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January 12, 2006
I felt like a ‘real’ journo today!
I have done my Masters in Mass Communication & Journalism – not out of special interest, but then it just happened. Fresh out of the college and after all those internships, initially I had this burning desire to become a hardcore journalist. I indeed was interested in a career that is accepted as the fourth estate of the society, which can bring a lot of changes in the lives of mankind. But having subjected to the media hypocrisy and few incidents where in particular news were manipulated just to avoid rubbing the wrong shoulders of corporate advertisers - I had decided that this ain’t my area.
In the late 90s, when I was part of the Indian Express Online Media, the Indian Express newspaper tapped a telephonic conversation which took place between the managers of Tata Group and the Bodo Militants of Assam, which clearly proved the nexus between them. The whole conversation was published in the front page of the Indian Express Newspaper, Mumbai Edition. The next day, as all had expected a follow up story of the same, there was no news that was related to the one published the previous day. Also we at the online division were asked to remove all the stories from the Internet edition that were related to this particular episode. I made my research about why was the story completely forsaken the very next day, and I learnt that the Tata group had called up the owners of the newspaper to warn them - that no advertisements will be given if they continued to carry a follow up story!
It is more than 3 months now that my sister and I are going around the Post Office at Tiruppur, where my late father had deposited his hard earned money. The work is simple they just need to transfer the amount from my dad’s account to my existing mom’s account, and we have submitted all the necessary documents 3 months before.
When it comes to yelling at people offline I am very bad, but my sister is a stronger person than me. She has fought a couple of times and yelled at the lady who is in charge of the same – but all efforts in vain. She still gives the same excuse – it will be done, and that she is not able to do it, and there are people who are waiting for the last 1 year or so!
Recently I had invested in a MP3 USB port, which has a built in space of 128 MB RAM, FM Radio, and also a Voice Recorder. It was my turn this time to do the follow up. I took my MP3 recorder, put it in the record mode, and entered the post office. I showed the slip on which she had acknowledged the receipt of the documents from us. She said, “two inspections are going on, and that she will definitely complete the work before January 2006, and that there is so much work that she could not do it.” This time she has promised that before January 2006, it will be done. And I have a recorder version of the same as evidence - without her knowledge. If it is delayed more, I am not meeting her next time – will directly go to the regional office and make a complaint with the CD version of her promise of course ;).
This is just a beginning. If I can afford a hidden camera with good resolution, I will start carrying that too to expose the corrupt people – online!
Posted by Kenni at January 12, 2006 02:39 PM