| Biswo |
Posted
on 27-Nov-01 11:22 PM
I remember reading CNN Asia bureau chief Mike Chinoy's book " China Live: Two
decades in the heart of the dragon" in which he recollects his experiences in
interviewing with Chinese leadership.
He tells how US media neglected the interviews with foreign dignitaries. Once NBC
interviewed a Vietnamese prime minister during war period of 70s, which it
didn't even broadcast. When Deng Xiaoping was going to US, one network (CBS?)
interviewed Deng in Bangkok on his way. When it was broadcast, it was broadcast
with distortion, and most of the parts were omitted, and words were reported
without contexts. Furious Deng and Chinese leadership then decided they would
never give any interview to Americans.
Later when Mike Chinoy requested interview with president Jiang Zemin, he was
confronted with the bureaucrats who hated the whole idea. But Jiang later
relented with his set of conditions:" You guys can't cut any part of interview, you
can't have any advertisements within the segment of interview, and questions
should be submitted before the interview". CNN agreed.
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Kunda Dixit, who in his statement flayed the "time-honored" tradition of New Delhi
journalists, could have fared better had he read the book of his schoolmate Chinoy. (I think both graduated from Columbia school of journalism, Correct me
if someone knows it is wrong). It always helps to make sure where your name
would be used.
A lot of Nepali people wants to show that they are respected, and being
recognized by international peers or media persons. They sit for interview with
any dull Indian journalists or hippy. Be it Royal Astrologer or be it Raj Parishad
Sabhapati Keshar Jung Rayamajhi. When king Birendra was murdered brutally,
everybody loved the limelight.
In Aajtak and other Indian news channels, I listened to these people gleefully
feeding information to the parachuters. Most of Nepali leaders spoke in Hindi. Only
person I remember to be speaking in English was Tara Nath Ranabhat. They spoke
Hindi with difficulty. Himal's one editor spoke in Hindi and inserted a lot of 'matalab
actually' kind of refrains. I don't know how he thought he should be speaking in
that broken Hindi. Broken Hindi can't impress any Indians. If one can't speak real
good Hindi, it is better to speak in English. But , anyway, let's come to the central
point.It demonstrated one point: Come on, guys,we knew how people love these
interviews in Nepal, and how they don't think about the way they would be
aired.
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Finally, for apologies:
I don't want to let this scheme of Indian media (as claimed by Dixit) create
fissure among us Nepalese. It is definitely a time to unite. I stick to my points. I
did flay those comments supposedly coming out of a journalist of Nepal. If he
says he didn't make those remarks, fine.He doesn't need to worry about that.
Nakhaayeko Bikh Laagdaina. Khaayeko Bikh Maatra Laagchha. The overriding
concern for Dixits and his friends should now be to elicit apology from TOI, and
publish the name of person who supposedly called him, so that we know who is
that yellow journalist.
Next time, I hope people will learn from experience.
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