a journalist, one sometimes gets an opportunity to mingle with politicians at close quarters and gets first hand exposure to political processes. Though I for one, have no political ambitions, I sometimes wonder what chance a person like me stands in politics if at all I decide to enter the Frey ever. As a Saraswat I belong to a caste which can be called a minority in Maharashtra or for that matter in most of India except the state of Goa. In most states no political constituency would have more that 1 percent voters who belong to this community and since one sees that voting even in a so called progressive state like Maharashtra too happens only along caste lines a Saraswat person stands no chance of wining even a municipal elections. One look at the list of candidates announced by various parties on the eve of elections and one would be convinced of how each and every seat is contested on the caste appeal only. One often sees a debate in media where participants plead that educated youngsters should participate in politics and `clean up’ the system. One does not want to sound pessimistic but how does one make a start with a ` wrong last name’.!

The Cultivation starts right at the primary level. College elections, where tomorrow’s politicians are supposed to be groomed are today dominated by students wings of political parties and what do you get to see there ? Sons and Daughters of local or regional political leaders thrusting themselves as `students leaders’ and ensuring victories in each elections using muscle and money that comes as inheritance from parents. What chance does a person with no political background stand ? Some chance only if he belongs to the `right caste’ ! That’s because with issues like OBC reservations and right wing party’s demonstrations in college campuses, the political atmosphere is highly polarized and even with your westernised upbringing or your secular principals you tend to get drawn in and influensed by the caste debate. The cultivation continues !

Fast forward to the political scene in a Municipal / Assembly election….Who are the candidates you have on your ballot paper…Only the ones that fit in the caste equations of the big parties…If it’s a constituency in Mumbai where you have large population of fisher folk, all political parties shall field candidates belonging to only `Koli’ caste , if it’s a Brahmin ghetto in central Pune all parties shall bet on only `Konkanstha Brahmins’…

Established Political leaders in Maharashtra who claim legacy of Mahatma Phule, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and other great social reformers would make no bones proclaiming in a closed door party workers meeting that only candidates belonging to the `right caste’ shall be given party tickets in elections. And in a election rally they would make an appeal to the voters to keep `communal forces’ away from power! Even after a supreme court ruling on the OBC reservation issue some leaders would hold protest rallies and demand `justice’ for their caste because they know all their votes would come only from that `mass base’!

Late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan faced a lot of criticism when he was active in politics for not commanding a `mass base’….He always retaliated by claiming that mass base was nothing but the support of a large number of people that one got on the basis of one’s caste!!.. Truly arguable but the statement was not completely false. It is sad that in 60th year of independence this nation’s voters and it’s politicians choose to stay entangled in the `caste web’ instead of breaking it .

Adhita desperately trying to fit in.

2007-05-14T18:27:00.000+05:30

Wonder what went wrong with Adhita????? She just seems to have disappeared.....But i later realised the problem. Whoever was clicking the pic just lost interest in Adhita and decided to focus on something better....But her size helped her to be in the frame in atleast some form.

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Adhita in Europe

2007-05-14T18:24:00.000+05:30

Now the camera has come back to the proper frame. The joy of being the focus can be seen on her face.

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Sea Stud

2007-05-14T13:32:00.000+05:30

Meet Mandar Phanse....on his favourite hobby....flirting with nature.....Here he is seen sailing near JNPT. Look at his glares....Thats his latest acquisition which he keeps flaunting everywhere.

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The CNN-IBN mumbai gang(not all)

2007-05-14T13:16:00.000+05:30

So the pics are going to come in instalments.Bhakti as usual sitting behind me acting childish....Sapta on the far right looking intently in thin air instead of looking at the camera. Anjita sitting behind sapta has a wide smile while Hindol and Raksha are desperately trying to fit into Mandar's camera phone.

Back to blogging

2007-05-13T00:30:00.000+05:30

Hmmm....so i am starting blogging after a very long time....took a break as i could not handle the pace....and in the meantime i have also lost access to my old blog....

So i am coming in a new avtaar...Hope to play a long innings hereon...

cya