Anecdotal Impressions of Delhi's Journalistic Elite
I have lived in Delhi for almost my entire life, with stays in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai to help shape my pan Indian perspectives and stays in USA and Canada to shape my cross country perspectives. It is thus hardly a well rounded view, and it is skewed unabashedly towards being a liberal with classical Anglo Saxon views on corruption and policy.
I do not claim to be an expert commentator on such matters as politics , but I have observed political journalists unabashedly and in full intellectual glory. Forgive me of any bias in my analysis that follows - as Oscar Wilde said - I am without prejudice, I hate everyone equally.
Delhi's journalistic elite is best described as cast members from the Godfather (part 1)
The Godfather - Don Prannoy Roy.
Prannoy Roy is generally acknolwedged as mentor , startup innovator and networker par excellence in Delhi's TV Journalism. The founder of NDTV, and erstwhile spotter of enviable journalistc talent like Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai and Vikram Chandra has a well chronicled tale of meteoric rise from presenting a weekly program, " The World This Week" at that time, the only foreign perspective allowed to socialistic pan 1980s India-- to virtually creating the entire English speaking TV Political Journalism post reforms- Dr Roy as he likes to be now called is well known as a mover and shaker in India's Journalism. Less savoury are the facts how he has leveraged personal connections (including marital ties with Communist party leaders) , dodged federal enquires on both corruption while his channel has dodged numerous ethical complaints of being too close to the political class.
Who guards the guardians of democracy? Not India's journalists mentored under this man.
Think of this as being the equivalent of India's Arthur Sulzberger (NYT) married to Katherine Graham (WP) and friends with Rupert Murdoch (WSJ).
With considerably less aplomb on ethical disclosures on ethical conflict of interests.
Would the USA allow a major news publisher like CNN , or Fox News to have a man with such a controversial ethical past (despite all the air brushing on wikipedia).. No. But this being India, Dr Roy would like to ensure it is business as usual. The prize for being the creator and sustainer of India's corrupted "paid media" 's cozy relationship with the Congress decade long orgy of looting.
Favorite Adopted Daughter of the Don- Barkha Dutt.
One of the most iconic images of India's TV Journalism remains Barkha Dutt's interview with Capt Vikram Batra , Kargil Hero, a day before his eventual demise at the hard hands of India's nemesis , the Pakistani Army. A decade later, Barkha Dutt has strayed so far from the country first sentiments, as to be lauded as the face, and the voice in a lobbying scandal involving the telecom industry.
All journalists are hungry for stories and access to story exclusives. What marks Miss Dutt out is her naked ambition for compromising anything for the story, with a widely criticized stand on being soft on corruption. Think of her as Connie Corleone.
The Obedient Follower- Vikram Chandra
Of the cast members in this melodrama, perhaps Mr Chandra is known for being as aspiring novelist ( of fiction) with considerable less copies sold than Chetan Bhagat- much to the teeth gnashing envy of South Delhi\s hoi polloi of culture vultures
. What is known is his lack in aggressivess is made up by his total obedience to the don. Think of him as Frido Corleone.
The Restless Younger Son- Rajdeep Sardesai
While the favoured successor of Dr Roy, Rajdeep left his mentor and his rival TV channel offers the most competition in the English speaking TV Journalism world of Delhi. His past relationships have been much speculated over, but leaving personal innuendo aside, even Mr Sardesai is relcutant to go against his erstwhile mentor, despite the accusations of crony journalism being ripe in the rarified world of Delhi Politics. Think of him as Michael Corleone
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While the external world lauds India's democracy the truth is corruption in fund diversion is aided and abetted by its corrupted journalists.
The disappointing opportunism shown by anti corruption parties in the recent elections , and the pro development agenda of the ruling ones remain destined for trickle down economics if India's journalists are not investigated by retired Judges (just like its vaunted Cricket system and erstwhile Cabinet ministers)
If Caesar's wife should be above suspicion, Indian journalistic integrity needs a thorough cleansing too.
