I always used to feel that media is the strongest thing which determines the thoughts of a country. It is the best tool to spread the thoughts. I used to think about the real effects of our media. Media is the way through which we know the outside world. I feel like this post will be similar to a speech of our former president A.P.J Abdul Kalam. And I remember a lesson about his views in which he narrates the present problems of media. I accept that our media have done some remarkable work in charity, politics etc. But still, I feel that they are concentrating more on negative part of our country. I can feel a "business mind" behind every report.
Media is really exploiting our people's interests now. Just consider advertisements, I used to note the theme of every advertisement. If you watch closely, it is really funny to narrate. If the product is expected to be marketed for male youngsters, the theme of the advertisement will be concentrated on 'impressing girls'. For some examples: face cream, deodorant(axe),tooth paste, Buiscuits(hide and seek), sun glasses,soft drinks,clothing, engine oil (castrol) etc. Please do not get astonished to see the last example, now-a-days the only thing in the advertisement maker's mind is to 'market the product effectively' so that even engine oils can impress girls. If we consider female youngsters, the only aim of advertisers is to make girls believe that anyone can be a celebrity by using that product. If we consider some household products, the only aim of the advertisers is to make the viewers believe that their product can make anyone smart(Now-a-days even the whiteness of the shirt can make a child smarter or even sharper!!). Some of the health drink companies claims that their product increased the growth rate of children. I advice them to stop using it as it may lead to gigantism!!I guess it can happen, isn't it?
I do not know how far these advertisements are honest. I do not feel so honest about it as I fall under the category of male youngster and I am still single(okay, my next try is with some engine oils)!! And about my previous experience, I used to drink health drinks in my child hood and my mother used to wash my white uniform with some specified washing soaps which offers smart kids. But, I am at normal height with below average 'smartness'.
Let's move to cinemas!!! Recently, me and my friend saw the movie "Race" . I made a comment about that movie "The most rubbish movie I've ever seen". But, my friend didn't like it. He said that it is really a good movie as its story have a twisting nature and it is a good entertainer too. I accept that story of that movie is really exciting but, I cannot accept the message from that movie. A brother kills another brother, a girl friend cheats boy friend etc. are some of the incidents in the movie. I think the hero in the movie can be a 'virtual role model' to the enthusiastic viewers and at some condition, we do not have the power to discriminate real and fantasy. We used to adopt latest trends from movies and the present mentality of the people is not so far from the story of that movie. Media have the responsibility to avoid such possibilities.
About newspapers!! I used read two newspapers at my home. When budget was called in kerala, I was confused by the headlines of both newspapers. One newspaper says that "Farmers in trouble" and the other newspaper says that "Farmers at heights". What should I believe? Even though these two newspapers are controlled by different political parties, I must reach to a conclusion, right? And the condition in Kerala was really honest as in the second newspaper. The farmers used to reach the very high branches of trees to hang themselves to death! What should be the assumption of farmers from that news?
I would like to change the present condition of our country. I would like to create an advertisement of a tooth paste which says "We bring you a toothpaste which will be useful to brush your teeth". I would like to write a story for a cinema where there is no negative characters. I would like to start a newspaper which is not supported by any political parties. Just stupid dreams, isn't it?? Who cares all these things?? ("Whatever the condition is, we should stand with the majority")
"faithfully"
Raghu
Media is really exploiting our people's interests now.. WEll actually they are creating interests..they are deciding our priorities nwadays.. they are manipulating our behaiours and weaknesses..
ReplyDeletewel u may b readin mathrubhumi n deshabhimani ;)
wel every great things were a single great(may be stupid at that time) idea in some great person's mind..rite..
Yes...That's right... Media created interest and trends.
ReplyDeleteA very good blog you have..media is very commercialized nowadays..leave alone commercialization,the media is acting stupid nowadays..even news channels..i hope u remember 26/11,and the way the media people were interviewing the close-ones of the hostages and also giving a live update on what the movements of our security forces were... insensibility prevails..atleast sometimes like this,when the media only try to increase their TRP !!!
ReplyDeleteNo one can forget the incident in Mumbai, because it was efficiently covered by our media with full of enthusiasm and honesty. But, I felt it like an 'action thriller movie'. It just revealed every movement of our soldiers. I think, it will be a reference to other terrorists in the future attacks against us.
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog.. and good thoughts. It is true that media, cinema etc are commercialized now as is everythign else. I would say that we do not ahve to read whatever trash the majority reads.. we do not have to watch movies that are crap just because everyone watches them! There are sincere attempts in print media and cinema to stay away from commercialization. We can search for those lesser known magazines, non-commercial movies and encourage their creators. We will get food for thought and keep our minds unpolluted :)
ReplyDelete@iniyaazh
ReplyDeletewe have a lot of creative men in our country but, they are not so efficiently supported by the people!
My favorite movie is 'school of life'. The reason why I liked the movie is not its presentation but its message to the people. But many of my friends do not even have the patience to watch it.
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ReplyDeleteLoved the way you write...i too crave for an idealistic world where marketing doenst mean we have to be dishonest, finance management never looks beyond "creating wealth" for stakeholders. Buying stocks as a broker for making money is all what one looks at...no one looks at whether the company is being good to the society around or not...i gave up a career in Banking only cos I couldn't relate to anything around me. so I think I know what you are saying :(
ReplyDeleteI'm a commerce student... I heard that the future concept of marketing will be based on profit making with service to society.
ReplyDeleteIf it comes to action, I think every company should consider these things while marketing..
They are responsible for many concepts and views of people.!
Thanks for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteRaghu, it s all about manufacturing mass consent which is somewhere tied to more money.
Good post.
You might want to read an interesting article on a similar subject http://tinyurl.com/yfnrfqv
What you've said is very true...media has become an honest personal relations system for individuals, products and companies..they tell us what we need, what we must think, what we must want..
ReplyDeleteThey take it as an opportunity for sycophancy...they must understand that their job must be done with responsibility..
Media is full of mediocres.
ReplyDeleteAbout ads. Practically, there is no connection to the theme of the ad and the product. They have half-naked girls (few of them). And others are downright stupid.
About movies: Absolutely no values. (Especially bollywood.) If there are values shown, they will be awfully exaggerated. I prefer any south Indian movie for this.
Newspaper: They just want 'masala news'. They want to capture the market. What if the farmer dies? They have better lives to live.
@ Spicy Sweet
ReplyDeleteHalf-naked girls is a must in any super hit movie. So, they are just exploiting our weaknesses and we are unable to understand it. I'm from South India and unfortunately, a very few of the South Indian movies are worthy enough to provoke a thought and otherwise, most of them are entertainers. Tamil is definitely better than Bollywood!
'Masala' is what everyone expect here. I still wonder why actors like Akshay Kumar has this much of fans. They are just for entertainers!! Same predictable story and message. That too a negative message!! I still can't understand what they really mean by their efforts but, in a businessman's point of view, they are doing good. In my point of view, that is a mistake!!
Raghu